Natalio B. Bacalso South National Highway
On March 7, 1984 the Batasang Pambansa enacted Batas Pambansa No. 648 entitled "An Act Naming What is Commonly Known as the Cebu South Expressway and/or Cebu South Road in Cebu City and Cebu Province as the Natalio B. Bacalso South National Highway."
The National Highway starts from the corner of Leon Kilat Street, along the bus terminal, the south expressway in Cebu City up to the Municipality of Santander, Cebu. It is Cebu's longest road.
The national law supersedes Cebu City Ordinance No. 834 enacted on July 30, 1973 renaming Cebu South Expressway as Rizal Avenue. The thoroughfare starts at the end of Leon Kilat in the north portion of C. Padilla Street in the south traversed by the former railway tract in Mambaling.
The Batas Pambansa that renamed Cebu South Expressway (which already had been renamed as Rizal Avenue by the City Ordinance) to Natalio Bacalso Highway made Cebu City as the only city or local government unit without a road or street named after Jose Rizal, the country's acclaimed national hero.
Natalio B. Bacalso was a Cebuano writer, director, radio commentator, and member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa representing Central Visayas. Bacalso was editor of the magazine from 1931 to 1933.
Bacalso was one of the Cebuano literary princes that wrote for the "Bisaya Magasin" established by Ramon Roces, which had its maiden issue on August 15, 1930. Natalio popularly called "Talyux" played an important role in the anti-Marcos campaign especially during the martial law years.
Few years after World War II, Natalio B. Bacalso caused the publication of a one sheet of paper in Visayan entitled 'My Plea to the Cebuanos." The text said that Morelos the head of the PRRA wanted to sell flour outside of Cebu preferring that the Chinese could make money. The Morelos referred to by Bacalso was Marcos Morelos who was municipal president of Cebu. The paper said that Morelos made money out of the copra ordinance. The paper also mentioned the names of Zapanta and Seno. Dr. Luis Espina was also attacked by the paper, alleging that he was merely appointed mayor of Cebu City to be made a Herod to go after and dismiss policemen and employees who are without guilt.
Mayor Espina instituted a criminal action against Natalio Bacalso and Vicente del Rosario and was raffled to Judge Moscoso. A similar case was filed by Marcos Morelos against Bacalso and del Rosario, this was however dismissed by Judge Felix Martinez.
Judge Felix Martinez of the Court of First Instance ruled that the two charges of libel were the result of a single act or publication hence should be subject of a single information. Morelos who questioned the decision of Judge Martinez appealed his case before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court en banc (as a whole) on April 20, 1950 through Justice Tuason reversed the decision of Judge Martinez dismissing the libel case and ordered that the case be remanded to the court of origin and to proceed with the trial of the case.
The Interim Batasang Pambansa of which Bacalso was a member had its inaugural session on June 12, 1978 until it was disbanded on June 5, 1984, when it was replaced by the Regular Batasang Pambansa. Bacalso was elected as member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa on the election held on April 7, 1978. Regional representatives were elected to compose the National Legislature.
The Interim Batasang Pambansa created as part of the 1976 Amendments to the 1973 Constitution was the legal justification of President Ferdinand E. Marcos to enact Presidential Decree No. 1296 on February 7, 1978 entitled "The 1978 Election Code."
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