CEBU City officials led by Vice Mayor Michael Rama paid tribute to the late Sergio “Serging” Osmeña Jr., former mayor of Cebu City, governor of Cebu, congressman of Cebu’s second district and senator during Osmeña’s 104th birth anniversary on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020.

In a Facebook post, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella also honored Serging, father of his erstwhile political rival, former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Labella said he holds the older Osmeña with great respect for his contributions to the city’s development.

“He served as Cebu City mayor, Cebu governor, congressman, and senator. I’ve always thought of him as the best President we never had,” Labella said in his official Facebook page.

“We remember Serging and the kind of intelligent, forward-thinking, and selfless leadership he exemplified,” he said.

Serging who won several elections as mayor of Cebu City also served as governor of Cebu from 1951 to 1955, as congressman from 1957 to 1961, and as senator from 1966 to 1971.

He ran and lost to Ferdinand Marcos in the Presidential Elections of 1969.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 1053 on Nov. 18, 2020 declaring Serging’s birthday on Dec. 4 this year as a special non-working day in Cebu Province and the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Cebu City Councilor Renato Osmeña Jr., a grandnephew of Serging, earlier filed a resolution before the City Council last year, urging Malacañang to declare Serging’s birthday as a special non-working holiday.

“I’m very honored to be the fourth generation Osmeña. It is his 104th birthday and we are commemorating this momentous day to honor this humble person, a fiscalizer,” Renato Jr. said.

“He would always stand by honesty, integrity and patriotism, and that is what I am very proud of. We’re just very thankful. And bear in mind that what he has started, I would love to continue,” he added. / PAC / JKV