Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Gwen

Annie Perez

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757389945267cropped-photo-collage.png.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia on Tuesday denied any ties with the Discaya couple, owners of construction firms tagged in the recent flood control mess. ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>CEBU CITY — Former Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia on Tuesday denied any ties with the Discaya couple, owners of construction firms tagged in the recent flood control mess.</p><p>Documents recently resurfaced that the province of Cebu entered into a joint-venture with SBK Construction and St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corporation in 2024.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/3/9-discaya-firms-lose-licenses-for-bidding-against-each-other-on-projects-1249">9 Discaya firms lose licenses for bidding against each other on projects</a></div><p>The projects are bulk water supply in the towns of Alegria and Malabuyoc. The latter is a company publicly listed and owned by Curlee Discaya.</p><p>“I don’t know anything,” said Garcia.</p><p>The project in Alegria is worth P109.44 million while the other project in Malabuyoc is worth P70.99 million. Both are yet to be completed.</p><p>Garcia, who was sitting governor at that time, explained that she was only engaging with SBK Construction and had no idea that they were in a joint-venture.</p><p>“I-link gyod ko sa bisag unsa nga issue (They are trying to link me to any issue). I don’t know the Discayas,” added Garcia.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TOP 2 CONTRACTOR</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Garcia also made clarifications on the province’s relationship with DPWH’s top 2 contractor, QM Builders.</p><p>It is owned and managed by Allan Quirante of Dumanjug.</p><p>The former governor said that Quirante does not have any project with the province since he has failed to pay for quarrying some parts of the province in relation to projects funded by DPWH.</p><p>This includes the Metro Cebu Expressway that was ordered to be halted by Garcia and other agencies after a landslide occurred damaging several houses.</p><p>“Gitabunan nila ang underground river (They covered the underground river),” said Garcia.</p><p>The Quirantes also allegedly tried to get Garcia as godmother for their child’s wedding but refused because of unfinished business with the expressway.</p><p>The project is supposed to be a 73.7 kilometer highway to connect Naga City in the South and Danao City in the North.</p><p>Officials found out that they had to Environmental Compliance Certificate and Certificate of Non-Coverage.</p><p>It is worth P94 to P96 billion including civil works and road right of way cost.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zvNoEw_Ku4g?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>'I don’t know anything': Ex-Cebu governor denies ties with Discayas despite bulk water projects</p>

'I don’t know anything': Ex-Cebu governor denies ties with Discayas despite bulk water projects