Garcia not keen on ‘Mactan province’

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia hopes that the move to make Lapu-Lapu City a separate province will not push through.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan earlier expressed his support to the proposal to create the so-called “Province of Mactan.”

“You know what my position is. I was and I am and will always be against Sugbu-ak, and I know that the people of Cebu agree with me. That was shown in the 2007 election when three congressmen wanted to break or dismember our province into four provinces and in the 2007 elections, pwera buyag, nangapildi silang tanan,” Garcia said.

During a forum yesterday, Chan was asked about his thoughts on the possible creation of the “new province of Lapu-Lapu.”

He welcomes the idea.

“Dako kaayo ni siya nga bintaha kon mahimong probinsya ang Lapu-Lapu because siyempre naa na tay kaugalingong governor and we have separate budget para niana,” Chan replied.

Chan said the creation of Lapu-Lapu province, which would include the Municipality of Cordova, was a dream of former Cordova mayor Adelino Sitoy.

Chan clarified, though, that this is not their “utmost priority” since they still have to channel their efforts to rehabilitate Lapu-Lapu and promote its tourism.

Garcia shares the same sentiments.

"I understand nga naay subsequent statement si Mayor Ahong nga it is not a priority. I hope it will never become one because there are more important things to focus on. Ang importante nga ma-preserve ang atong unity, not just philosophically, not just politically but physically as well, geographically as well, as a people,” Garcia said.

The governor explained that filing a bill to create a province of Lapu-Lapu but with the inclusion of Cordova town would need a plebiscite that would include the voters of Cebu province. In other words, the voters of the existing Cebu province will get to decide whether such move should be greenlighted.

Cordova is a third class municipality under Cebu Province located on Mactan island.

“First of all, mangutana ta sa mga mayor sa probinsya sa Sugbo kung mosugot ba, ilabi na ang mayor sa Cordova. Mosugot ba siya nga maapil og bag-ong probinsya. Mosugot ba ang mga mayor sa tibuok probinsya nga makuhaan og lungsod, makuhaan og population? Duna nay epekto sa atong IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) ang tawag nila sauna, karon ang National Tax Allocation (NTA), unya ang affected province ang Cebu,” Garcia said. — JMD (FREEMAN)