Don Vicente, Serging statues to be built at City Hall

TW0 great Cebuanos will be immortalized in stone at the Cebu City Hall grounds.

Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd. is spending P3 million for brass monuments of Don Vicente Rama and Sergio Osmeña Jr. that will be installed on both sides of the Plaza Sugbu flagpole.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wanted both monuments by national artist Eduardo Castillo in place in time for the city’s 77th Charter Day celebration on February 24.

“This is another dream come true,” he said.

Rama yesterday signed an agreement with Insular Vice president Enrico Cordova to formalize the donation of the two monuments.

The agreement states that the city government will provide the area for the installation of the monuments and maintain them.

Cordova told the mayor that Insular Life Assurance is always ready to “support the city”, one of the first in the country where their 103-year-old business opened a branch office.

Don Vicente Rama, father of the city’s charter, was the first appointed Cebuano mayor in Cebu City’s history while Don Sergio Jr. was the first elected mayor.

Both men, Cordova said, contributed to what Cebu City had become today.

Rama said while his great grand father, Don Vicente is father of the city’s charter, it is ironic that his bust monument stands at the Bureau of Fire and Penology (BFP) Central Visayas office in Pahina San Nicolas.

He said its location would always prompt questions if Don Vicente was a fireman.

The location of Don Sergio Jr.’s monument at the SM Mall parking area also raises question on its location.

Rama said former councilor Koko Holganza was responsible for having Osmeña’s monument in the area as a recognition for his contributions on the birth of the North Reclamation Area.

But Rama said the time has come for the two great Cebuanos to be placed at the City Hall grounds where they truly belong.

Asked what they will do with Don Vicente’s bust monument at the BFP compound and Don Sergio’s monument at the NRA, Rama said it will be up to the City Council and the Cultural and Historical Commission to decide on.

He said what is definite is that the floral offering for Don Vicente, one of the highlights of the city’s charter day celebration, will already be done at his monument at the Plaza Sugbu starting this year.