(Note: The governor at that time was Buenaventura Rodriguez, but it was Governor Sotero Barte Cabahug’s administration that built the building. The speech of Quezon will give the reader an insight of the political atmosphere not only of Cebu but of the country as he also spoke of religious instruction and social justice.)
“The President of the Philippines has a duty which he owes to the whole Filipino people: that if he must decide a question affecting one province, he must see to it that the best interests of that province are served. Now, I want to say to my friends, my old political friends who stood by me here; that I finally decided on the erection of this building here; if you are really my friends, you should abide by my decision. [Applause] But even those who are not my friends should abide by my decision for it is a decision based not only on facts but also on what I consider to be for the best interest of the province. Furthermore, it is my duty to respect the decision of the government of this province. You should also abide by my decision because your own eyes at this solemn moment tell you that I am right. [Applause] Look at this building! What a magnificent building worthy of the people of Cebu! [Applause] Look from the other side of this building, and see those blue mountains before you! So I congratulate the people of Cebu! [Applause]
There is, however, one man here today who should be sad and lonesome. Who that man is, even the most scrutinizing among you cannot detect. He is not in your mind. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the unlucky man of Cebu today is Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez, because it is my purpose to dismiss him from his high position and, instead, appoint myself governor of Cebu. [Applause] He is committing a great crime, for he has dared to have an office that is even larger than that of the President of the Philippines. [Applause]
I congratulate Vice President Osmeña. I am not congratulating him for the erection of this building, but for the vision that he had almost thirty years ago when he conceived the great project of improving and enlarging the City of Cebu. It was after the great fire of Cebu that Vice President Osmeña conceived of a new City of Cebu. At the time when he envisioned what we are now seeing here, I am positive that no other Filipino in the Philippines had such ideas about a modern city as he had. At the time it would have been inconceivable to have a great project as what you have now. I do not say that everything that Vice President Osmeña has done here, as a leader, is well done. It would be childish for me to tell the people of Cebu who Vice President Osmeña is. You certainly know him as a public official of this province better than I do. I am not going to enter into a discussion of his political career as a public official. But I may boldly say here in the presence of this great audience, that when the Vice President is gone, the consensus of the people of Cebu would be that he was the great builder of this province. [Applause]” (To be continued)