Gabriel “Flash” Elorde St., Cebu City

There is a street in Brgy. Mambaling, Cebu City unofficially called as “Gansiang Street”, this is located in the Go Chan Subdivision. However, the Cebu City Council has enacted Ordinance No. 1182 changing the unofficial name to “Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde St.”

The ordinance was sponsored by Councilor Pablo U. Abella, seconded by Franklin N. Seno on Jan. 14, 1985. Gabriel “Flash” Elorde was born in Bogo, Cebu, on March 25, 1935. Before Manny Pacquiao, another Visayan brought glory to the Philippines in the sports of boxing, this was done by Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.

Elorde rose to fame when he won the Super Featherweight Title of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association in March 16, 1960 against Harold Gomes. He held the title as the Longest Reigning Champion in the Junior Lightweight Division for seven years.

Early in his career he defeated Tanny Campo and Hiroshi Horiguchi earning him the Philippine and Asian Bantamweight titles. 

Even after his death, Elorde in 1993 brought glory to the nation when he became the first Asian to be inducted into the New York based International Boxing Hall of Fame. Elorde married Laura Sarreal daughter of Lope Sarreal the Grand Old Man of Philippine Boxing.

He was idolized not only by the youth of the nation but even by our national leaders, such as the president, the cardinal, and many others. He was Cebu's contribution to the country's ring gladiators and has been acknowledged as the “Greatest Oriental Boxer of his time”. Not known to many, when he was alive he led a life of a devout Samaritan helping in his own humble way the Augustinian Recollect Nuns of St. Rita in their chapel and orphanage.

He died on January 2, 1985 and a street was named after him to perpetuate the memory of a humble yet a great personality. Ironically, residents of the street where it is situated still call it “Gansiang Street” instead of its official name, may the barangay officials, city officials and city traffic management office educate the public and correct this error tolerated for more than a quarter of a century.

The ordinance was approved by then Mayor Ronald R. Duterte in 1985 a year before the EDSA Revolution.