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Former Cebu Gov. Lito Osmeña passes away

By John Rey Saavedra

July 20, 2021, 3:31 pm

<p>Former Cebu Governor Emilio Mario "Lito" Osmeña. <em>(Photo couresy of Friends of Lito and Mimo Osmeña FB page)</em></p>

Former Cebu Governor Emilio Mario "Lito" Osmeña. (Photo couresy of Friends of Lito and Mimo Osmeña FB page)

CEBU CITY – Former Cebu Governor Emilio Mario “Lito” R. Osmeña Jr. died on Monday in Cebu. He was 82.

His son, Mariano “Mimo” Osmeña confirmed in his social media post the death of his father.

“So long Dad! You will always be part of us. Thank you is not enough,” Mimo’s post read.

Reports said he died of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), but none from the family confirmed it.

In a separate post, Mimo said: “My father was a visionary and workaholic until the last week of his life. I strongly feel the withdrawals from unproductivity had a large impact on his declining health.”

With the demise of the known architect of “Ceboom,” a rapid economic development of Cebu province in the early 1990s, words of sympathy flooded the social media communities here.

Lito Osmeña became governor of Cebu from 1988 to 1992.

“Your death came like the proverbial thief in the night. Although you have long embraced the inescapable fact of mortality… death, or the idea of death, was not pronounced lately as the brewing political season has, again, caught your fancy. This time… as you put it… to be more interesting as (this is) also the season of the passing of the torch. Are we not supposed to blow the clarion for genuine devolution of powers and initiatives, relevant education, tactical nuclearization and competent leadership?” lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda said in his post.

Sepulveda helped Lito’s presidential bid in 1998 under the political party, PROMDI, which means Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative, with Ismael Sueño from South Cotabato as his running mate. He lost to Joseph Estrada.

Lito won as governor in Cebu in 1988 shortly after the ratification of the 1987 Constitution and his incumbency became timely with the reorganization of local government units after the 1986 Edsa Revolution.

During his reign in the provincial capitol, Lito made an unprecedented project establishing road link between Cebu City and the western town of Balamban via the upland villages in what is now known as Transcentral Highway.

In 1992, he accepted Fidel Ramos' invitation to be his running mate, citing his vision to follow his grandfather's footsteps. He, however, lost to Estrada in a seven-way race for vice president.

He served as executive vice president of Lakas-NUCD and chief economic adviser of President Ramos from 1993 to 1997.

Before he was reportedly diagnosed with Covid-19, Lito joined a press conference on June 3 endorsing his son Mimo to run as 1st District representative of this city after being left vacant due to the death of Raul del Mar.

His brother, former Senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña died five months earlier in February at the age of 86. (PNA)  

 

 

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