It was a historic meeting of Filipino leaders considered champions of local autonomy.
This as Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas paid Governor Gwen Garcia a visit at Cebu Provincial Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.
Both advocates of local autonomy, they also share the same stand that federalism is no longer necessary if the local government units exercise to the full extent their powers provided for by the Local Government Code (LGC).
Governor Mandanas is responsible for the Mandanas Ruling issued by the Supreme Court from his petition filed before the Department of Budget and Management that eventually provided all local government units (LGUs) a higher share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
Governor Garcia steadfastly upheld the local autonomy and the powers of the local government units as provided for by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines during the pandemic and against the Bureau of Animal Industry on the management of animal diseases especially the African Swine Fever (ASF).
Gov. Mandanas, who also became a congressman and served along with the late Governor and former Congressman Pabling Garcia, expressed his admiration on Gov. Garcia for her boldness and decisive leadership in defending Cebu and all LGUs under its jurisdiction. | PIO