Scoutmaster Sergio P. Damazo Jr. bridge ordinance

(Part 1)

The journey for the passage of the bridge naming ordinance started in 2011 with a signature campaign initiated by CEBUpedia. The signatories were not more than 20 alumni Josenian scouts and furnished to Hernando Streegan, the then BSP Cebu Council president, who gave his support.

In 2012, Lawyer Edgardo Colina Labella who was a member of the Cebu City Council filed a resolution for the bridge naming. It was endorsed to the CHAC (Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, created by City Ordinance 1098 authored by Dr. Suga Sotto Yuvienco, a member of the Cebu City Council during the time of Mayor Florentino Solon, also a doctor of medicine) who commented that it has not complied with the requirement of the law. The Local Government Code mandates that street or bridge naming ordinance can only be enacted when the honoree has been dead at least five years before the passage of the ordinance.

In 2016, the bridge naming ordinance was re-filed by Councilor James Anthony Roa Cuenco (eldest child of lawyer Antonio Veloso Cuenco and Nancy Roa Cuenco who both served as representative of Cebu City South District in the House of Representatives).

The proposed ordinance was again archived on the grounds that a supervening law now requires that instead of the five-year reglementary period, there must now be at least 10 years between the death of the honoree and the passage of an ordinance.

In 2019, the proposed ordinance was revived by Councilor Cuenco. The City Council scheduled its public hearing on June 11, 2019 which was attended by the family of Scoutmaster Damazo and Josenian Scouts. Lawyer Jose T. Damazo (CSJ-R College of Law Alumnus, admitted to the Bar on April 21, 1978) brother of Scoutmaster Damazo, spoke during the public hearing. The BSP Cebu Council was represented by Crislin K. Illustrisimo, field scout executive, and the Josenian Scouts headed by Scoutmaster and Brgy Captain Yolandito Cagang.

The third and final reading of the proposed ordinance was scheduled on June 25, 2019. It was approved by mass motion with Councilors Jun Alcover and Joel Garganera voicing their full support of Councilor Cuenco’s proposed ordinance. (To be continued)