Guv, PJ distribute checks, rice in Danao

AN OWNERSHIP meeting of a cooperative their mother started gave Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Rep. Pablo John Garcia a chance to distribute checks to 11 local governments and rice to coop members, as well as meet with political allies.

Nearly 1,000 members of the Court of First Instance (CFI) Community Cooperative in northern Cebu attended the group’s meeting in Barangay Sabang, Danao City.

Members each received a five-kilo sack of rice and a calendar with the photo of Congressman Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district) printed on it.

History

Danao City received a check for P100,000, while 10 northern towns each received a check for P50,000 as a gift from the cooperative.

Representatives of the Garcia family met with some of the Duranos during the event.

Governor Garcia recalled how the Cebu-CFI began with only P200 for capital, through the efforts of her mother, retired judge Esperanza Fiel-Garcia.

When the coop started in 1970, it had only 29 members. At present, it has 70,000 members all over the country with a total of P5 billion in assets.

“We are so proud of this coop. This is like our brother or sister,” Congressman Garcia said.

Retired judge Garcia, as head of Cebu-CFI, turned over the P100,000 check to Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr.

Recipients

The towns that received checks for P50,000 each were San Remigio, Tabogon, Liloan, Carmen, Compostela, Consolacion, Catmon, Medellin, Borbon, and Sogod.

In his speech, Congressman Garcia told the audience—which included Danao City Administrator Jesus “Don” Durano and his son, Poblacion Barangay Captain Ramon “Monching” Durano V— that he will pursue his sister’s projects and programs, if elected.

“Sige man ko’g attend og ownership meeting… duna man kitay katuyuan.. aron mapadayon kining mga programaha naningkamot intawn si Pablo John Garcia nga mahimong sunod nga gobernador sa lalawigan sa Sugbo (I attend many of these ownership meetings for a reason…in order to continue the programs the governor has started, I am working hard to become the next governor of Cebu,” he said.

Grateful

He also asked for the people’s support for his sister to be the first Cebuana senator.

Governor Garcia thanked Mayor Boy Durano for his consistent support in the past two elections.

“Ug karon nag-atubang na usab kita og laing piniliay kay alang kaniya, alang kanako, sayod ako sa mga matinudanon nga mga Sugbuanon, ang importante di coalition kundi relasyon (As we face another election, Mayor Boy and I know that for true Cebuanos, the relationship matters more than the coalition,” the governor said.

The mayor, who plans to run for reelection, will soon take his oath together with Don, as his running mate, to join One Cebu. Governor Garcia heads the party.

Mayor Boy’s son, former Danao City vice mayor Ramon “Boboy” Durano IV, is being considered as a potential running mate for Congressman Garcia, One Cebu’s gubernatorial candidate for the May 2013 elections.

Some other members of the Durano family, led by Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano, recently coalesced with the Liberal Party (LP). A member of the clan, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, is running for Cebu vice governor next year on the LP ticket.