Garcia matriarch’s death: Cebu lawmakers offer condolences to family

CEBU, Philippines - The House of Representatives has expressed its heartfelt condolences on the demise of retired judge Esperanza Fiel Garcia, wife of former deputy speaker Pablo Garcia and mother of Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and former congressman Pablo John Garcia. 

All eight lawmakers in Cebu joined together in sponsoring a resolution a day before the House adjourned for a recess yesterday.  

Representative Benhur Salimbangon (4th) principally sponsored the resolution with Reps. Wilfredo Caminero (2nd), Gerald Anthony Gullas, Jr. (1st), Joseph “Ace” Durano (5th), Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th), Rodrigo Abellanosa (Cebu City south), Raul del Mar (Cebu City north) and Aileen Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City) as co-sponsors.

Esperanza, fondly called “Ma’am Inday” by many, passed away on February 1 at the age of 82. 

“Whereas, the demise of Ret. Judge Esperanza Fiel Garcia marks the loss of an outstanding, diligent and hardworking servant of the judiciary and is a significant loss to her family,” read the House resolution.

The lawmakers described Esperanza as an epitome of a great leader. 

Esperanza, whose experiences during the Japanese occupation ingrained in her a burning desire to serve people, is survived by her husband, former Cebu governor and House Deputy Speaker Pablo “Pabling” Garcia, and their children Rep. Gwendolyn, Dierdre, Atty. Winston, Nelson, Marlon, Byron, Farla and Atty. Pablo John.

Esperanza rose from the ranks to become a judge of the Court of First Instance (CFI), where as a clerk of court in 1970 she established the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative with a capital of only P200.

She established the cooperative to save its members from usurers and cultivated a culture of savings, hard work and honesty among its poor members.

Starting with only 29 original members, the cooperative has now grown to 90,000 members. The cooperative’s assets now total to almost P10 billion, with members getting as much as 20 percent dividend on their contributions.

Among the many awards Judge Inday Garcia received were the Baul Award in 2000 as Model Filipino and the Tony Martin Leadership Award in 2001 for her exemplary promotion of  “cooperativism” and for fostering the ideals of freedom, justice and nationalism. She also received from the Federacion Internacional de Abogadas in 2001 the “Esperanza Award” for promoting the cause of women, children, and the family.

Inday Garcia’s wake is at the Crystal Palace, Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City with a daily novena scheduled at 7:00 p.m. and Mass at 8:00 p.m.. 

On Sunday, February 7, a Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. at St. Therese Parish Church in Lahug and internment will follow at Angelicum in Canduman, Mandaue City. — (FREEMAN)