Former Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia is consulting political leaders and supporters across the province as he considers a run for Cebu governor in 2028.
Garcia said he has yet to make a final decision and is using the consultations to determine whether he has enough support for a province-wide campaign.
“As I’ve told people who have interviewed me, I have not decided, but I am seriously thinking about running for governor,” Garcia said.
“I am consulting leaders and consulting people in the province if I have a chance, if there is enough support, and in a few months’ time, I will have a firmer position on the matter.”
Garcia said a gubernatorial campaign would require a strong organizational network capable of sustaining a province-wide campaign throughout the election period.
He also said support from key municipal and city leaders across Cebu would be an important consideration before he decides whether to enter the race.
Asked whether he would need unanimous backing from the Garcia family, Garcia said such unanimity could not necessarily be expected from any family, including one involved in politics.
“Ideally, no, in any family, bisan sa politika tingali, you cannot expect unanimity,” he said.
Garcia previously ran for governor in 2013, when he lost to Hilario Davide III.
The youngest child of former Cebu governor Pablo “Pabling” Garcia Sr. and Judge Esperanza Fiel-Garcia, Garcia has held several positions in law and government.
He placed fourth in the 1993 Philippine Bar Examinations and served as editor-in-chief of The Philippine Collegian while studying law at the University of the Philippines. His professional profile also lists him as a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and former Cebu 3rd District representative.
Garcia served as Cebu’s 3rd District representative from 2007 to 2013 and again from 2019 to 2025. He also served as deputy speaker during the 18th Congress.
In October 2024, Garcia withdrew his reelection bid for the congressional seat and endorsed his wife, Karen Hope Flores-Garcia, as his replacement. He said at the time that he wanted to pursue higher studies in law and public administration abroad and write a book on Cebu’s political history.
Garcia has not set a specific deadline for announcing whether he will run for governor in 2028.
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