Gwen recounts meeting boy ‘looking’ for notebooks

Local

A YOUNG boy in Dalaguete town told former Cebu governor Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia that he no longer receives notebooks after she stopped being governor.

Garcia recounted the encounter in a social media post on Monday, Oct. 5, after attending the recognition ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3.

She wrote that the boy called out to her, saying, “Gwen, Gwen! Sukad dili na ikaw ang gobernador, wa nasad mi notebook.”

Garcia said the provincial government provided free school supplies to public elementary and high school students during her tenure, later extending the program to senior high school students.

The supplies included school bags, paper pads, pencils, pens, and notebooks, as well as uniform T-shirts and footwear, according to Garcia’s account.

The boy’s comment came months after Garcia ended her fifth term as governor following her defeat in the 2025 elections.

Garcia did not indicate in her post whether the provincial government has formally discontinued its school-supply program. Instead, she presented the boy’s remark as a reminder of the assistance that children had come to expect while she was in office.

The encounter also comes as Garcia pursues education and skills-training initiatives outside government through the GFG Assessment and Training Center and GFG Institute.

According to her post, the training center has produced 500 learners since it began operations in March. It provides training intended to equip learners with practical skills for employment and other opportunities.

Garcia also said the GFG Institute is preparing to open campuses in Cordova, Cebu, and Ormoc City this month.

The institute is expected to offer two-year, tri-semester diploma programs in various technical-vocational fields, with free tuition and a training allowance, according to Garcia.

The initiative follows Garcia’s earlier statement that she was focusing on education and employment opportunities rather than on her political plans for the 2028 elections.

During a press conference on Aug. 24, Garcia was asked whether she intended to seek an elective post in 2028.

She did not commit to a candidacy and instead said there was still considerable time before the elections.

“Magsige tag istorya sa 2028, daghan pa kaayong mahitabo gikan karon hangtod sa 2028. So, huwag tayong magsalita ng pinal,” Garcia said.

Garcia said her more immediate concern was what could be done to help people dealing with financial difficulties.

“Unsay atong mahimo pagtabang nila karon? Karon, dili sa 2028,” she said.

At the time, Garcia said she was working on the GFG Institute’s curriculum, documents, and recruitment of potential trainers and program heads.

The institute is being developed to provide academic and technical pathways for people from disadvantaged families, according to Garcia.(TGP)