Profile Text
Date of Birth: September 9, 1878
Place of Birth: Cebu, Cebu, Captaincy General of the Philippines, Spanish East Indies (now Philippines)
Date of Death: October 19, 1961
Place of Death: Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Ethnicity: Filipino [Cebuano], Chinese
Sergio Osmeña was a Filipino politician. He served as the 4th President of the Philippines , from August 1, 1944 to May 28, 1946. He was also Governor of Cebu, from 1904 to October 16, 1907, Speaker of the Philippine Assembly/Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, and Member of the Philippine Assembly/Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cebu’s 2nd district, both, from October 16, 1907 to June 6, 1922; President of the Nacionalista Party, from 1907 to 1935, and again, from 1944 to 1953; Senator of the Philippines from the 10th district, from June 6, 1922 to November 15, 1935; Senate President pro tempore of the Philippines, from October 27, 1922 to July 16, 1934; Secretary of Public Instruction, from November 15, 1935 to December 1, 1938; the 1st Vice President of the Philippines, from November 15, 1935 to August 1, 1944; and Secretary of Public Instruction, Health, and Public Welfare, from December 24, 1941 to August 1, 1944.
Sergio’s mother was Juana Osmeña y Suico, or Juana Suico Osmeña in Filipino, a Chinese mestiza who was reportedly fourteen at the time of his birth. Owing to the circumstances of his birth, the identity of his father had been a closely guarded family secret. Although carrying the stigma of being an illegitimate child, Juana never married his father, he did not allow this aspect to affect his standing in society. Sergio’s biological father was revealed by a DNA test in 2023 to have been Antonio Sansón. He had been believed to be Go Bon Tia, or Wu Wenzhao in Mandarin, baptized Pedro Singson Gotiaoco; a Chinese merchant, from Amoy, now Xiamen, Fujian.
Sergio was married to Estefanía Chiong Veloso y Rosales (or Estefanía Rosales Chiong Veloso in Filipino), until her death, and to Esperanza Limjap y Escolar (or Esperanza Escolar Limjap in Filipino), until his death. He had ten children with Estefanía and three children with Esperanza.
Sergio’s biological paternal grandfather was named José María Sansón.
Sergio’s maternal grandfather was named Severino Agatón (later Osmeña). Severino was born in Cebu City, Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines. He adopted the family name Osmeña due to a decree issued by Governor-General of the Philippines Narciso Clavería concerning the family names of the Filipino natives.
Sergio’s maternal grandmother was named Paula Suico. The surname Suico is of Chinese origin.
Sources: https://www.esquiremag.ph
Genealogy of Sergio Osmeña – https://www.geni.com