The First Lady Governor
Nikko Dizon of People Asia describes the first lady governor, “Maria Gracia Cielo Magno Padaca, 41 is the second of six children of schoolteachers Bernardo and Amelia Padaca. She had her humble beginnings in her hometown of Naguilian, Isabela. Stricken with polio at the age of three, she learned to cope and ultimately developed a strong character and determination to succeed. Despite her disability, she was a consistent honor student and in 1984, graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Lyceum University in Manila. Although a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), she was hired by Bombo Radyo in Cauayan City, Isabela as an anchorwoman during the 1986 snap presidential elections. This began 14 year stint as “Bombo Grace”, the radio commentator who stuck to her principles, was critical yet fair, and more importantly – took up the causes of the poor and the underserved
In 2000, she resigned from Bombo Radyo and took on a job at the Commission on Audit (COA). A year later, she was urged to run for public office but “lost” in the congressional seat. She took her case to the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) where she lost by 48 votes. She then worked as an accountant at the late Enrique Zobel’s Hacienda Bigaa in Calatagan, Batangas.
