CEBU CITY – Clad in a casual long-sleeved, blue striped cotton top that she paired with white pants and chic rubber shoes, former Cebu province Gov. Gwen Garcia was nothing but vibrant in her first media appearance since her shock loss in the mid-term polls.

The ex-governor welcomed a group of reporters in her office on Monday, Sept. 8, at Oakridge Business Park in Mandaue City, Cebu.

Garcia was in high spirits, saying she has embraced her return to private life after being in government service for the past several years.

“Nindot man (It’s very nice). I can wake up anytime of the day. I no longer think about what problems to be solved in a certain town. What I think is what good movies to watch on Netflix,” Garcia said when asked how she has been as of late.

Garcia’s bid for a third term as Cebu governor was foiled when she lost to neophyte politician Pamela Baricuatro last May.

After that upset loss, Garcia disclosed that she is now back running the Garcia Group of Companies (GGC), a company that she helped build some 50 years ago.

“I am in my element. I will be using my brain for my own self and not for the province,” Garcia said.

“This is the first time that I have had such an extended relaxed vacation. Before, even when I’m on vacation, my mind was ‘I hope nothing bad happens in Cebu while I’m abroad,’” she added.

Garcia is embarking on new business ventures. She is in the process of establishing a training center for computer-related courses, legal consultancy, and an events and production company.

“I’ll probably expect that I’ll hold more office hours once the trainings and other businesses start. Like what I did before when I was building up GGC. I worked Monday to Saturday, morning to afternoon. It was building up one business after another,” she said.

But did she miss being the governor of Cebu? Garcia said accepting to let go of the position that held for the past six straight years was not hard.

“My attitude was, Cebu was never mine. I never owned Cebu. It’s not like the GGC that I built up. I never owned Cebu but during the time that I was given the opportunity to serve, I fulfilled my duty. It was not even a duty, it became a passion for me,” said Garcia.

Garcia said she relinquished her post with a peace of mind, knowing that she gave it her all when she was the highest government official in the province.

“Now, I am treading a new path but I have no regrets. I did the very best, I put the very best of my ability, heart and soul. So, there’s no regrets” she said.

Now that she’s out of the political limelight, Garcia said it warms her heart that she still receives a warm welcome wherever she goes.

Garcia recalled attending a recent occasion in Alcoy town. She said she was surprised how the people treated her.

“When I got out of the car, people, including children, ran towards me to greet me,” she shared.

While the former governor was bubbly, even cracking some jokes during the press briefing, she demonstrated her old feisty self when she addressed a string of accusations hurled against her by her successor.

One of the issues that Garcia tackled was the allegation that she is maintaining a troll army to destroy the administration of Baricuatro.

“I dare her (Baricuatro) to prove it. It’s easy to lie but it is very shameful if you get caught lying,” the governor said.

Garcia toured the media around her office to show that the alleged troll army doesn’t exist.

Occupying the same floor where Garcia’s office is situated is a business process outsourcing company.

“There’s a call center here. So let her (Baricuatro) check if they are my trolls,” said Garcia.

Another issue hurled against Garcia was that the province’s healthcare program was supposedly neglected during her watch.

Baricuatro also announced that the province has P1-billion debt.

Garcia denied those allegations, including insinuations of having personal or political ties to contractors linked to the flood control controversy.

She clarified that she doesn’t know Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and his wife Sarah, who earlier testified before the Senate on alleged kickbacks in government projects.

“I don’t know these Discayas,” she said.

Garcia also rejected allegations that she had ties with Engr. Allan Quirante of QM Builders, a contractor based in Dumanjug town, Cebu.

Quirante also attended recent Senate hearings that investigated anomalous flood control projects.

Garcia said she has no personal connection to the Quirantes even if they come from the same hometown. She said the provincial government didn’t have a single project with Quirante at the time she was the governor.

“The records will speak,” she said.

Garcia said QM Builders even owes the Capitol nearly P100 million for quarry violations tied to unpermitted extraction works on the Naga City side of the Metro Cebu Expressway.

Because of the issue surrounding the expressway, Garcia said she even turned down Quirante’s invitation to serve as principal sponsor for his son’s wedding.

“Kung ana pa mi ka-BFF, ako gyud mag-una didto kay trophy ninang gyud ko kay gobernador gud (If we were that close, I would have been the first to attend because I was a trophy grandmother as a governor). But I said no. Why? Because we have collectibles from QM,” she said.

In denying all allegations hurled against her, Garcia urged Baricuatro “not to continue looking for mud to throw against her perceived enemy.”

“The campaign period is over. It’s time to work like I always did before every time the election ends,” said Garcia.

To settle issues once and for all, Garcia was asked if she is willing to face Baricuatro in a debate.

“For a while, I was thinking about that but that’s dignifying her lies. She will still not stop,” Garcia said.