Cebu Third District Representative Pablo John Garcia has withdrawn his bid for reelection citing personal reasons. 

His wife, Karen Hope Flores-Garcia, replaces him. 

Flores-Garcia, a journalist by profession, filed her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) on October 8, 2024. 

“I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for Congressman of the Third Legislative District of the Province of Cebu in favor of my wife, Karen Hope Flores-Garcia,” Garcia said in an official statement sent to GMA Regional TV News. 

“The political unity we have achieved in all the municipalities and one city in the district has given rise to an opportunity for me to pursue two decades-old dreams that I’ve had to put aside because of work: (1) to pursue higher studies in law and public administration abroad; and (2) to write a volume on Cebu political history from the point of view of both an observer and an active participant.  The latter will allow me to contribute to Cebu beyond my work as a public servant. The former will equip me with new knowledge and skills with which to serve the Filipino people better, should an opportunity arise in the future,” the statement reads. 

Garcia further said that he consulted mayors in his district on the substitution.

“They are unanimous in endorsing my wife, Karen, as substitute candidate, confident that she is more than able to continue what we have started, both in legislation as well as advocating for infrastructure and socio-economic projects that make a difference in the lives and livelihoods of our constituents," Garcia said.

Flores-Garcia earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of the Philippines Cebu, with units in Masters in Public Management from the same university. 

She was senior reporter for SunStar Cebu for nine years and a correspondent for a national paper covering politics and governance before she got married to Garcia in 2004.  

“She is a communications consultant for some major companies in Cebu. Since I first got elected as Congressman in 2007, she has helped oversee my social media accounts and office operations without title or salary. With her unique point of view as a woman and a mother of four, she brings fresh perspective to socio-economic programs to benefit the district,” Garcia underscored. 

“I humbly urge our supporters to support Karen in her bid to become Congresswoman of the Third District of Cebu,” the statement concluded. 

Garcia was the first in the Province of Cebu to have filed his candidacy on the first day of COC filing on October 1, 2024.