‘HUMILITY IN HIGH OFFICE’.
For Mayor Tomas Osmeña, his grandfather is one remarkable Filipino for showing that leadership and competence is not measured with age
A woman offers flowers at the marker in honor of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. during his 139th birth anniversary. Osmeña was nearly 25 when he placed second in the Bar exam of 1903; only 27 when he became governor of Cebu. In 1944, barely a month shy of his 66th birthday, Osmeña succeeded Manuel Roxas as president of the republic. For all his accomplishments, the “grand old man of Cebu” deserves to be remembered, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella says, for showing “humility in high office.”
“The epitome of humility in high office.”
This was how Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella described Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. as the City Government celebrated the late president’s 139th birth anniversary yesterday.
In his speech, Labella recalled how his father spoke highly of Don Sergio for focusing on rehabilitating the country during the aftermath of World War II.
“He was told by his political advisers that he should campaign for his presidential bid against then house speaker Manuel Roxas. But Don Sergio simply replied that he can’t leave his office because he has his obligation to restructure the country after the war. For me, there is no other greater man in this country than Don Sergio,” he said.
For Mayor Tomas Osmeña, his grandfather is one remarkable Filipino for showing that leadership and competence is not measured with age.
Tomas said that Don Sergio became a governor of Cebu at the age of 27, the youngest leader to hold the position.
When the United States allowed the Philippine Commonwealth then to have its first Philippine Assembly, now known as Congress, Tomas said that at the age of 29, Don Sergio took the opportunity and ran as a representative, making him the youngest member of the first Congress.
He was elected later on by his colleagues as house speaker for his knowledge on parliamentary procedure. He became the first speaker of the House of the Representatives, a feat that the mayor believes has not been repeated in the country’s history.
“There are many presidents in the country, but you can never see again a young man being able to hold such important position in the government. He is Cebu’s grand young man,” said Tomas.
Mariano Osmeña, Don Sergio’s great grandson, thanked everyone for remembering the late president. He said that such occasion is a good time to reflect on what Don Sergio had done as a leader and thank the Cebuanos for their tireless effort in remembering his great grandfather’s work after all these years.
The Osmeña clan led the City Government officials and members of the civic groups yesterday in offering flowers at Don Sergio’s marker at the corner of Lapu-Lapu St. and Osmeña Blvd. /