Sept 9 is special non-working holiday to mark Osmeña Day

A special non-working holiday will be observed in Cebu City on Saturday, September 9, to give Cebuanos time to commemorate the 128th birth anniversary of the late 2nd President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Sergio Osmeña, Sr. known as "The Great Old Man".

Congress passed Republic Act No. 06953, or the amended Department Order 937, declaring September 9 as a holiday to give honor to Osmeña. Former President Corazon Aquino signed the Act on May 22, 1990.

The Lower House and the Senate passed the Act on March 29, 1990 and April 3, 1990, respectively, that automatically declares September 9 of every year as a special non-working holiday in Cebu City.

Department of Labor and Employment Memorandum Circular No. 01 provides that workers in the private establishments within Cebu City who would report to work on that day are entitled to an additional 30 percent in basic salary rates.

However, since it is declared a special working holiday in the rest of the country, employees from outside Cebu City and in the province are entitled only to their basic rates. No premium pay is required since work performed on said days is considered work on ordinary working days, DOLE said.

Yearly, a Holy Mass and flower offering at the Osmeña marker on Lapu-Lapu Street corner Osmeña Boulevard is done in memory of the former top official of the country.

Osmeña, dubbed as the first Filipino statesman, was born on September 9, 1878. He became an acting governor of Cebu, a provincial fiscal, provincial governor, member of the First Philippine Assembly and Speaker of the House at the age of 29.

He spent his 42 years in public service and became one of the most famous politicians in the country at the outbreak of World War II. He also became acting President in 1943 and later succeeded the Presidency when President Manuel Quezon died in New York during exile.

Osmeña mended the country after the war and prepared it for the imminent advent of its scheduled independence.

The Great Old Man brought fame and glory not only to Cebu, but to the entire Filipino nation as well. He died on October 19, 1961 at the age of 83.

Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has accepted the invitation of Vice Mayor Michael Rama despite the latter's hurting words against the provincial government's land-swap deal with the city.

Rama is the chairman of the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission spearheading the commemoration of Osmeña's 128th birth anniversary.

Garcia said that her acceptance of the invitation is a gesture of respect to the late President and his grandson, Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Last year, Garcia attended the same celebration and was reportedly the first governor to have done so.

Rama invited Garcia to the said occasion to join the city government in the offering of a Holy Mass and flowers in honor of "the man who made significant contributions to the development of our country." - Wenna A. Berondo and Gregg M. Rubio