Gwendolyn Garcia, former Cebu governor, met members of the media on Monday, September 8, 2025 to "address lies and false claims against her and her administration when she was still in office."

A few of these issues are the bags of rice intended for the “Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB)" project of the Cebu Provincial Government in 2023 found stacked in a warehouse in Mandaue City, and alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects initiated by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the province. 

One of the road projects she particularly cited is an expressway in the City of Naga, with collapsed portions in Barangay Cantao-an.

In August 2025, GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak reported about a total of 397 sacks of rice found stacked in a warehouse in Mandaue City deemed “no longer suitable for human consumption,” based on assessment of local authorities. 

In an investigation on the bags of rice intended for the “Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB)" project of the Cebu Provincial Government in 2023, it was learned that these were stacked for quite a long time already and may pose health risks to consumers.

It was learned that in January 2024, over a thousand sacks of rice were allocated for Mandaue City in line with the P20-kilo rice program. However, not everyone was able to buy the cheap rice, as only those with SMB cards were allowed to purchase, and that there was a limit of up to two kilos only per person per week.

“Kita may miuna anang tag-P20 kilo nga bugas. This issue was taken up with all of the local government units (LGU). The Provincial Treasurer’s Office mao say nakig-coordinate sa Treasurer’s Office sa kada LGU. Kon wala na nila gibaligya - and also with the Municipal or City Social Welfare Office - as you could see, ang ubang mga LGUs paspas ang baligya, and kapila pa nagtuyok. I don’t think I should even take that up now, that is a Mandaue issue, and I think that should be confined within Mandaue City,” Garcia said in a press conference in her firm's private office afternoon on September 8, 2025. 

In addition, Garcia clarified that the collapsed expressway in the City of Naga is not a Capitol project. 

Garcia said her “perceived enemy” has always linked her with alleged anomalous infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), citing her familiarity with Engr. Allan Quirante, of QM Builders, listed Number 4 of Top 15 contractors mentioned by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

“He [Quirante] did not get a single project from the Cebu Capitol during my administration. Mao lagi, i-review lagi unta. The records will speak,” Garcia added. 

The collapsed Metro Cebu Expressway in the City of Naga, she said, worth over P1 billion is a DPWH project.

“In fact, I instructed our PENRO [Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office] when we saw this nga nagkabkab sila. Mao man nay ganahan kaayo sa DP[WH], kanang filling,  ug ang kanang sheet piling sa flood control kay bisan og nine meters unta na, or 12 meters ang paglubong, maayo lang og moabot og three meters, mao nang guba dayon,” Garcia said. 

She added that the project did not even secure a quarry permit from the Cebu Provincial Government. 

The Metro Cebu Expressway would have been a 56.9-kilometer expressway connecting Naga City to Danao City, seeking to cut the travel time between the two areas to 50 minutes from the current three hours. 

However, the expressway is rendered unserviceable to date because of certain irregularities, she further said.