Atty. Vicente L. dela Serna, the People’s Governor

Vicente L. dela Serna is remembered as the People’s Governor. He is Cebu’s chief executive who was identified by the masses. He was the champion of the masses; his priorities and principles uncommon to the other provincial leaders. He was akin to the revolutionary leaders of Cebu who fought the Spaniards and the Americans.

Vicente was born in Butuan on September 13, 1951. His parents were Manuel H.P. dela Serna and Leonora Low Ancheta. He married Maria Dolores A. Bernad of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

Vicente became a lawyer on May 8, 1980. He was appointed OIC vice mayor of Lapu-Lapu City in 1986 (the mayor was Dr. Maximo V. Patalinjug who served the people of Lapu-Lapu from 1968 to 1991), he ran, won, and holds the distinction of being the first congressman of the 6th District of Cebu (the 1987 Constitution changed the legislative districts of Cebu which was established in 1906, it was padlocked by President Marcos days after he declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972, though there was the Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984  and the Regular Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986, Philippine Congress was officially revived in 1987). Vicente, when he was congressman, became the chairman of the House Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights.

Vicente was then elected governor of Cebu in 1992. He became deputy executive secretary during President Joseph Estrada’s administration.

Vicente, fondly called Tingting, had four children: Frances, who became a Doctor of Medicine; the twins Ma. Leonore Norma (Marie), who became a lawyer on May 23, 2001, and Maria Dolores Carfopora (Carrie), who became a lawyer on May 6, 1999, and a son by the name of Manu.

The dela Serna Clan of Lapu-Lapu (originally called Opon, renamed as Lapu-Lapu City by virtue of Republic Act 3134 on June 17, 1961, inaugurated on December 31, 1961) served the people of Opon for centuries. During the American administration when chief executives were called municipal presidents, the first to be elected was Pascual dela Serna (1905), then Rito dela Serna was elected and served from 1929 to 1933, a nephew, Gregorio Y. dela Serna (G.Y. dela Serna Street is named in his honor) served from 1934 to 1937.

Governor Tingting died on September 1, 2018. He was the governor who truly lived the words carved at the magnificent façade of the Cebu’s Provincial Capitol: “The authority of the government emanates from the people.”