Sergio Osmeña Sr. CCLH (Spanish: [ˈseɾxjo osˈmeɲa], Tagalog: [ˈsɛɾhjo ʔosˈmɛɲa]; Chinese: 吳文釗; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Bûn-chiau; September 9, 1878 – October 19, 1961) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fourth President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946.

His biological father was Don Antonio Sanson, a socially prominent and wealthy Chinese mestizo businessman and haciendero known for his vast landholdings throughout Cebu.

During his speakership, members of the assembly sought to initiate policies that constantly clashed with the opinions of American superiors in the Philippine Commission that ultimately did not pass.

These included the creation of a Council of State and a Board of Control that enabled the Philippine legislature to share some of the executive powers of the American governor-general.

After their return from the United States in August 1933, Osmeña, along with Manuel Roxas, campaigned for the ratification of it in the Philippine Legislature.

The outbreak of World War II and the Japanese invasion resulted in periodic and drastic changes to the government structure.

Aside from replying to this letter informing Osmeña that it would not be wise and prudent to effect any such change under the circumstances, Quezon issued a press release along the same line.

Following a spirited discussion, the Cabinet adopted Elizalde's opinion favoring the decision and Quezon announced his plan to retire in California.

After the meeting, however, Osmeña approached Quezon and broached his plan to ask the U.S. Congress to suspend the constitutional provisions for presidential succession until after the Philippines should have been liberated.

[14] Osmeña accompanied U.S. General Douglas MacArthur during the landing of U.S. forces in Leyte on October 20, 1944, starting the liberation of the Philippines during the Second World War.

Upon establishing the beachhead, MacArthur immediately transferred authority to Osmeña, the successor of Manuel Quezon, as Philippine Commonwealth president.

With Manila liberated,[13] General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur, on behalf of the United States, turned over the reins of government of the Philippines to Commonwealth president Sergio Osmeña, on February 27, 1945, amidst brief, but impressive, ceremonies held at the Malacañang Palace.

Slowly but steadily, as the liberating forces freed the other portions of the country, provincial and municipal governments were established by the Commonwealth to take over from the military authorities.

The opening session of the Congress was personally addressed by Osmeña, who reported on the Commonwealth government-in-exile and proposed vital pieces of legislation.

[13] The first Commonwealth Congress earnestly took up the various pending assignments to solve the pressing matters affecting the Philippines, especially in regard to relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

[13] Osmeña sent the Philippine delegation, which was headed by Carlos P. Romulo, to the San Francisco gathering for the promulgation of the Charter of the United Nations on June 26, 1945.

Other members of the delegation were Maximo Kalaw, Carlos P. Garcia, Pedro Lopez, Francisco Delegado, Urbano Zafra, Alejandro Melchor, and Vicente Sinco.

[13] To prepare for the forthcoming independent status of the Philippines, Osmeña created the Office of Foreign Relations.

[13] On December 5, 1945, Osmeña appointed Resident Commissioner Carlos P. Romulo as his representative to accept Philippine membership in the International Monetary Fund and in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which bodies had been conceived in the Bretton Woods Agreement, in which the Philippine had also taken part.

[13] On April 30, 1946, the United States Congress, at last, approved the Bell Act, which as early as January 20 had been reported to the Ways and Means Committee of the lower house, having been already passed by the Senate.

The sum of two hundred and forty million dollars was to be periodically allocated by the United States president as good will.

In December 1945, the House Insular Affairs of the United States Congress approved the joint resolution setting the date of the election on no later than April 30, 1946.

On January 22, 1946, Eulogio Rodriguez was nominated as Osmeña's running mate for vice president, in a convention held at Ciro's Club in Manila.

According to the Manila Chronicle:The convention opened at 10:15 a.m. when the acting secretary of the party, Vicente Farmoso, called the confab to order.

It is definitely coming on 4 July 1946[15] On January 19, 1946, Senator Roxas announced his candidacy for president in a convention held in Santa Ana Cabaret in Makati, Rizal.

According to the Manila Chronicle:...more than three thousand (by conservative estimate there were only 1,000 plus) delegates, party members and hero worshipers jammed into suburban, well known Santa Ana Cabaret (biggest in the world) to acclaim ex-katipunero and Bagong Katipunan organizer Manuel Acuña Roxas as the guidon bearer of the Nacionalista Party's Liberal Wing.

José Avelino and ex-pharmacist Antonio Zacarias permanent chairman and secretary, respectively; 3. nominated forty-four candidates for senators; 4. heard the generalissimo himself deliver an oratorical masterpiece consisting of 50 per cent attacks against the (Osmeña) Administration, 50 per cent promises, pledges.

Roxas registered an overwhelming majority of votes in 34 provinces and nine cities: Abra, Agusan, Albay, Antique, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Cavite, Cotabato, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Laguna, La Union, Leyte, Marinduque, Mindoro, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pangasinan, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sorsogon, Sulu, Surigao, Tayabas, Zambales, Manila, Quezon City, Bacolod (Negros Occidental), Iloilo City (Iloilo), Baguio (Mountain Province), Zamboanga City (Zamboanga), Tagaytay (Cavite), Cavite City (Cavite) and San Pablo (Laguna).

He died of pulmonary edema at age 83 on October 19, 1961, at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

In 2023, Osmeña's descendants Maria Lourdes Bernardo and Annabelle Osmeña-Aboitiz launched a paternity project to determine the father of their ancestor.