The governor-senators of Cebu

Cebu so far has produced four governors who were also elected as senators: Don Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr

The Grand Old Man of Cebu was born on September 9, 1878, a Bar topnotcher during the first Bar examinations, he also became a provincial fiscal and also became governor of Cebu on April 23, 1904. He was elected as a member of the First National Assembly on July 30, 1907 and became its first speaker. On June 6, 1922 he was elected as a senator representing the 10th Senatorial District (from 1916 to 1935 our senators were elected by districts with Cebu as the lone senatorial district with one province).

Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco

MJ Cuenco was the political kingpin of what was then called the 5th District of Cebu. He was elected in 1912 at the age of 26, thereafter, he and his younger brother, Miguel, and grandson, Antonio, became its representative. He served as governor of Cebu from 1931 to 1933. He was appointed by President Quezon as mayor of Cebu City for three days, after which he was replaced by Alfredo Jacinto, who became the official first Cebu City mayor. He was a delegate of the 1934 Constitutional Convention, elected in the post-war Senate (the 1935 Constitution abolished the Senate but it was restored in 1938 with senators elected at large instead of by districts) and became Senate president from 1949 to 1951.

SERGIO “SERGING” CHIONG VELOSO OSMEÑA JR.

The namesake and son of Don Sergio became governor of Cebu from 1952 to 1955, the first elected Cebu City mayor, congressman, and senator in 1965. A son, Tomas dela Rama Osmeña became the first elected post-EDSA Cebu City mayor.

Rene Gandiongco Espina

A Bar topnotcher and product of the University of Southern Philippines, he was appointed by President Diosdado Macapagal as the youngest administrator of the Social Security System. In 1963 he defeated incumbent Governor, Francisco E.F. Remotigue and became the “road-building governor of Cebu.” He was also credited for building the Mactan Bridge when he was designated by President Marcos as Secretary of Public Works. He was also part of the famed, Presidential Troubleshooters. A son by the name of Erik Miguel Espina, the only brigadier general of the Philippine Army Reserve in the Visayas, was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as a Cebu City councilor in 2018.