Don Sergio's 132nd birth anniversary: Prominent Osmeñas absent

CEBU, Philippines – A Mass and floral offering yesterday mark Cebu City's commemoration of the 132nd birth anniversary of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. but Rep. Tomas Osmeña, the grand-son of the late president, as well as other prominent members of the clan, was a no-show.

Like in the previous years, only a few heirs of Cebu's "Grand Old Man" attended the floral offering made at the marker where his house stood at the corner of Lapu-Lapu St. and Osmeña Blvd. 

But the congressman's son, Miguel, who attended the birth anniversary commemoration, said that his father would have liked to attend celebration but he is in Con-gress for a committee hearing.

"He takes his job seriously there," Miguel said.

Aside from Miguel, his mother, councilor Margot Osmeña and uncle, Richie Osmeña, were present.

After the Mass, a floral offering followed.

Sergio Osmeña-Valencia, a grandson of the former president and who delivered a message, recalled how his grandfather was referred by the people as a "statesman" rather than a politician because “his greatest concern was to serve the Filipino people before his own political ambition."

Valencia said that Don Sergio refused and declined the privilege to be accorded a presidential security detail even if he was entitled to it, being a former president, be-cause he wanted to live a very simple life.

"Lolo Sergio was a gentle and kind-hearted man. We all miss him. But surely the memory of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr., the grand Old Man of Cebu, will live on," Va-lencia said as he ended his speech.

Every September 9 is declared a special non-working holiday in Cebu City and Cebu Province by virtue of Republic Act 6953, signed into law by the late president Corazon Aquino.

President Osmeña was born in Cebu City on September 9, 1878.

Before his entry into government service, President Osmeña worked as a newspaper correspondent for Gen. Antonio Luna's La Independencia and courier of the First Philippine Republic for the Visayan provinces.

He became a teacher, court recorder, governor's aide, co-founder of the Nacionalista Party, founder and editor of the newspaper El Nuevo Dia, and Law practitioner after placing second in the 1903 Bar exams.

He also served as councilor of Cebu in 1903, Provincial Fiscal of Cebu and Negros in 1904, Governor of Cebu in 1906, Assemblyman in 1907-1922, Speaker of the Philippine Assembly in 1916-1922, Senator in 1922-1935, Vice President in 1935-1944, and finally President of the Commonwealth from 1944 to 1946.

He died on October 19, 1961. (FREEMAN)