Insurance firm to pay for Vicente Rama, Serging O statues

LIFE-SIZED statues of Cebu City’s prominent leaders Don Vicente Rama and Sergio Osmena Sr. will soon be built in front of the City Hall legislative building.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced yesterday that Vicente Ayllon, chairman of the board of Insular Life, extended the company’s commitment to spend on building the statues which would cost millions of pesos.

National Artist Ed Castrillo who also did the Pari-an Heritage Monument was commissioned by Insular Life to do the bronze life-sized statues.

“Don Vicente Rama and Serging Osmeña will already be placed where they rightly should be,” Rama said.  He said the council should pass a resolution authorizing Insular Life to spend on constructing the statues.

Rama said he asked Councilors Edgar Labella and Edu Rama Jr. and his secretary Belinda Navasquez to coordinate in passing the resolution.

The plan was criticized by Rama’s predecessor, Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.

Rep. Osmeña complained that Rama’s plan to put a P1.5 million statue was only meant to glorify Don Vicente Rama.

He said in an earlier interview that adding the statue of Serging Sr. was only a “smokescreen” to justify the spending.

Rama told over 100 people, who gathered at the Pahina Central fire station where a bust monument of Don Vicente is located that Ayllon’s commitment to fund the life size monuments will settle the discussion on who would fund it.

“Insular Life is helping us through our private public partnership because they have been in the city since the start of its cityhood,” he said.

While Don Vicente is the father of the city’s charter, Serging Sr. was also the first mayor of the chartered city.

Rama said next year’s floral offering may be transferred to the City Hall grounds where Don Vicente’s monument will be built.

The mayor said some people asked him why Don Vicente’s Rama bust monument was placed at the Pahina Central fire station grounds.  Some even asked if Don Vicente was a fireman, he said.

The mayor said they decided to have the bust placed in the area because “being a city always include having a fire department.”

Michelin Rama, the mayor’s daughter, said while her great grandfather was not a rich man, “he gave the Cebuanos an inheritance (its cityhood)  fit for a king.” Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac