Magpale did not know she’s supposed to chair MCDCB
CEBU, Philippines - Acting Cebu Governor Agnes Magpale blamed the absence of formal turnover between her and suspended governor Gwendolyn Garcia why the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) had been inactive.
Magpale said she did not know that Garcia was the chairperson of the board and that she is supposed to take over the latter’s responsibilities in the board.
“Because there was no formal turnover, how am I to know that she was chairing that?†Magpale said.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has called on Magpale to be active in the MCDCB like Garcia.
Magpale however said that she has met recently with Roberto “Bobby†Aboitiz and they are set to meet on February 28 to discuss the matters concerning the board.
Rama is the co-chairman of the MCDCB along with Aboitiz.
“Mayor Rama should know that walay formal turn-over,†Magpale said.
In 2011, Garcia recommended the formation of the MCDCB as replacement of the Metro Cebu Development Council. Members of the defunct council also signed the agreement in April 2011 to institute the MCDCB.
The MCDCB, which includes Metro Cebu LGUs, civil society, the academe and NGOs, is aimed for an “integrated, inclusive and sustained development of Metro Cebu.â€
Magpale explained that being seated just two months as acting governor, she had to prioritize the settlements of the province considering that companies have been going to her office everyday to ask for the balances of the provincial government as payment for their respective services.
On top of this, Magpale said that she had to be briefed again on the memberships of the suspended governor which included the MCDCB to name a few.
Magpale said that such problem could have been avoided had she been able to access the governor’s office to obtain documents related to the memberships of the governor.
Magpale ordered to lock-down the office of Garcia last January 31 after over a month in standoff. Garcia was in Oslob when her office was padlocked. (FREEMAN)
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