Custom Bronze Statues of Filipino Leaders to be placed at Cebu City Hall

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Bronze statues of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. and Vicente Rama will soon be erected in front of the old Cebu City Hall building.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he already received a proposal for the nine-foot bronze statues which will be placed at the Plaza Sugbo grounds.

Custom bronze statues sculptor Juan Sajid Imao will handle the project. Each of the large bronze statues will cost P1.5 million each including the molding, sculpting, design and transportation from Manila to Cebu.

If Mayor Rama approves of the proposed design, it will be forwarded to the city engineering office for technical description and program of works and estimates and to the Philippine Tourism Authority for final approval.

Vicente Rama, who is called the Father of the City of Cebu, authored Act No. 58 creating the Cebu City Charter in 1937. He gained a reputation of being a formidable politician in 1916 when he was elected councilor and was then appointed by President Manuel Quezon as mayor of Cebu City in 1938. In November 1940, Rama won as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines up to 1949. His legacy lives as he is remembered in the annual celebration of the City’s Charter Day Anniversary every February 24.

Osmeña, known as the “Grand Old Man” of Cebu, began his 42-long career in public service in 1904. Don Sergio served as Cebu’s youngest governor at 25, and four years later became the speaker of the First Philippine Assembly. He assumed the presidency in August 1, 1944 when Quezon died. He was the fourth president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

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