CEBU CITY – A movement urging Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to run for Senator in the 2022 elections was launched here Thursday, April 29.

Convenors of the “Gwen for Senator: Ang Probinsyana, Run Gwen Run” movement said they believed Garcia has shown the capabilities that will make her a good Senator.

 “The present crop of Senators hailed from provinces with smaller electorates. How come, Cebu has not produced one today,” the group said in a statement.

“Although Senate President Vicente Sotto III traces his roots to Cebu and the illustrious Cebuano Senators Vicente and Filemon Sotto, he no longer lives here,” the group added.

Erwin Gok-ong, president of the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-purpose Cooperative (CEMVEDCO), said their group is yearning to have Garcia in the Senate.

“Having her in the Senate will give us voice who will raise the concerns of vendors and cooperatives,” Gok-ong said in Cebuano.

Neil Papas, an international boxing judge, said that with her “clean punching,” Garcia was able to build more roads and upgrade four district hospitals to level two and increase the bed capacity of 12 provincial hospitals.

“Garcia’s “defense” protected the province from the ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as “Governor Gwen effectively counterpunched the threats to revive Cebu’s economy,” said Papas.

The group was not able to talk to the governor before the movement was launched.

“We did not coordinate with the Capitol. This is a private initiative but we are hoping that we can have an audience with her so we can talk more about our cause,” said radio personality Edward Ligas who is also a boxing judge.

Should Garcia decide to run for Senator, Ligas said they believe the governor has resources to fund her candidacy.

“She is very easy to market. She is saleable and we believe she has the resources and she has a lot of supporters,” said Ligas.