Doña Modesta Singson Gaisano Street, Cebu City
It is the formerly unnamed street located at Lahug, Cebu City, starting from Gorordo Avenue which traverses Beverly Hills and ending at Marcelo V. Regner Street.
The Cebu City Council on December 29, 1988 enacted City Ordinance No. 1316 naming the street in honor of Doña Modesta Gaisano. Doña Modesta was a noted Cebuano philanthropist and the ordinance says that "during her lifetime, a spring of generosity and benevolence benefited a lot of people especially the poor and the needy; and even after her death, her philanthropic acts continue until now as the Doña Modesta Singson Gaisano Scholarship is still in existence and many beneficiaries of which have become professionals and have been successful in their respective fields of endeavor."
Doña Modesta who is said to be the sister of Don Sergio Suico Osmeña, had contributed immensely towards the economic development of Cebu City by the establishment of many business concerns starting from a single White Gold Department Store which has developed into a big business complex to this day through the efforts of her enterprising children and grandchildren whose business acumen were acquired under her able tutelage.
Doña Modesta was named "Mother of the Year" by the Cebu Press Club in 1958 and was honored as the "Grandmother of the Year Award" on her 100th anniversary on January 2, 1985 by the major media groups of Cebu.
Doña Modesta was the daughter of Go Bon Tiao who later changed his name as Don Pedro Gotiaco (the owner of the building fronting the Cebu City Hall along M.C. Briones Street, now converted as Sugbo Chinese Museum).
Doña Modesta was born in 1885, married John Sy Lingkee. They started their business empire with a store in San Nicolas District in 1933, and then relocated in downtown area. The first store of the Gaisano's was "White Gold Department Store. Modesta and John had five children namely: David (a street is named after him in North Reclamation Area), Stephen, Henry, Victor, and John.
The grandchildren of Doña Modesta, continued the legacy of philanthropy of the Gaisano's. Joseph became Vice Mayor of Cebu City. Benito and Alex became active members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other civic groups.
In 1965, Dona Modesta Singson Gaisano jointly sponsored with THE FREEMAN the Second Annual Literature Awards. The contest was for choosing the best "Short Stories" in English.
Doña Modesta helped in the preservation and development of the Cebuano language and Visayan culture by substantially supporting the LUDABI (Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya) sponsored literary activities and during the Japanese Occupation, she was also a strong pillar of the resistance movement by giving moral and financial support to the Cebuano guerillas.
The street naming ordinance was approved on February 29, 1990 by Mayor Tomas dela Rama Osmeña. The Cebu City Council was then composed of Alvin B. Garcia, Vice Mayor and councilors Atty. Rodolfo Y. Cabrera, Franklin N. Seno, Vicente A. Kintanar, Jr., Joy A.G. Young, Atty. Eulogio B. Borres Jr., Eleno V. Abellana, Jessie M. Aznar, Ruben C. dela Cerna, Manuel L. Concepcion, Atty. Procopio E. Fernandez, Rosendo G. Martinez, Ananias G. Ouano, Atty. Avenescio A. Piramide, Clemente G. Rama, and Arnulfo R. Ravina.
In the amended ordinance, Doña Modesta Singson Gaisano was given the title as the Grand Old Lady of Cebu City. The Gaisano chain of stores expanded to the cities and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao and also in Luzon.
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