Serge to take oath hereSerge to take oath here

CEBU, Philippines -  Senator-elect Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III will take his oath of office in Cebu this Sunday.

 He has chosen his younger brother, outgoing Cebu City mayor and now congressman-elect for Cebu city south district Tomas Osmeña, to administer his oath taking ceremony.

 It will be held at the Pino Restaurant in Barangay Lahug at 11 am.

 “I don’t know why me, but probably it’s because I represent the group that’s been campaigning for him,” Tomas said.

 “I guess he wants it here in Cebu. Maybe that’s his way of thanking the Cebuanos for the support,” he added.

 Serge got the most votes in Cebu City among senators during the automated elections last May 10. He ran under the Liberal Party of President-elect Benigno Aquino III supported by his brother’s party, the Bando-Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

 Serge was the 10th proclaimed senator. He garnered over 11.3 million votes nationwide.

 “I’m very happy and I’m very grateful and I think we’re all proud that he’s going back to the senate,” Tomas said.

 Tomas supported his brother, whom he said “greatly helped” Cebu City by donating P100 million in pork barrel funds. The amount was used to build more classrooms here, which, Tomas said, no other senator has done for Cebu. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja with Farrah Ferrer, USJR intern/JPM