CEBUpedia

It's a street located at the Provincial Capitol area formerly known as “Camia Street”. It intersects Osmeña Boulevard (President Sergio Osmeña Boulevard) more popularly known to its earlier name Jones Avenue.

Cebu City Ordinance No. 552, sponsored by Councilor Eulogio Borres, who later became mayor, was approved on August 26, 1965 and signed by Mayor Sergio Osmeña Jr. renaming Camia Street to Jose Avila Street.

Don Jose Avila was known as the “Little Governor” of Cebu, having served as secretary to four outstanding governors of Cebu, namely: Sergio Osmeña Sr., Dionisio Jakosalem, Arsenio Climaco and Manuel Roa. As secretary, he was given full trust and confidence in representing them in both official and social functions, especially during the early days of the American regime due to his proficiency in the English language.

He was a ranking member of the “Comite de Enchansi”. It was the group that helped conceive and plan the road system of the Province and City of Cebu.

The ordinance further reads: “He was instrumental in bringing to Cebu the American architects who drafted the plan for Plaza Independencia, Plaza Rizal, Plaza Hamabar and other places of recreation”.

He was the pioneer of show business in Cebu. He operated the pre-war “Ideal” and “Oriente” theaters. He allowed the use of “Teatro Oriente” at nominal fee for the staging of zarzuelas and dramas authored by the likes of Buenaventura Rodriguez, Manuel Velez, Pio Kabahar and Florentino Borromeo.