Agnes Almendras Magpale: Competence, integrity, and passion

If there is a lady in Cebu today who has both the competence and the right character for genuine public service, a rare combination of integrity, decency and trustworthiness of a true public servant, it should be the incumbent vice governor of this premier province of Cebu. Her honor and reputation has never been tainted by any shade of corruption in an era of too much shenanigans in government. Like Governor Junjun Davide, Vice Governor Agnes A. Magpale is the epitome of idealism in public service. There are many politicians today who are just in government for the money, for the power, and for the glory. But this honorable gentlewoman of substance does not need to work in government in order to support her family.

She has the means on her own. She is the daughter of Josefino Almendras, a niece of Senator Alejandro “Landring” Almendras, and cousin to the great and famous Durano political clan in Danao. She is the aunt of the seventh district congressman, Peter John D. Calderon. Her education and her academic credentials are really what the Cebuanos need. Her ethics, morality, and honesty are beyond reproach. No one can question her personal and family background. She is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, the first and only pontifical university in the country, where Dr. Jose P Rizal, and presidents Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmeña Sr., and Diosdado P. Macapagal graduated. Many illustrious men and women are alumni and alumnae of UST.

UST does not only teach science but also ethics, morality, and decency in life, career, and profession. I used to teach Labor Laws and Social Legislations in the UST Faculty of Civil Law where my fellow professors were the current Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, and justices Diosdado Peralta and the latest appointee, Amy Lazaro-Javier. I can truly see that the vice governor has been well-molded in a strict Catholic learning environment, as she has been molded in high school in the prestigious St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City. Vice Governor Magpale is also an alumna of UP Dilliman and is a holder of a Master’s Degree in nutrition from the famed Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She also holds a doctorate in Organizational Development from the Cebu Doctors College.

Dr. Agnes A. Magpale started her political career at the bottom. She was vice mayor of Danao City, Provincial Board member for many terms representing the fifth district, and vice governor, first by succession when the late Gregorio Sanchez died, and by election, when she got a whopping majority of 167,000 votes over her closest rival. She has been a recipient of various awards like the Zonta Leadership, Garbo sa Danao, Ten Outstanding Cebuano UP Alumni Award, and the Cebuano Heritage Award, as well as the St. Theresa’s College Achievers' Award. She is a true woman of substance, a person of honor, integrity, and decency and a public servant whose record has never been questioned in any forum by any Cebuano.