Gwen lauds biz sector's role in province's growth

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia lauded the private sector as one of the stakeholders towards the future of the province and considered the government as an enterprise that practices efficiency.

She said that the principles of entrepreneurship has helped her as a public servant and has been the reason Cebu has remained as number one among the provinces nationwide.

During her initial term as the governor, she defined governance as an enterprise that demands efficiency from public servants, benefiting the public they serve.

She noted that complacency from leaders has become an excuse for inefficiency of the government.

“We should realize that to get ahead of the game and stay there, we must instill in the government the principles of entrepreneurship. The ethic of efficiency is the reason Cebu has become the undisputed number one province in the country. We should sustain this unprecedented era of progress,” she said.

During her governance, she cited that accomplishments in infrastructure, health, peace and order, tourism, and social service have been achieved. It also allowed Cebu assets to grow triple to almost P30 billion, thus earning a seal of good housekeeping from the Department of interior and Local Government.

“We have to stay ahead of the game as far as Cebu is concerned. We have to keep these principles alive and take them even in the future,” she said during the One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit held at the Cebu International Convention Center.

According to Garcia, part of the achievements in her term has been in partnership and participation of the private sector that has actively been engaged in the task of delivering basic services to people.

She noted that most of the successful programs in the administration that changed the lives of the people were in partnership with entrepreneurs.

She cited programs such as “Suroy-Suroy Sugbo” with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the “Obra Negosyo Eskwela” with the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

She further said that the One Cebu program has taught government leaders to enlist services and come up with a well-thought business plan for the welfare of the community. 

She then considered public-private partnership as one of the keys for Cebu to stay ahead of the game.

“Cebu’s well-being and the future are at close. And this is how the province experiences unity and willingness from both sectors to come together and work as one that other provinces could emulate and which we should continue if we wish to stay ahead of the game,” she concluded.