Governor Sotero Barte Cabahug and the Inauguration of Cebu City
When Cebu City was inaugurated the Governor of Cebu at that time was Sotero Barte Cabahug. He is the man whose name the Cebu City Police Office is named after for. This was the message of Governor Terong on the inauguration of Cebu City:
"On the eve of the inauguration of the City of Cebu, I wish to congratulate the City Officials and to wish them success in their administration. There are, doubtless, many things that should be done which ought to have been done long ago for the improvement of this City if time and circumstances would have permitted. We all hope that what was left undone will command the attention of the new City Officials so that we may become truly proud of this second metropolis of the Philippines."
Governor Terong Cabahug was a lawyer by profession. He was appointed Justice of the Peace, Judge of the Court of First Instance and Deputy Fiscal, Municipal Councilor of Mandaue (Mandawe), Representative, later he became Justice of the Court of Appeals and Secretary of National Defense.
Ironically, Governor Terong supported the candidacy of Don Paulino Gullas, (1st Placer of the Bar Examinations and Founder of the The Freeman in 1919 and elder brother of Don Vicente Gullas, Founder of the Visayan Institute now the University of the Visayas) in 1925 as Representative of the Philippine Legislature, in spire being political adversaries in the 1928 elections. Governor Terong also faced his supporter, Hilario Abellana in the 1931 elections, eventually Abellana became Governor in 1941, when Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez died on the eve of the elections, with Abellana as the last minute replacement.
Among the many accomplishments of Governor Terong is the construction of the bridges in Argao, Cebu, the Mandaue Municipal Hall, the T.B. Pavilion, the Rizal Memorial Library and Museum and the Provincial Capitol (however it was not he who became the first occupant as it was Buenaventura Rodriguez who became Governor in 1937 elections).
Not known to many was Cebu's purchase and donation of an airplane with the name of "Spirit of Cebu" to the national government for use of the Philippine Army. It was brought through the voluntary contributions of the Cebuanos.
In the words of his esteemed Private Secretary by the name of Napoleon Dejoras, this was how he described the Great Mandauehanon:
"Without much love for politics, he became a seasoned politician in spite of himself. With an unshakable loyalty and respect for principles and a deep-rooted disdain for political guiles, he can well be counted as the first and the last of a dying race of politicians... He stands as a synonym for rectitude of conscience, for integrity of character, for loyalty and devotion to duty. All this asserts like an elusive golden thread throughout his public and private life, winning for him the respect and admiration of a legion of friends and even of those who found in him a formidable opponent. Undefeated in politics, and with such a brilliant record of achievement, the public servant that is Governor Sotero B. Cabahug can now well afford to withdraw and write at the end of a crowded career: Well Done."
Sotero (his younger brother, Fructuoso, nicknamed Tosong like Sotero also became a lawyer on January 24, 1925, also became Governor of Cebu in 1945, which makes them the only Brother or Sibling Governors of Cebu, which up to now remains unbroken) was the child of Narciso Cabahug and Cirila Barte.
The governors after Sotero were Buenaventura Rodriguez, Hilario Abellana, Jose Delgado, Jose Leyson, Fructuoso Cabahug, Manuel Cuenco, Serging Osmeña, Jose Briones, Francisco Remotigue, Rene Espina, Osmundo Rama, Eduardo Gullas, Lito Osmeña, Vicente dela Cerna, Pablo Garcia, Gwendolyn Garcia, and Hilario Davide III.
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