No more Florencio Urot Memorial National High School

CEBU, Philippines – The Florencio Urot Memorial National High School in Barangay Mabolo has been renamed to Mabolo National High School.

The City Council unanimously approved the ordinance seeking to change the name of the high school during its regular session last Friday.

The move to rename the school was first proposed by former councilor Nestor Archival, but was continued by Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao after Archival's term of office ended.

Archival pushed for the change of name after the Mabolo barangay council passed a resolution, saying the land on which the school stands is a reclaimed property that is part of the North Reclamation Area, contrary to the prevailing belief that the land was donated by the late former city councilor and acting mayor.

Mabolo barangay captain Reynaldo Ompoc said Urot was not a resident of Mabolo, but of the adjacent barangay of Carreta.

Ompoc said that since 1985 when the school was established in Mabolo, barangay constituents have not been able to foster any kind of attachment with the school whose name is unfamiliar to them.

In his proposed ordinance, Archival pointed out that the move to rename the school will not diminish the honor and memory of Urot, as he has already been honored by the city by naming a street at the North Reclamation Area after him.

Urot was councilor of Cebu City from 1941 up to 1971 and sat as acting mayor for 108 days after former mayor Eulogio Borres and his vice mayor at that time sought other elective positions, requiring them to resign before they could campaign.

As first councilor, Urot then became the acting mayor while then Councilor Jose Rodriguez also assumed as acting vice mayor.

Urot was born in Tabogon town in northern Cebu in 1904 and later became the town's police chief before he moved to Cebu City after earning his law degree. (FREEMAN)