Cebu City Charter
President Manuel Quezon was in New York, United States of America on the inauguration of the City of Cebu, in his stead, he sent his Secretary of Interior, the future President, Elpidio Quirino. This was the message of President Quezon on the occasion of the inauguration of the new city to Secretary Vargas. (The message was sent through telephone on February 22, 1937 but was to be released to the press on the 24th, on the day of the inauguration):
"I congratulate the people of Cebu on this auspicious event which I would have liked to witness. I hope that with your whole-hearted cooperation this new government will enhance the steady progress of your city economically and politically compatible with your own hopes that will ensure healthy growth and well-being for its constituents. I congratulate Mayor Jacinto and other officials of the new city on their assumption of office and I wish them and the people of Cebu every success under the new government."
The law creating the City of Cebu was enacted through Commonwealth Act 58, entitled "The Charter of the City of Cebu." It was approved on October 20, 1934, authored by Congressman Vicente Rama. However, its inauguration was made on February 24, 1937.
Two years after the passage of Commonwealth Act 58, creating the City of Cebu, a bill was passed in the First National Assembly, it was docketed as Bill No. 2381, it was entitled "Amending in Toto Act Creating the City of Cebu."
President Manuel L. Quezon vetoed the bill (the lawmaking body of the country at that time was unicameral as the 1935 Constitution abolished the Senate which was created in 1916 by virtue of the Philippine Bill of 1916 or the Jones Law) and this was the message of President Quezon that he delivered through a letter to the First National Assembly given on November 20, 1936:
"I wish to inform you that I have today disapproved Bill No. 2381, entitled "An Act amending in toto Commonwealth Act Numbered Fifty Eight, entitled An Act creating the City of Cebu.
Attention is invited to the fact that I have recently approved Bill No. 2369, now known as Commonwealth Act No. 129, which embodies substantial and essential amendments to bring improvements to the City of Cebu Charter. In view of this fact, and considering that the proposed measure contains provisions for the creation of new positions and for increases in salary of certain officials of the city of government, thereby causing additional expense on the part of the City of Cebu, it is believed unnecessary and unwise to enact the proposed measure. Furthermore, the Secretary of the Interior, in his memorandum, dated November 10, 1936, has pointed out certain defects in the bill which would serve to confuse rather than improve the Cebu Charter. Such being the case, I cannot give my approval to the bill under consideration.
Before Cebu was converted into a city, the following became its Chief Executive when the Americans arrived on the shores of Cebu in 1899. The Americans introduced the concept of democracy and republicanism where people were given the right to chose its leaders. They were: Vicente Yap Sotto (who won in the election held in 1907 but was not able to assume office as he was on exile in Hongkong), Francisco Arias (the Vice President of Sotto who assumed the position of Mayor or President of the Municipality of Cebu), Florentino Rallos (1907-1908), a street is named after him, Vicente Teves (1908-1910), Fructuoso Ramos (1910-1922), who served the longest, the street in midtown Cebu is named after him (F. Ramos), Hilario Abellana (1922-1930), who later became Governor of Cebu after winning the election in 1941 as replacement of Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez who died on the eve of his reelection, Alberto Mansueto (1930-1931), Julian Alcantara (1931 to 1932), P. del Rosario Extension was renamed after him, Regino Mercado (1932-1933), Fructuoso Ramos (1933 to 1936) and Marcos Morelos (1936).
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