“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example”. Mark Twain’s remark is apt for September 9. That’d be 135th birthday of Sergio Osmeña. As fourth Philippine president, he led a war-shattered country into a new republic.
President Osmeña once prohibited Sergio Jr. from accepting honoraria for lecturing at UP. You see that same delicadeza in Commission on Audit Grace Pulido Tan. Without raising her voice, she documents massive funneling of pork barrel into spurious NGOs.
Senators Bong Revilla, Loren Legarda, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ladled P10 million each to two Bataan towns, a 2012 Commission on Audit report states. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada sliced P5 million. Five other senators and 24 plus congressmen were similarly tagged earlier
Marcos Jr. declined to comment on “until investigation is completed”. Legarda denied knowing bogus NGOs. Jinggoy fiddles “the innocent injured” dirge. El que da escusa, acusa asi mismo, Chavanco-speaking folk in Zamboanga snort. ”He who excuses himself accuses himself”.
Is Don Sergio just a line-etched image on the P50 peso bill? Or is the man who was journalist, bar topnotcher, legislator to wartime exile and President relevant—even to NBI stool pigeons?
Our grandchildren hardly know Don Sergio. Educator Antonio Calipjo Go blew the whistle on error-studded textbooks in public schools. He’s been pummeled by publishers who cashed in miseducation of our youngsters.
Come September 9, officials will pay lip service to President Osmeña. Day after, it will be business as usual. Is this schizophrenia destiny? “People will not look forward to posterity who never look back to their ancestors,” Edmund Burke wrote.
Don Sergio graduated, in 1892, from Colegio de San Carlos. In law school, he met a student that’d shape his whole life: Manuel L. Quezon. After topping the bar, he was elected governor of Cebu. He founded the newspaper, El Nuevo Día. From 1907 to 1922, he served in the Philippine National Assembly where he rose to become Speaker. For 13 years, he represented the 10th Senatorial District—and played key roles in major issues like the Tydings-McDuffie Act on independence.
As Japanese troops rampaged in World War II, Quezon, Osmeña, Gen Douglas MacArthur and officials slipped into Cagayan de Oro. They were to be evacuated to Australia, on the US President’s instructions.
MacArthur took one look at the shabby B-‘17 that landed midnight at Del Monte airport and blew a fuse, recalls William Manchester in his book: “American Caesar”. The “decrepit aircraft”...would endanger the party,” he cabled the US Secretary of State. “I could not undertake such responsibility.” He demanded the three best planes. The cable worked and two of three new B-17s managed to make it.
“We were roused in the dead of night and drove to the airfield where two Fortresses waiting,” say, unpublished memoirs of Manuel Quezon Jr. “We were in one plane and Vice-President Osmeña in the other… My father and mother sat on a mattress on the floor. My father was given oxygen during the night....”
Osmeña’s Fortress did not land after us. My father announced that we would not continue until the Vice-President arrived… The following morning, the search DC-5 returned followed by the missing Fortress. Finally, Don Sergio was able to continue with us, to Adelaide.
One of Don Sergio’s finest moments came during World War II’s government-in-Washington exile. The 1935 Constitution mandated the ailing Quezon’s term would lapse 30 December 1943. Quezon dug in over this constitutional crossroad. President Franklin Roosevelt stayed aloof from this “local issue.” Quezon presided over an inconclusive cabinet meeting.
Osmeña offered a way out: US Congress suspend succession, until after the occupation ended. Congress agreed on 1O November. He gave up his own ambitions to ensure unity. Would a Jejomar Binay or a Marcos Jr. dub Don Sergio an idiot?
After restoring the Commonwealth, Don Sergio refused to campaign in 1946. Filipinos knew his record. Like Winston Churchill after the war, he misread our fickleness. Manuel Roxas won 54 percent of the vote. Without rancor, Osmeña retired in Cebu. We still recall the silvered haired statesman taking afternoon walks—without bodyguards. He died October 1961, aged 83.
On Monday, tributes will resonate for Don Sergio, led by his descendants. “From our ancestors come our names,” Bertrand Russell wrote. “But from our virtues come our honors.”
Take grandson former Rep. Tomas Osmeña. His sole contribution to the 15th Congress was a bill to extend Christmas holidays. As Cebu mayor, he turned a blind eye to 183 summary executions by faceless vigilantes. UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston and US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone Jr. noted these killings were unsolved.
A less-than-firm Regional Ombudsman hasn’t resolved charges over two donated Dodge Charger 2009 vehicles. Dolled up as city police cars, topped by “wang-wangs” or sirens, these were “not donated to the city, Osmeña claimed. They were “gifts.” He added: “Sure, the Anti-Graft Law bars public officials from soliciting or accepting gifts.” But “there is always a police officer inside when the cars are used.” He had them repainted. “Got a problem with that?” Osmeña fumed.
Yes, his ancestor’s fine ethical sense would never tolerated boarding a bogus car. Fake is fake. But then “mules always boast their ancestors were horses.”
juan_mercado77@yahoo.com
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