Ironically, the “Brains of the Cebu City Charter” was not a Cebuano by birth, Atty. Gervasio Lira Lavilles was born in Lambunao, Iloilo. He came to Cebu to become a working student. Armed with courage and dream he finished Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Visayas (it was founded by Don Vicente Gullas in 1919, this year is its 100th year) and officially admitted to the Philippine Bar on December 24, 1938.
Gervasio L. Lavilles, who became Cebu’s prime historian and defender, was elected Councilor of the Municipal Board of Cebu serving from 1925 to 1935. It was there that he authored the historic Resolution No. 185 which was signed by then Municipal President Fructuoso Ramos (after whom F. Ramos Street is named) on August 31, 1931. The resolution urged the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass a law converting the Municipality of Cebu into a city.
It was Don Vicente Rama a member of the House of Representatives who answered the call of Atty. Lavilles. Cebu was then eventually inaugurated as a city on February 24, 1937. It was the Secretary of Interior Elpidio Quirino, who attended on behalf of President Manuel Quezon. Quirino himself would later be elected vice president on April 23, 1946 with Manuel Acuña Roxas as president. Quirino would eventually go on to become successor President when Roxas died on April 15, 1948.
Not known to many, the naming of Barrio Luz in Cebu City was inspired by Atty. Lavilles’ suggestion to then Cebu City Mayor Serging Osmeña as then President Ramon Magsaysay refused to have the relocation site of the fire victims at the back of Camp Sergio Osmeña named after him. In a brilliant move, Lavilles suggested that it be named after his wife, Luz. Thus it became Barrio Luz.
Attorney Gervasio L. Lavilles, the Brains of the Cebu City Charter, was born on June 19, 1896 and died on June 16, 1986. The City honors him with a street, as it renamed Bagumbayan Street by virtue of City Ordinance No. 1329 dated May 8, 1989. Lavilles was a humble, honest, and decent public servant and did not seek accolades, fame, or fortune, as he lived a simple but dignified life, he could have made a fortune when he was appointed by Don Sergio as War Damage commissioner, but he didn’t. Let us remember him as the “Brains of the Cebu City Charter.”