The Cebu City ordinance prohibiting the slaughter of carabaos in the 1940s
The Municipal Board of Cebu City enacted Ordinance No. 10, entitled "An Ordinance Prohibiting the slaughter for either public or private consumption of carabaos and the sale of their meat in any place in the City of Cebu."
However, the Philippine Congress on September 2, 1946, after the restoration of democracy enacted a similar law, it was entitled "An Act Prohibiting the sale of meat of carabaos, horses, mares." The national law under Republic Act 11 however allows the sale of the meats when authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce.
The Cebu City Council in submission to the national law believing it was redundant enacted City Ordinance No. 51 it repealed the earlier ordinance prohibiting the sale of carabao meat. Republic Act 51 provides a fine of P500 for violating the law.
The ordinance was enacted during the time of acting Mayor Luis V. Espina, who was a Doctor of Medicine. Espina was acting mayor of Cebu City from May 27, 1947 to September 5, 1947.
Doctor Espina also served the Cebuanos as a member of the provincial board during the time of Governor Manuel Alesna Cuenco, also a Doctor of Medicine.
City Ordinance No. 51 repealing City Ordinance No. 10 was enacted on June 20, 1947 it was approved by Mayor Luis V. Espina on June 30, 1947.
The Secretary to the Council at that time was Jose Fortich while the municipal board was headed by Marcos M. Morales as president, which is today's equivalent to the position of vice mayor.
The lone lady lawmaker of the Cebu City Council at that time was the Honorable Catalina Solidum Ybanez, the first lady lawyer of the province of Aklan, Panay Island. Catalina Solidum became a lawyer on December 4, 1929. She married Judge Filomeno Barcenilla Ybanez. Catalina, just like her husband, became a member of the judiciary.
Another member of the municipal board of Cebu City was Cresencio Tomakin who was a lawyer. He was admitted to the Bar on November 6, 1933. Tomakin was a famous lawyer during his time. A member of the Tomakin clan, Marco F. Garcia Tomakin became a lawyer on May 2, 2002.
The municipal board also had a professor as a member. His name was Paciente S. Villa. Councilor Villa was the son of Don Teresio Villa (a street in Cebu City is named after him) and Dona Florencia Suico. Don Teresio was the son of Don Valentin Villa. Paciente was editor of the Spanish newspaper, El Precursor.
Paciente Villa was among the editors of newspapers in Cebu who signed a petition addressed to the American Governor, Francis Burton Harrison dated March 14, 1914 asking Don Vicente Yap Sotto be pardoned for his crimes and be allowed to return from Hongkong.
The fellow editors of Councilor Villa who signed the petition were Manuel C. Briones of La Revolucion, Vicente Rama of Ang Kauswagan, and Francisco Ma. Labrador of En Anunciador.
A veteran and war hero was a member of the Municipal Board. His name was Jovito Abellana born on February 15, 1907 of Mambaling, Cebu City. Jovito was a cousin of Governor Hilario Abellana who was executed by the Japanese Imperial Army before the end of the war.
Councilor Abellana was arrested and tortured by the Kempetai, the dreaded Japanese Secret Police. He was arrested for supporting the guerilla activities of Cebu. Years after the war and serving Cebu City, Abellana was appointed as Deputy Governor of the Province of Zamboanga del Sur.
Jovito Abellana, who, before his death, wrote the book, "My Moments of War to Remember By." Councilor Abellana died on October 16, 2005 but his legacy continues with his children. A son, Gines Navarro Abellana (Jovito married Lourdes Navarro) became a lawyer on March 9, 1964. Atty. Gines is a well known trial lawyer in Cebu.
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