Sergio Osmeña

Sergio Osmeña (September 9, 1878—October 19, 1961) was the second President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He was the father of senator Sergio Osmeña Jr. and the grandfather of Sergio Osmeña III, a current Senator of the Philippine Senate. He is also the grandfather of outgoing Senator John Osmeña.

Early life and career

A Chinese-mestizo, Osmeña was born in Cebu to Juana Osmeña y Suico. He took his elementary education in the University of San Carlos and graduated in 1892. Osmeña continued his education in Manila, studying in San Juan de Letran College where he first met Manuel L. Quezon, a classmate of his. He took up law at the University of Santo Tomas and was second place in the bar examination in 1903.

Osmeña served on the war staff of General Emilio Aguinaldo as a courier and journalist. In 1900 he founded the Cebu newspaper, El Nuevo Dia which lasted for three years.

Political career

Osmeña was a lawyer and newspaper editor before involving himself in local politics, starting out as a councilor.

In 1906, he became governor of Cebu. While governor, he ran for election to the first Philippine Assembly of 1907 and was elected Speaker of that body. Osmeña was only 29 and already the highest-ranking Filipino official.

He and another provincial politician, Manuel Quezon of Tayabas, set up the Nacionalista Party as a foil to the Partido Federalista of Manila-based politicians. The two would engage in a rivalry for political dominance ever since.

Osmeña was elected an assemblyman in 1907 and remained a member of the lower house until 1922. He was the country's vice president for two consecutive terms under the Philippine Commonwealth .

He went to the US in 1933 to secure passage of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Independence Bill which was superseded by the Tydings-McDuffie Act in March 1934.

Osmeña was elected as vice-president of the Commonwealth in 1935, with Quezon as president. He was re-elected in 1941.

Presidency

When the Commonwealth government relocated in the US in exile, Osmeña went with Quezon. He became president of the Commonwealth on Quezon's death in 1944 and returned to the Philippines the same year with General Douglas MacArthur and the liberation forces. After the war, Osmeña restored the Commonwealth government and the various executive departments. He continued the fight for Philippine independence.

For the presidential election of 1946, Osmeña refused to campaign, saying that the Filipino people knew of his record of 40 years of honest and faithful service. Nevertheless, he was defeated by Manuel Roxas, who won 54 percent of the vote and became the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

Post-presidency

Sergio Osmeña is depicted on the 50-peso bill.

After his defeat in the election, Osmeña retired to his home in Cebu. He died on October 19, 1961, at the Veteran's Memorial Hospital in Quezon City. He is buried in the North Cemetery in Manila.

External links

• The Philippine Presidency Project
• Biography