Cebu Provincial Capitol 5.25

The Cebu Provincial Capitol is the seat of the provincial government of Cebu in the Philippines. Located at the north end of Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City, it was designed by Juan M. Arellano, a Filipino architect best known for the Manila Metropolitan Theater (1935), the Legislative Building (1926; now the National Museum of the Philippines), and the Manila Central Post Office (1926). An inscription on the central concave portion of its façade reads, "The authority of the government emanates from the people. Erected A.D. MCMXXXVII."It is also the same venue, which held the second inauguration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in June 2004.HistoryPlanning for the capitol, which was to replace the old Casa Provincial in the city's Spanish quarter, actually started in 1910, in the day of the inauguration of Osmeña Waterworks. Sergio Osmeña, then Speaker of the First Philippine Assembly, took Governor General William Cameron Forbes to an exhibition baseball match, after which they inspected the future site of the building near Fuente Osmeña. In the book about his father E. J. Hanselma: Colonial Engineer, James Hanselma narrates the event:Finally they went over a newly-built boulevard into the countryside to a plaza in the midst of fields empty except for a simple fountain. The site was planned as the new provincial capitol site. The fountain was to commemorate the building of the waterworks. Construction commenced in 1937 under the supervision of the engineering firm Pedro Siochi and Company. It took place also during the administration of Governor Sotero Cabahug who was its principal champion. It was financed through a bond approved by Pres. Manuel Quezon and through public subscription. The building was finally completed in 1938 during the term of Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez, the inauguration ceremony taking place during June 14, 1938, led by President Manuel L. Quezon, with Cebu Archbishop Gabriel Reyes blessing the new building, and the wife of Governor Rodriguez breaking the champagne bottle at the main balcony.