The post-war lumber companies in Cebu

The Municipal Board of Cebu City in 1951 enacted an ordinance imposing tax in the sale of lumber. This was challenged by the lumber companies before the courts and the legal question reached the Supreme Court.

These were the lumber companies and its respective owners/managers: Santos Lumber Company (Nicanor E. Santos), Lu Tai Lumber Company (Jose Carvajal), Cebu Liberty Lumber Company (Jose Ngo Chua), Royal Lumber Company (Sy Quia), Cebu-Manila Sawmill Company (Bian Kian), Katipunan Lumber Company (Shui Sheng),Cebu Victory Lumber Co., Ltd. (See Chuan), Visayan Lumber Company (Gervasio Go), Luzon Lumber Company (Claro Go Kee), Southern Lumber Company (Guillermo Go), City Lumber & Furniture Supply (Chua Key Ho alias Manuel Ong), Central Lumber (Coo Lu), Oriental Saw Mill (Apolonio Gopuco Jr.), Mabuhay Lumber Co., Ltd. (Fulvio C. Pelaez), Malayan Lumber (Vicente C. Perales), Continental Lumber Company (Choa Say) and Cebu Asia Lumber (Vicente Ong Tue Cheng).

The legal counsel of the lumber companies was Pedro B. Calderon (a national high school in Samboan is named after him), a brilliant lawyer from Samboan, Cebu. Calderon was elected delegate of the 1971 Constitutional Convention representing the old 5th District of Cebu then composed of the municipalities of Santander, Oslob, Boljoon, Samboan, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Alegria, Badian, Moalboal, and Alcantara.

A descendant of Pedro followed his footsteps: Emerito Sy Calderon (admitted to the Bar on March 2, 1956). Emerito married Beatriz Durano (daughter of Ramon Durano Sr.).

He was elected mayor of Samboan in 2019 and died on on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, due to heart failure. He was 88. His son and Samboan Vice Mayor Emerito “Doc Tito” Calderon Jr. has assumed his father's post.

Emerito Sy Calderon is survived by his spouse Beatriz Durano Calderon, who was formerly a vice governor of Cebu and a former mayor of Samboan; and their children: Marissa Jude Calderon-Alazas, Cebu's 7th district Rep. Peter John Calderon, Samboan's Association of Barangay Captains President Raymond Joseph Calderon, then Vice Mayor Emerito Emmanuel Calderon Jr., and Atty. Emmeline Calderon-David.

Emerito Sr. represented the old 5th Congressional District of Cebu during the 7th Congress (1969-1972).