The best among all Osmeñas today: Serge Osmeña

There are many Osmeñas but only one deserves our vote. I firmly believe that all Cebuanos of goodwill and good intentions should support our only hope for the Senate, Serge Osmeña. If you do not know him well, then “i-Serge mo.”

With no offense meant to Sonny and Tom, I would say, based on my research, that among all the grandsons of the Grand Old Man of Cebu, Don Sergio Osmeña Sr., and among the children of our highly-esteemed Serging Osmeña, I would nominate Serge Osmeña as the best of them all. If you do not agree or you do not have enough facts to warrant a definite stand on this issue, then “i- Serge mo.” If only 2.8 million out of three million (the total number of Cebuano voters) will vote for our only Cebuano candidate for the Senate then Serge will definitely gain a headway on his somehow precarious national survey standing as of today. I hope and pray Serge will win. He isn’t just a Cebuano; he is an effective legislator and a fearless fiscalizer.

All loyal and thinking Cebuanos would wish that Serge will win. We hate even to think that he might be losing out to such characters as Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada, or Bong Revilla. Serge Osmeña performed well in the Senate much better than the way Grace Poe or Cynthia Villar performed. Serge Osmeña passed more laws and better pieces of legislative measures than such lawyers as Koko Pimentel or Sonny Angara (although I would also vote for these two gentlemen). Serge Osmeña is a mature legislator who balances things out before voting for or against a bill under consideration. If you do not agree, “i-Serge mo.”

Serge was arrested by the military during martial law and was detained for five years in Fort Bonifacio, from 1972 to 1977. He escaped from detention in 1977 and his life was depicted in the movie “Eskapo.” With due respect, Sonny and Tom did not suffer the way Serge did for our country and people. When Serge was elected senator, he authored a number of laws that are now part of the legal infrastructure that serves as the foundation of our highly-performing economy. These are such laws as the new Insurance Code, the NEA Charter, the new Rural Banks Act, the AMLA or the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Government Procurement Act, Securities Regulations Code, and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.

Serge was educated in La Salle, University of San Carlos, University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila, Harvard University, and Georgetown University. Serge knows the nuances and intricacies of the shipping industry because his maternal grandparents were owners of the De la Rama Shipping Lines. He knows land transportation because he worked in his father's old company, the Cebu Autobus Company. He knows farming because he became the president and general manager of his family hacienda, the Hacienda Doña Pepang. Serge knows many things and he can legislate on matters that cover a wide range of legislative measures.

Ilocanos will give Imee Marcos a solid north. Mindanaoans will support Koko Pmentel in a solid south. We, Cebuanos should give Serge a solid Cebu vote. He is also an Ilonggo (on his mother's side).The Ilonggos should also rally behind him. He is the only credible candidate from the Visayas islands. If you don't know, “i-Serge mo.” [email protected]