Congressman Tereso M. Dosdos
Tereso was born in Borbon, Cebu on October 15, 1892 to spouses Crispin Dosdos and Ana Mondigo. Tereso educated at the Colegio de San Carlos and took his College of Law at the Escuela de Derechos in Manila.
Tereso was admitted to the Bar on September 26, 1921 earning him the title of the first Lawyer of Borbon, Cebu. He became the 1st Registrar of the Register of Deeds of the Province of Cebu.
He was the Partido Nacionalista's candidate in the old 1st Congressional District of Cebu in the 1934 elections for the 10th Philippine Legislature. In the 1934 elections he defeated Wenceslao Fernan (also a Lawyer and a Judge, he was the father of Chief Justice and Senate President Marcelo Briones Fernan). Tereso was elected Assemblyman in the 2nd National Assembly, from January 24, 1939 to December 16, 1941.
Tereso's biggest political feat was defeating Don Celestino Rodriguez, who was the uncle of Buenaventura Rodriguez (elected Governor of Cebu on December 14, 1937). Buenaventura or Tura was the incumbent Governor of Cebu in the elections for the 2nd National Assembly. Don Celestino on the other hand was no ordinary opponent, who was a veteran in politics. Don Celestino was elected in 1907 and became part of the country's first national assembly representing the old 1st District of Cebu. Don Celestino was also elected as Senator representing the 10th District in the 1st election for Senator in 1916. The street in Capitol Site formerly known as Waling-Waling Street, which starts at the corner of B. Rodriguez St. in front of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center has been renamed as C. Rodriguez St.
The old 1st District of Cebu was then composed of Bogo, Borbon, Pilar, Catmon, Danao, San Francisco, Tabogon, Tudela, Poro and Sogod.
Tereso became Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Cebu, among the cases he presided and reached the Supreme Court were: Tiburcio Ruges vs. Tereso Dosdos, where him and Julian Alcantara, the Cebu Provincial Jail Warden (Alcantara also became Mayor of Cebu City, and the street formerly named as P. Del Rosario Extension in Brgy. Sambag has been renamed as J. Alcantara St.). The case was decided by the Supreme Court on November 10, 1939. Another case was the Vicente Abellana, et. al. decided by the Supreme Court on November 29, 1960.
Tereso married Filomena Mangubat, also of Borbon. They had the following children: Jorge, who became a famous physician, Luisa who married Rafael Alino Canora, Priscilla who married a Neri, Elena who married a Climaco.
The son of Judge Tereso, Jorge earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas and took graduate studies at the New York University. He specialized in Otolaryngology (ENT) and took his residency at the Manhatan Ear, Nose and Throat. Dr. Jorge went back to the country and practiced medicine. He opened his first ENT Clinic in Colon St., then later at Chiong Hua Hospital. The wife of Dr. Jorge, Erminia "Minnie" Reyes (a nurse) served the country in her own way. She was a part of the nucleus of C-CIMPEL (Cebu-Citizens Involvement and Maturation for People Empowerment and Liberation.
Dr. Jorge died on August 21, 2013 while Judge Tereso died in 1997, but the legacy of the Dosdos family of service to the Cebuanos' has not ended. A granddaughter, a namesake of Judge Tereso, carries his name, Teresa Dosdos Ruelas. Teresa is the forerunner of "Mission Imaginals" and active advocate of the "Movement for a Livable Cebu". She conducts seminars and empowerment activities in the country.
- Latest
