Mario Ricardo, dean of Cebu's newspaper arts and advertising

Mario A. Ricardo, the boy artist from Calidngan, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental was born on January 19, 1938. Mario was the son of Valentin Ricardo and Mariana Amor Ricardo.

 Sir Mario spent his elementary years at the West Central School, and his secondary course at the Negros Oriental College. Mario took his Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines, Dilliman Campus.

At 28, Mario married Milagros Macasero on June 19, 1964. Mario, armed with exceptional talent, worked at the J.D. Macachor Advertising (owned by Jose Macachor, of the country's top advertising and public relations man way back in the 60's, and became chairman of the Games and Amusement Board in 1986)). He then worked at J & J Printers, the then official printer of the The Freeman, established by Don Paulino Gullas, revived on July 18, 1965 by his nephew, Jose R. "Dodong" Gullas, the defender of Cebuano arts, music and culture. Presently, the J & J Printers still holds office at the Old Freeman Building at V. Gullas St. (formerly Manalili Street).

The Freeman when it was revived in 1965 had Jose Rivera Gullas (son of Atty. Vicente Arandia Gullas, founder of the Visayan Institute now the University of the Visayas) as editor, Balt V. Quinain as Visayan Section editor (he had a column entitled MGA PANID SA PANIID), Mario Ricardo as Art editor, Eli Espina as photographer and Carlito de los Reyes as the person in charge of circulation. The Freeman's former editor in chief and publisher, Juanito V. Jabat, wrote a column entitled "Just for the Record" but today his column is entitled "Have Bat Will Strike."

In 1967, the subscription rate of The Freeman was P1.80 for three months or P7.20 yearly. It was then published weekly by the Js Publications, issued every Thursday and released every Sunday.

In 1965 Ricardo designed the cover painting, portraits, and sectional illustration of the "The Cebu Celebration; Fourth Centennial of the Christianization of the Philippines. Third National Eucharistic Congress." It was edited by Rodolfo Villanueva, with associate editors Bienvenido S. Tudtud, Thelma S. Enage, and Cecil Siozon Sr. Ricardo was considered a master in pencil portrait and is the inspiration of caricature painting of today's artists.

Aside from taking charge of newspaper arts and design, he also handled brand designs such as that of the International Pharmaceutical Inc. or IPI. It was he who designed the logo and packaging of "Fanbo Cosmetics," the "Jazz Cola" softdrink logo and packaging. Ricardo also designed the "Holiday Canned Food Products" logo and packaging and the Rhine Marketing logo.

When Talisay was converted into a city (December 30, 2000), Mario Ricardo had the distinction of being the designer of the Talisay City emblem/seal. He handled the design of the campaign materials of politicians from Cebu.

He designed the campaign materials of Congressman Antonio V. Cuenco in the last elections he joined before he retired in 2010. Ricardo did the design in 2007, that was months before the elections of May 2007. He died on March 15, 2007. Incidentally, it was the Junior (the youngest of his children) that finished the designs started by his father of all Cuenco's campaign materials. Cuenco won in this election.

Mario Amor Ricardo Sr. had the following children: Lourdes "Ludette" Ricardo Mackay, also a successful artist. She worked for the Penshoppe shirt brand (Iate 1980's and early 90's) and the Penshoppe Visual Merchandising.  She is now the brand manager of Golden ABC Inc., second child, Mellaine Ricardo, who now works in a government agency, then the youngest, Mario Ricardo Jr., an artist.