Top 100 Cebuano Personalities: Ramon Durano Sr.

CEBU, Philippines — Ramon “Manong Amon” Durano Sr. was a man of humble beginning who reached the pedestal of greatness through hard work.  He was a man of many endeavors, he was a sailor, a teacher, a lawyer, a businessman, a guerrilla of the second world war, a miner, and a politician.

He was regarded as political kingpin of Cebu, a king-maker, and an industrialist with great business acumen. Durano started his political career as a municipal councilor of Danao in 1935 at the age of 29. In 1940, he ran as Assemblyman in the Philippine Legislature.

It was in 1965 elections that Durano’s strength in politics reached the pinnacle of success when he supported the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos against then President Diosdado Macapagal. He delivered for Marcos an overwhelming majority votes in Cebu province, which earned him the reputation of being the dominant provincial politician having withstood against all political titans of Cebu like Serging Osmeña, Mariano Cuenco, Vicente Sotto, and Vicente Rama in their battle for supremacy. (FREEMAN)