Sergio Osmeña

Sergio Osmeña (September 9, 1878 - October 19, 1961) was the second President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (August 1, 1944—May 28, 1946). 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.

Biography

Early life and career

Osmeña was born in Cebu to Juana Osmeña y Suico. He studied in the University of San Carlos and graduated in 1892. Osmeña continued his education in Manila, studying in Letran 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 or New Day 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 1904, he became governor of Cebu. While governor of Cebu, 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.

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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 served as president from 1944 to 1946.

He went to the US in 1933 to secure passage of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Independence Bill which was superseded by the Tydings-McDuffie Act in March 1934.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

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 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 became the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

Retirement and death

After his defeat in the election, Osmeña retired to his hometown in Cebu, where he died on October 19, 1961.

External link/Sources

• The Philippine Presidency Project
• Biography