Pres. Osmeña Boulevard (Juna Luna Street), Cebu City

This is the street from the corner of M.J. Cuenco (in front of Plaza Independencia and Jones Avenue up to the Capitol Building. The Cebu City Council on July 17, 1978 enacted City Ordinance No. 1001 renamed two streets (Juan Luna and Jones Avenue) to Pres. Osmeña Boulevard.

The former Juan Luna Street stretches from the corner of M.J. Cuenco up to Fuente Rotunda (Osmeña). Juna Luna Street should be distinguished from the Juan Luna Avenue (renamed as Pope John Paul II, earlier called as San Jose dela Montaña).

But an earlier similar ordinance (Ordinance No. 76) passed by the City Council in 1948 renaming Jones Avenue and Juan Luna to Don Sergio Osmeña Avenue was vetoed. The vetoed ordinance happened during the term of Mayor Miguel Raffinan, who served from 1947 to 1951. The reason of the veto was that at that time the honoree, Don Sergio was still alive. Pres. Osmeña, the fourth president died on Oct. 19, 1961.

Juan Luna Street, named during the American Occupation, was a trade center and several landmarks existed in the 1950's up to the 1990's. Ironically, there are still establishments that still carry the old street name in their addresses. Years after the street naming, PUJs still used the old street named painted on their street sign routes.

The person whom the street was named after, Juan Luna y Novicio, an Ilocano, who was the son of Don Juaquin Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Doña Laureana Novicio y Ancheta. He is the brother of Antonio Luna. Juan married Maria de la Paz Pardo de Tavera, whom he killed, also killing his mother-in-law and wounding his brother-in-law, Felix. The crime was committed on Sept. 23, 1892. Juan was however acquitted on Feb. 8, 1893 on the ground of "temporary insanity". Juan died of a "heart attack" on Dec. 7, 1899. Juan, a famous painter, painted the "Spolarium" and the "La Batalla de Lepanto" or the Battle of Lepanto, a painting commissioned by the King of Spain who was his friend.

The street renaming was enacted during the term of Mayor Eulogio E. Borres, the members of the City Council were: Ronald R. Duterte, Bienvenido B. Tudtud, Emilio RM Jaca, Edgar C. Abelgas, Pablo U. Abella, Jose V. Cuenco, Jesus S. Gabuya, Maximino R. Lazarte, Guadalupe O. Mansueto, Telesforo B. Rabaya, Fernando G. Rama, Franklin N. Seno, Emeterio L. Supapo, Mario R. Veloso and Bernardo S. Zamora.