July 25, 2021

(This online signature campaign seeks to enjoin Cebuanos to recognize the LEADERSHIP CRISIS in the Province of Cebu and show support for this MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE.)

New cases of Covid-19 in the Central Visayas have been increasing again. We fear the dreaded Delta variant has entered our shores. The Province of Cebu has 255 new cases with 4 additional deaths on July 23, 2021. The Department of Health (DOH) also counted 146 new cases in Cebu City with 5 additional death, and 66 in Mandaue City.

Cases have been rising in the southern town of Samboan and the northern town of San Remigio.

Meanwhile, the DOH has confirmed that community infections of the dreaded Delta variant already began in the country. As of July 24, 2021, we still have not read reports of Delta spreading in Cebu.

Being infected with Covid-19 is no joke. Though most are asymptomatic, many suffer general malaise, fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and worsening of other illnesses.

A number of those who died of Covid 19 are young people. For instance, a young engineer died recently. A former Mechanical Engineering Council President at the University of San Carlos, he was a diver. Covid-19 wasted a life so full of promise.

The dead also includes such prominent Cebuanos as former governor Lito Osmeña, former congressman Tony Cuenco, and even the governor’s brothers Mayors Nelson and Marlon Garcia.

Alas, the infected in the three highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Lapulapu, and Mandaue can avail of nearby modern hospitals. They can also go to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), a tertiary government hospital serving the whole region. There are also several isolation centers in Metro Cebu that non-severe Covid-19 cases can avail of.

But suffering from Covid-19 in the Province of Cebu, especially the poor, has been extra hard.

Wer na U, Gov?
Gov. Gwen Garcia, you like to present yourself as pro-Cebuano. You insist on having managed the Covid-19 situation well. Nganong lahi man ang imong gibuhat? Why have you done the following?

• Though hailing yourself as the number 1 governor of the wealthiest provincial government, you failed to devote funds to buy vaccines for Cebuanos. You preferred allocating P550 million this 2021 for the transfer of the seat of the provincial government to Balamban. You even slashed the budget for primary health care.
• Despite your mass communication background, you neglected to conduct vigorous information and education campaign. Ordinary Cebuanos would have understood and effectively managed their families’ health situation. The Capitol’s formidable media infrastructure would rather focus on parading your OOTD or outfit-of-the-day. Thus, ignorance about the anti-covid vaccines abounds in the province.
• Had ABS-CBN broadcasts not been stopped, the television network could have helped in the information campaign to manage Covid-19. However, you supported your brother Cong. Pablo John Garcia when he sponsored the House committee resolution that killed the move to renew the station’s franchise.
• Even before the pandemic, you weakened Cebu’s health infrastructure. You failed to support the Primary Health Care system.
  • The district hospitals lacked medicines, equipment, and doctors. Poor families need to pay a town’s ambulance driver to be able to bring their sick family member to VSMMC. Then family members must commute to the hospital to take care of the patient. Thus, they further congest the already congested hospital.
  • When you assumed the governorship in 2019, you drastically slashed Capitol’s budget for primary health care. You preferred to fund the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo.
  • As if to confirm the sorry state of district hospitals under your watch, you belatedly partnered with Prime Care Cebu for health testing equipment and services in district hospitals starting late this year. Note this: Just months before the start of the campaign period.

No 3rd Wave, Gov?
Recently, DOH 7 announced the emergence of a Third Wave. This alarmed, us, the people of Cebu. However, Gov. Garcia, you scolded local newspapers for doing their job – reporting about the story.

News of 13 policemen and 14 inmates in Samboan positive with Covid-19 also earned your anger. Why do you fear us to know of a surge in cases?

In all arrogance, you pointed to Singapore where the government moved on towards considering Covid-19 as endemic. This means the Singaporeans would soon treat Covid-19 like other infectious diseases such as flu, polio, and dengue.

But Gov. Garcia, why conveniently omit the fact that most Singaporeans have already been vaccinated? However, you said buying vaccines would not be necessary. The province now relies on supplies from the national government. Nganong kulang kaayo ang bakuna sa labing adunahan nga lalawigan, Gov?

In Singapore, the people are disciplined. They believe in science-based interventions and the people implement the basic health protocols. The health system is a global standard. The world trusts Singapore as a destination for tourism and investments.

Here in Cebu, you showed disbelief in science-based interventions. “Tuob” is a traditional way to relieve congestion of the lungs. But you yourself once promoted “tuob” as the cure. Thus, there are those who just did “tuob” and ignored other medical interventions, much less went to the doctor.

Worse, you expressed disbelief in promoting vaccinations and health protocols like wearing masks. Ngano man, Gov?

Insensitive and callous
Recently, you argued with the Inter-Agency Task Force Against Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. You insisted on relaxing health protocols for arriving Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFW) and Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF). You falsely claimed Cebu had been managing Covid-19 well. You belittled talks of the entry of the variants.

We just cannot believe that you could be so unscientific and callous. The resurgence of Covid-19 cases in India, Indonesia, and other countries is real. How could you risk exposing us, Cebuanos, to such danger? You insist on helping Cebuanos by exposing us to the danger.

We could, nevertheless, recall the insensitivity you displayed last year. In your misplaced passion for opening tourism at the height of the pandemic, you held a tourism event in Barili town where her two brothers Nelson and Marlon caught Covid-19. They eventually died.

Then something weird happened. 

Instead of pushing for strict implementation of health protocols, you got angry with the doctors who treated your brothers. You eventually filed cases even against the Chong Hua Hospital.

Crisis of Leadership
You boast of Cebu being number 1. You manage the richest province in the Philippines with P203.9 billion in total government assets, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). But have you translated this wealth into projects that effectively reduce poverty or even shielded the poor from the impact of the pandemic?

Instead, under your watch, why has the economy of Cebu contracted? No matter how you ease travel restrictions and health protocols, domestic and foreign tourists fear getting infected in areas where no widespread vaccination happened, and the health system is so weak.

Now, why do you resort to controlling news on the surge of cases? 

Your misplaced priorities, unscientific views, and narcissistic governance amid the pandemic beg for changes in the Province of Cebu. Cebuanos need to achieve better normal in a post-corona world. Indeed, the leadership crisis is real. We need to realize change. Gusto mi mo-asenso ang lalawigan. Pero nganong misamot man ang krisis nga ikaw ang governor?

Call to Action
Gov. Garcia, you hold sway today because seldom does somebody stand up and point out that you are wrong.

Of course, there are those brave souls who criticized the management of the Covid-19 situation. But you hit back hard like what you did to a student editor of Today’s Carolinian. Good that the student editor had the support of the College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines (CEGP).

Once a doctor called you out your views on “tuob.” But you responded by shaming the doctor with the use of Capitol’s extensive communication infrastructure. You felt superior to a professional who underwent almost two decades to become a physician. At least, the medical community answered with #NoToDoctorShaming.

Thus, we come to issue this call to all Cebuanos. Please sign this online document. Join the movement for a better Cebu. Salmot na alang sa kausaban.

We hope this signature campaign gains support. We wish this movement for change succeeds. We know that as more Cebuanos sign up, the stronger our message becomes. 

Never should a leader like you, Gov. Gwen Garcia, become a governor again.

#LeadershipCrisisIsReal         #JoinMovement4Change

                                 #NeverAGwen