Cabahug commitment to education cited

CEBUANO youth were urged to follow justice Sotero Cabahug’s commitment to education by finishing school with or without honors during the annual observance of his 122th birth anniversary in Mandaue City yesterday.

“More than the buildings [he helped structure], his perspective on academic excellence is something which the youth must follow,” said Guadalupe Cabahug-Latonio, Cabahug’s youngest daughter.

Among the activities lined up for the observation include an exhibit in honor of held at Park Mall and a commemorative Mass at the St. Joseph Parish Church at 2 pm followed by a floral offering at Cabahug’s statue.

A testimonial dinner at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Center was held after the 6th Justice Sotero Cabahug Memorial Lecture.

The commemoration of Justice Sotero Cabahug’s day was attended by the Cabahug clan, Miss Mandaue 2013 candidates, City Hall employees and city officials led by Mayor Jonas Cortes and Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede.

“Sotero really gave importance to education. That is why we brought back the Sotero Cabahug Award,” the mayor said.

This year’s lone gold medalist was Anne Mae Sarah, a BS-Pharmacy graduate from the University of San Carlos. She graduated summa cum laude last March.

The Cabahug Medal of Academic Excellence was first awarded in 1923 and is  given to a Mandauehanon who achieved excellence in academics.

Cabahug served as a congressman, a Supreme Court chief justice and a defense secretary.

He was also responsible for a number of landmarks in Cebu like the Mandaue City Hall, the Rizal Library and the Capitol building. Siliman University Intern Katrin Anne A. Arcala