John Osmeña
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JOHN HENRY RENNER OSMEÑA was born on January 17, 1935 in Cebu City. He is the eldest of the three children of Dr. Emilio Osmeña and wife Mary Renner. His sister is now a Mrs. Aboitiz and his brother is the governor of Cebu responsible for Ce-Boom in the 1990’s. He got married and has one son, John Gregory Urgello Osmeña, former vice-governor of Cebu.
John O graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He took post graduate studies in public administration at the UP – Diliman. He also took a course in Social & Community Development at the International Social Development Institute in Holland.
Even as a young and probinsyano student leader, John O already demonstrated that he is of national caliber when he won the presidency of the Student Councils Association of the Philippines in 1958. Since then, he has blazed a brilliant record of outstanding public service starting from his student leader days then as Cebu City Councilor in 1963 and re-elected in 1967.
He assumed office as Cebu City Vice Mayor in 1968. Then in 1969, he was elected into the House of Representatives for Cebu’s 2nd District. In 1971 came his first election to the Philippine Senate.
But Martial Law was declared and John O had to spend the years in exile in the US. However, after the death of Ninoy, John O was one of the first of the exiles to come home, and in 1986, he was appointed OIC – Mayor of Cebu City.
In 1987, he was elected to the Philippine Senate, and then again in 1992. In 1995, he was elected again into the House of Representatives, this time, for Cebu’s 3rd District. And in 1998, he was elected again to the Philippine Senate.
The University of San Carlos hailed John Osmeña as its Most Outstanding Alumni in 1969. In 1970, the Philippine Jaycees named him as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in Public Service. He was also chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Congressmen in 1970 and 1971.
Tatak Osmeña is honest politics and sincere public service. John O is both of this and more. Here are but a few of his endeavors: As a private citizen, he is into granting scholarship funds. As a businessman, he is into providing low-cost housing units. As a lawmaker, he was instrumental in the abolition of the ROTC, the bringing of telephone connection to all municipalities, especially to the far-flung areas, and the deregulation of the communication industry, which opened the way for new technology, such as cell phones, to reach our doorstep.
