Rama lauds past local execs as Cebu City celebrates charter day

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama told constituents to remember local executives who built the foundations of the Visayas’ premier city during its 86th Charter Day on Friday, February 24.

Rama paid tribute to the Father of Cebu City, the late Don Vicente Rama, his grandfather, a former mayor and congressman.

Don Vicente authored the bill that became the Commonwealth Act No. 58. It turned the municipality of Cebu into Cebu City.

The bill was initially approved in October 1936 and was signed on February 24, 1937 by President Manuel Quezon, taking the city out of the administrative control of the Cebu provincial government.

“Importante kaayo nga dili nato kalimtan ang atong kagahapon,” Rama said during his speech at the Plaza Sugbo during commemoration rites.

(It’s very important that we never forget our past)

Don Vicente was later named the Father of Cebu City right after Alfredo Jacinto was the appointed first mayor of the now-independent chartered city. 

In his Charter Day speech, Rama also gave praise for chief executives and politicians who allowed him to rise to a position of being able to pursue his dream of building a Singapore-like Cebu City.

“I entered politics in 1992 and I thank Tommy Osmeña for that, and I will forever be grateful because my entry (was on) the invitation of no less than the former mayor,” Rama said.

Rama recalled that Osmeña originally wanted to invite his cousin, the late Barangay Basak-San Nicolas Captain George Rama to run with him for the city council.

George, however,  told Osmeña to choose Mike.

The late barangay captain was known for his grassroots leadership that helped bring the dance group Lumad Basakanon to the grand stages of the Sinulog festival and later on, the international arena. He also formulated measures for clean-up drives after every major Sinulog event.

Rama also said he misses the late mayor Edgar Colina Labella, calling him “my partner”.

Rama promised Labella’s son, Jaypee, an incumbent city councilor, that for as long as a Rama is in government, the Labellas would not be forgotten.  –Rappler.com