She hurt her hip after a fall in her house last Saturday, but Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will be reporting to work on Tuesday, August 18.

“She is okay, she will be back to work tomorrow but she is advised to use a walker for six weeks,” Atty. Rory Jon Sepulveda, Capitol legal consultant, reported in a press conference today, August 17. 

Sepulveda’s announcement is in line with the policy of the Cebu Provincial Government on transparency of the governor’s health condition.

“According to her attending physician, Dr. Jose Antonio San Juan, the governor is advised to use a walker for six weeks, a cane for two more weeks thereafter,” Sepulveda said.

The governor has also been advised to “do physical therapy and take pain medications.”

Dr. San Juan of the Cebu Orthopaedic Institute recommended that a repeat X-ray examination be taken after two weeks.

“At this point, no surgical intervention is being considered,” the medical certification read.

Dr. Cristina Giango, chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, said that despite a left hip fracture, the governor can still perform her job as the fracture is already stable.

“It is not serious because according to the diagnosis the fracture is “already closed, complete, not displaced” meaning it is not serious as the fracture didn’t penetrate the skin,” Giango said.

“She will be mobile with the aid of a walker,” she added.

When asked if Garcia can still carry out her scheduled meetings and out-of-town engagements, Atty. Sepulveda said that knowing the governor’s work ethics she will be unstoppable. 

“Knowing the governor, she will try to stretch the possible locomotion that is allowed sa iyaha,” Sepulveda said.

The governor first suffered from a slip and fall incident in January 2016 which injured her left hip. (Eleanor Valeros)