Dona Pipang Avenue, Cebu City

The street has been renamed and now part of the long stretch, from the front of the Cebu Provincial Capitol ending at the front of the Plaza Independencia, of the street now called PRESIDENT SERGIO OSMEÑA BOULEVARD.

Dona Pipang Avenue, the former name of the Osmeña Boulevard was the name that replaced " Jones Avenue". The Cebu City Council on March 29, 1960 ( City Ordinance No. 284) renamed Jones Avenue to Dona Pipang Avenue. The Cebu City Mayor at that time was Atty. Carlos J. Cuizon.

Dona Pipang, whose real name was ESTEFANIA CHIONG VELOSO, was born on December 26, 1875 to Spouses Nicasio Chiong Veloso and Genoveva Rosales. Dona Pipang married Don Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr. on April 10, 1901. Her husband, Don Sergio later became Governor of Cebu, First Speaker of the National Assembly, Senator and President. Her husband died on October 19, 1961 at the Veterans Memorial Hospital, Quezon City.

Dona Pipang, was one of the 13 children of Don Nicasio, one of the wealthiest Chinese in Cebu during his lifetime. A sister of Dona Pipang, Eleuteria married Segundo Singson, son of Don Mariano Singson, the Sponsor/ Padrino of Don Pedro Gotiaco, who is the forebear of the Gotianuy's, Gotianon's and the Gaisano's. Another sister of Dona Pipang, Hermenegilda married Teodoro Velez.

Dona Pipang and Don Sergio had the following children: Vicenta, the Carnival Queen in 1922 ( married Juan Veloso), Edilberto who married Guadalupe Veloso, who was the daughter of Don Mariano Veloso. The Edilberto is the father of Renato V. Osmeña who became Councilor and Vice Mayor of Cebu City and Rogelio V. Osmeña. The other children were, Nicasio, Jose, Milagros, Maria Paloma ( candidate of the Carnival Queen in 1934, married James Milne Charnley, a classical pianist in New York), Emilio ( who became a Doctor, married Mary Renner, he is the father of Governor Emilio " Lito" and Senator Henry " Sonny") and Sergio Jr. the youngest born on December 4, 1916 and married Lourdes dela Rama of Iloilo ( daughter of Senator Esteban dela Rama and founder of Dela Rama Steamship, and had the rank of general during the 1898 revolution). Serging and Lourdes, had the following children: Sergio ( Serge, a senator), Tomas ( Cebu City Mayor and Congressman), Minnie, Georgia and Esteban.

A large portion of Jones Avenue was donated to the Province and City of Cebu, came from the estate of Dona Pipang, who died on January 18, 1918. Two years after her death, her husband remarried to Esperanza Escolar Limjap. The couple had three children, Ramon (who became a lawyer on April 11, 1953), Rosalina (nicknamed Rosie married Dr. Elpidio Valencia, who became Secretary of Health from July of 1958 to December of 1961) and Victor.

‘A large portion of Jones Avenue was donated to the Province and City of Cebu. It came from the estate of Dona Pipang, who died on January 18, 1918.’