Winston Fiel Garcia (born May 21, 1958) is a Filipino lawyer, and corporate leader who was the general manager and president of Government Service Insurance System.[1] He has served as the director and board member of several of the biggest institutions in the Philippines such as the Philippine Stock Exchange, San Miguel Corporation, Meralco and is currently the chairman of the Garcia-owned Cebu CFI Cooperative.
Garcia was born and raised in Cebu, Philippines, to a family of lawyers. He is the son of former Deputy Speaker Pablo P. Garcia[2] and Cebu CFI Community founder, retired judge Esperanza “Inday” Fiel Garcia. He is the brother of Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu 3rd District Congressman Pablo John Garcia. Winston is married to Isabel, an architect and the president of the Zonta Club International Cebu Chapter. They both have 5 children.
Academic life
Garcia attended law school at the San Beda College of Law, while also taking up Associate in Arts at the Southwestern University in Cebu City and Bachelor of Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas-Central Seminary. [citation needed]
Garcia's track record as a public servant includes his position as chairman of Cebu Provincial Committee on Good Government, Committee on Laws and Ordinances and executive committee on Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices.[3]
Garcia overhauled the near-bankrupt GSIS[5] into the most profitable government enterprise in the Philippines.[6][7][8][9]
He intensified collection, eliminated fraud, launched aggressive marketing of new products and services to members, and instituted practical reforms in GSIS investment activities. He also purged entries of deceased members from the GSIS rolls.[10]
GSIS assets increased by 500 billion pesos (US$10 billion) during his 9-year tenure
When GSIS was on the cusp of bankruptcy, Garcia employed several technological and managerial reforms which saved the corporation. In the span of 9 years, Garcia was able to generate nearly 500 billion pesos (US$10 billion) for the GSIS conglomerate.
An oil painting dated 1892, the painting was purchased in 2002 Garcia at an auction in Hong Kong for Php 46 million, which raised questions over whether government workers' money was being properly used.[14]
The Commission on Audit (COA) filed a case against Garcia for graft and grave misconduct. Garcia's decision to purchase a piece of history[15] was proven to be a worthy investment for the agency after COA decided to reconsider its disallowance of the purchase of the painting.[16]
The painting, which was purchased initially at Php 46 million, is now worth Php 300 Million. The investment proved worthy.[17][18][19]
Career in business management
Garcia is the former chairman of the National Reinsurance Corporation; the GSIS Mutual Fund, Inc.; and the ASEAN Forum Inc. He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Philippine Social Security Association and board member of the ASEAN Social Security.
Chairman of the board at National Reinsurance Corporation
Meralco director from May 2004 to April 2005
Independent director of Manila Electric Co. from February 26, 2008, to January 2009
Independent director for San Miguel Corporation since February 1, 2001
Chairman of Equitable Card Network, Inc., PCIB Securities, Inc. and Equitable Savings Bank, Inc
Political life
Garcia served in the Provincial Board of Cebu for two terms, from April 1986 to June 1995. As provincial board member, he is credited for developing the P1 billion bond program of Cebu that raised funds to finance the province's infrastructure, triggering the Ce-boom phenomenon.[20]
On February 16, 2016, Binay's party United Nationalist Alliance and One Cebu party (with former GSIS chairman Garcia as the party's gubernatorial bet in Cebu local elections, 2016) form a local coalition in the province of Cebu during the local party's general assembly.[26][27][28]
Garcia had openly challenged incumbent Cebu governor Davide to a public debate, but Davide refused, commenting that it was "a waste of time.".[29][30][31] On his side, Winston Garcia urges COMELEC to organize local debate. "A debate is a venue for voters to learn about a candidates platform. It will help guide them in identifying which leader has the better program," Garcia said.[32]
