Joaquin L. Panis Street, Cebu City
It is the formerly unnamed street at Banilad, Cebu City, branching from Gov. Manuel A. Cuenco Avenue going east-northeast towards Talamban.
It is named in honor of Engr. Joaquin L. Panis who was elected City Councilor in the City of Cebu heading the Committee on Public Works. Engr. Panis was also the adviser of the city's infrastructure projects. Panis also became Secretary of Public Works and Communications during the Presidency of Don Sergio S. Osmeña Sr. after the World War II. Engr. Panis finished his Civil Engineering course at the George Washington University in the United States of America.
Before the outbreak of World War II, Engr. Panis worked as Engineering Assistant of Engr. Valeriano Segura. Engr. Panis called by friends as "Jack" was commissioned as First Lieutenant in the Philippine Army Corps of Engineers and was assigned with the 14th Engineers. The commissioning order was given on October 1941.
Engr. Panis finished his advanced course training in the University of the Philippines Reserve Officers Training Course as the Corps Commander in 1923.
When the Japanese Imperial Army was about to arrive in Cebu as part of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, Engr. Panis was its District Engineer. Col. William F. Sharp (later promoted Brig. General), the American Commanding Officer of the Visayas-Mindanao Force of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East or USAFFE advised Panis not to resign but to continue acting as District Engineer of Cebu City.
During the war, the wife of Engr. Panis was taken as hostage by the Japanese soldiers to force his surrender. Engr. Panis in exchange of the liberty of his wife and relatives was imprisoned at the Normal School Building (now Cebu Normal University) this was from April to July of 1942.
Engr. Panis who was District Engineer of Cebu before the war was restored to his position upon orders of Capt. Tsuriyama, the Kempetai Chief (Japanese Secret Police). It was upon the intercession of Buenaventura Veloso, a respected and rich merchant of Cebu. Veloso was part of the so called "Wise Men" of Cebu, who were consulted by the Japanese soldiers on the administration of Cebu during the war. The role of Engr. Panis in the resistance movement during World War II is contained in the book of war hero, Col. Manuel F. Segura, The Koga Papers.
Engr. Panis was active in civic organizations he became Governor of District 385 of the Rotary Club. Among the contemporary councilors of Panis were: Casimiro V. Madarang, Ceferina U. Del Rosario, Generoso Jaca, Cecilio dela Victoria and Pedro Clavano.
The Cebu City Council enacted City Ordinance No. 1139 sponsored by Dr. Suga Sotto-Yuvienco, member of the council, seconded by Councilor Leonardo S. Manlosa. The ordinance was enacted on January 24, 1983.
The other members of the council who were present: Jesus B. Garcia, Jr., who was the Acting Presiding Officer, Franklin N. Seno, Clinton P. Gumalo, Pablo U. Abella, Emmanuel B. Aznar, Rodolfo Y. Cabrera, Jose V. Cuenco, Vicente A. Kintanar, Jr. and Bienvenido B. Tudtud.
Dr. Florentino S. Solon, Cebu City Mayor approved the ordinance on January 31, 1983. The City Council's Secretary was Pompio A. Paradiang while the Secretary to the Mayor was Romeo D. Sta. Cruz.
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