Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña Sr. CCLH (Spanish: [ˈseɾxjo osˈmeɲa], Tagalog: [ˈsɛɾhjo ˈosmɛɲa]; Chinese: 吳文釗; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Bûn-chiau; September 9, 1878 – October 19, 1961) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fourth President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon. Upon Quezon's sudden death in 1944, Osmeña succeeded him at age 65, becoming the oldest person to assume the Philippine presidency until Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 at age 71. A founder of the Nacionalista Party, Osmeña was also the first Visayan to become president.
Sergio Osmeña | |
|---|---|
| 4th President of the Philippines | |
| In office August 1, 1944 – May 28, 1946 | |
| Prime Minister | Jorge B. Vargas |
| Preceded by | Manuel L. Quezon Jose P. Laurel (de facto) |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Roxas |
| 1st Vice President of the Philippines | |
| In office November 15, 1935 – August 1, 1944 | |
| President | Manuel L. Quezon |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Elpidio Quirino |
| Secretary of Public Instruction, Health, and Public Welfare in concurrent capacity as Vice President of the Philippines | |
| In office December 24, 1941 – August 1, 1944 | |
| President | Manuel L. Quezon |
| Preceded by | Juan Nolasco Jorge Bocobo |
| Succeeded by | Mariano Eraña Basilio Valdes Carlos P. Romulo |
| Secretary of Public Instruction in concurrent capacity as Vice President of the Philippines | |
| In office 1935–1940 | |
| President | Manuel L. Quezon |
| Preceded by | Unknown |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Bocobo |
| 2nd Senate President pro tempore of the Philippines | |
| In office 1922–1934 | |
| Preceded by | Espiridion Guanco |
| Succeeded by | José Clarín |
| Senator of the Philippines from the 10th district | |
| In office June 6, 1922 – November 15, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Filemon Sotto |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| 1st Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives Speaker of the Philippine Assembly (1907–1916) | |
| In office October 16, 1907 – February 11, 1922 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Roxas |
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cebu's 2nd district Member of the Philippine Assembly (1907–1916) | |
| In office October 16, 1907 – June 6, 1922 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Vicente Sotto |
| 3rd Governor of Cebu | |
| In office 1904 – October 16, 1907 | |
| Preceded by | Juan F. Climaco |
| Succeeded by | Dionisio A. Jakosalem |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sergio Serencio Osmeña September 9, 1878 Cebu, Cebu, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Died | October 19, 1961 (aged 83) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Resting place | Manila North Cemetery, Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines |
| Political party | Nacionalista (1907–1961) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 13 (including Sergio Jr.) |
| Alma mater | Colegio de San Juan de Letran (AB) University of Santo Tomas (LL.B) |
| Profession | Lawyer, soldier |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | First Philippine Republic Philippine Commonwealth |
| Branch/service | Philippine Revolutionary Army Philippine Commonwealth Army |
| Years of service | 1899–1900 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Commander-in-Chief |
| Battles/wars | Philippine–American War World War II * Philippines Campaign (1941–1942) * Japanese Occupation of the Philippines (1942–1945) * Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) |
Prior to his accession in 1944, Osmeña served as governor of Cebu from 1906 to 1907, member and first speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1907 to 1922, and senator from the 10th senatorial district for thirteen years, in which capacity he served as Senate president pro tempore. In 1935, he was nominated to be the running-mate of Senate President Manuel L. Quezon for the presidential election that year. The duo were overwhelmingly re-elected in 1941.
He was the patriarch of the prominent Osmeña family, which includes his son, former Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr., and his grandsons, former senators Sergio Osmeña III and John Henry Osmeña, ex-governor Lito Osmeña, and former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña.