Remembering the 15 illustrious senators from Cebu

Now that there is no single Cebuano in the 24-member Philippine Senate, I feel nostalgic and started going over my research papers on the history of the Philippine Senate. I could only start from 1916 when the Philippines was under American Occupation, and under the Jones Law, was allowed to elect senators. The country was divided into 12 senatorial districts, and the province of Cebu was the only stand-alone province designated as the Tenth District.

Under the 4th and the 5th Legislature from 1916 to 1922, with Manuel Quezon as Senate President or SP, the senators from Cebu were Celestino Rodriguez and Filemon Sotto. In the 6th Legislature, from 1922 to 1925, still with Quezon as SP, the two senators from Cebu were Sergio Osmeña Sr and Celestino Rodriguez. Osmeña was elected President Pro Tempore. He came from the House and was Speaker for many terms from his first election up to the last. In the 7th and 8th Legislature from 1925 to 1931,with Quezon as SP and Osmeña as Pro Temp, Cebu was represented by Osmeña and Pedro Rodriguez. In the 9th and 10th Legislature, from 1931 to 1935, still with Quezon as SP, Cebu was represented by Osmeña and Manuel Briones. Osmeña was Protemp in the 9th but he was replaced by Bohol's Manuel Clarin in the 10th. Under the Commonwealth, from 1942 to 1946, senators were elected at large. Mariano Jesus Cuenco and Vicente Rama were elected.

Under the Philippine Republic, in the First Congress, from 1946 to 1949, with Samar's Jose Avelino as Senate President, the Cebuano senators were Mariano Jesus Cuenco and Vicente Sotto. In the 2nd Congress from 1950 to 1953 with our own Mariano Jesus Cuenco as SP, the other senator from Cebu was Manuel Briones. In the 3rd Congress with Eulogio Rodriguez as SP, and Manuel Briones as Pro Temp, the other senator was Mariano Jesus Cuenco. In the 4th Congress from 1958 to 1961 with Rodriguez as SP and Fernando Lopez as Pro Temp, the lone senator from Cebu was Mariano Jesus Cuenco. In the 5th Congress, from 1962 to 1965, with Ferdinand Marcos as SP and Lopez as pro temp, the two senators from Cebu were Mariano Jesus Cuenco and Alejandro Almendras who already migrated to Davao.

In the 6th Congress with Arturo Tolentino as SP and Lorenzo Sumulong as Pro Temp, the senators from Cebu were Serging Osmeña and Almendras. In the 7th Congress, from 1970 to 1973, with Gil Puyat as SP and Jose Roy as Pro Temp, Cebu was represented by three senators: Serging Osmeña, Sonny Osmeña and Rene Espina. But the Senate was abolished by Marcos from 1973 to 1986 under Martial Law. After unicameral Batasang Pambansa, the 8th and 9th Congress from 1987 to 1992 and from 1992 to 1995 respectively had the following SPs: Jovito Salonga and Neptali Gonzales, with Cebu senators Sonny Osmeña and Ernesto Herrera. In the 10th, from 1995 to 1998, with Ernie Maceda as SP, the senators from Cebu were Marcelo Fernan, Ernesto Herrera and Serge Osmeña.

The 11th Congress from 1998 to 2001, with 4 SPs: Fernan, Blas Ople, Franklin M. Drilon and Nene Pimentel, Cebu was represented by Serge Osmeña alone. In the 12th, from 2001 to 2004 with Drilon, Manny Villar and Juan Flavier as SP, the Cebu senators were Sonny and Serge Osmeña. The 13th from 2004 to 2007, with SP Drilon and Villar, Cebu was represented by Serge Osmeña alone. In the 14th, from 2007 to 2010, with SP Villar and Enrile, there was no senator from Cebu. The 15th with Enrile, from 2010 to 2013, with SP Enrile, Serge Osmeña was senator. In the 16th from 2013 to 2016, with Drilon as SP, Serge Osmeña was in the Senate. The 17th with Titto Sotto and Koko Pimentel as SPs, there was zero from Cebu. In the 18th, from 2019 to 2022, still with SP Sotto, Cebu had zero representation.

Today, in the 19th Congress, with Migz Zubiri as SP and Loren Legarda as Protemp, no senator is from Cebu. The tiny Taguig has brother and sister Alan and Pia Cayetano. The even smaller Las Pinas has mother and son, Cynthia and Mark Villar. The smallest San Juan has two half-brothers, the good one JV and the handsome one, Jinggoy. Cavite has two senators, Bong Revilla and Tol Tolentino. Region 10 has two, Koko Pimentel and SP Migz. Region 11 has two, Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go. Cebu, with 5 million people, has zero in the Senate. Why not push Governor Gwen and Mayor Mike Rama to go and bring back the glory?