Cebu Veterans Drive, Cebu City

Not known to many is that the road from the corner of Salinas Drive in Lahug, Cebu City, going uphill to Busay and Babag Hills, where a five-star hotel is situated, actually has a name, it is officially called the CEBU VETERANS DRIVE.

The Cebu City Council on motion of Councilor Franklin Seno, seconded by his fellow Councilors Bienvenido B. Tudtud and Clinton Gumalo enacted City Ordinance No. 1156 on October 25, 1983, naming the road as Cebu Veterans Drive.

The road traverses the wartime battle sites between the Japanese Imperial Army and the Cebuano-American Guerilla Forces. It is named in honor of thousands of Cebuano patriots who fought against an invading army. Others were fortunate that streets are named after them to perpetuate their memories. Col. Manuel F. Segura, a wartime hero and an officer of the legendary Col. James M. Cushing, in his book "Tabunan" and "The Koga Papers" recounts stories of valor by the guerillas.

One of them is the story of Flaviana "Abiang" Ramos, born in Tawi-Tawi, Jolo, to a Tausog father and a mother from Talisay, Cebu. The petite and pretty lass married a Greek scholar and businessman, Euanis Constantine Vachlas, the couple traveled to Europe, America and Japan. They came to Cebu when the war was about to erupt, Flaviana enlisted with the Volunteer Nurses (there were 150 of them from Talisay). When Japan invaded Cebu, her husband left Cebu for Manila but died, Abiang, who became a spy was assigned in the Cebu City's pier area beer joints, getting importation information for the guerillas. She had many successful operations, one of which is the assassination of the commanding officer of the Japanese Army in Cebu, Commander Shimakawa.

For her successful operation, a price on her head was issued by the Japanese Imperial Army, five sacks of rice and P50,000 in Japanese Currency. It was also Flaviana, who was responsible for the discovery, arrest and execution of an informer to the Japanese, whose boss was a staff of the Japanese Consulate who occupied the house of Jose Miguel Raffinan, who became later became Mayor of Cebu from 1947 to 1951. The house was opposite the Zapatera Elementary School where a Japanese Garrison was housed.

Since not all of our patriots could be given a street, the Cebu Veterans Drive should remind us that decades ago, Cebuano patriots fought against an invading army armed with superior weapons, yet our forefathers fought them with stronger spirits and bigger hearts. Let us honor them with a snappy salute every time we pass the road.