VM Garcia:Be like Serging

CEBU, Philippines —  More than just praises, Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia hopes that the rest of the Cebuanos especially the youth will also try to emulate former mayor Sergio “Serging” V. Osmena, Jr.

Garcia said this on the commemoration of the exceptional Osmena’s 106th birth anniversary yesterday aired live over the city’s PIO page.

“It is my earnest hope that his example will inspire all of us, especially the youth…let us strive to honor his memory by not only speaking praise about his exemplary and grand life but also to imitate it as best as we can, “Garcia said.

Garcia described Serging as an exceptional Cebuano and an outstanding Filipino.

“It can’t be denied that in his years of public service, Serging contributed immensely to make Cebu City what it is today,” added Garcia.

Serging was also described as visionary and placed Cebu on the national stage with the north reclamation area, credited as the first reclamation project in the Philippines, and the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge now named in his honor.

Garcia also said Serging, an idol of his father, also a former mayor of Cebu City, Alvin Garcia, had pushed for the transfer of what was just a domestic airport in Lahug to Mactan that the United States once used Air Force staging field alternative to what was Clark Air Base in Luzon during the Vietnam War.

The former Lahug airport is now where the Cebu IT Park is while the Mactan airfield accordingly has now become Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Serging, a son of Cebu’s “Grand Old Man,” his namesake, Don Sergio Osmeña Sr., the first speaker of the Philippine National Assembly at 29 and the second and last president by an assumption of the Commonwealth era.

Serging is the father of former Cebu City mayor Tomas “Tommy” R. Osmeña, former senator Sergio “Serge” R. Osmeña III, socialite Maria Victoria “Minnie” Osmeñ, Georgia Osmeña, and Esteben Osmeña.

Serging was able to carve his own name as a politician after becoming a mayor, governor, congressman and senator. — GMR (FREEMAN)