Don Sergio Osmeña's Vice-Presidential re-election in 1941
Under the original proviso of the 1935 Constitution on the tenure of the country's chief executive, the president serves for six years without re-election so as the vice president. The unicameral congress (the Constitution also abolished the senate which was in existence from 1916 to 1935) enacted an amendment to the Constitution, it proposed that instead of the six-year term, it will be for four years with re-election of another term, meaning presidents could serve for eight years if they are re-elected.
Aside from the term extension of president, another amendment is the restoration of the bicameral congress and the creation of the Commission on Elections. These amendments were submitted to the electorates in a plebiscite held on June 18, 1940. The amendments were ratified by the Filipino people with our presidents and vice president to be re-elected and same with the restoration of the Senate, this time the senators were to be elected at large. This is contrary to the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916 or the Jones Law that created the Philippine Senate whose members were elected by senatorial districts, with the country divided into 12 districts with two senators elected from each district.
This time, Don Manuel Quezon sought for re-election but was anxious that his vice president, who was more popular than him in the provinces, would decide to run against him. Again, Don Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr. showed humility and statesmanlike integrity when he decided to run for vice president despite the calls from his supporters that he run against Quezon.
The second presidential election was held on November 11, 1941 (this was weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941 that led to the official entry of the United States and the collateral inclusion of the Philippines in World War II).
The Filipino people showed their overwhelming support to the Cebuano statesman. Don Sergio got 92 percent of the votes for vice president with his opponent Emilio Javier of the Popular Front getting only 7.90 percent of the votes.
President Quezon also won against his opponent, with the former getting 81.78 percent of the votes while Juan Sumulong of the Popular Front earned only 7.90 percent of the votes for president or 124,035 votes.
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