Jose Ma. del Mar’s “La Prensa”

The last Cebuano who was a Spanish language writer was Jose Ma. del Mar. It was in 1948 that del Mar founded “La Prensa,” a Spanish bi-weekly paper that lasted until 1972. It is considered as Cebu’s last Spanish language paper.

Jose was the son of Mariano del Mar and Juanita Lasala (sister of Sor Apolonia Lasala, the first Sister Superior of Colegio Immaculada Concepcion). He married Rosario Chiong Veloso who was the daughter of Potenciano Rosales Chiong Veloso and Damasa Ricablanca.

For his literary work in Spanish “Perfiles,” del Mar was awarded in 1965 the Zobel Award. He once edited the “El Precursor” (saw print from 1907 to 1941), whose first issue was on December 20, 1907 with the title “Periodico Filipino Independiente”. He also became part of Don Filemon Sotto’s “La Revolucion,” founded in 1910, and its last print was in 1941.

Del Mar also became an associate of Manuel C. Briones (M.C. Briones, the great Visayan jurist and member of the Seven Wise Men of the 1934 Constitutional Convention) with his publication “El Espectador” (1919 to 1922). Its office was in Teatro Oriente (later bought by Don Jose Avila). Del Mar also had the opportunity of being the editor of Don Jose Avila’s “The Cebu Advertiser,” an English-Spanish bi-weekly (existed from 1922 to 1942).

A decade after World War II, del Mar became involved with Ramon Abellanosa’s magazine “Pilipinhon”. Del Mar had the privilege of writing the introduction of the literary work of Bishop Fernando Buyser of the Philippine Independent Church, “Basahon sa mga Balak”. It contains Buyser’s translation of Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios”.

Del Mar, the last Spanish writer of Cebu, died in 1982 but his legacy continues with his children, among them is Raul, a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila College of Law who became a lawyer on March 7, 1964.

Raul del Mar holds the title as the first congressman of the north district of Cebu City and officially held office commencing on June 30, 1987 after the first post-Martial Law election.

Del Mar authored House Bill 5688 or the Cebu Press Freedom Day Bill which was enacted under Republic Act 11122, making every September 21 a nonworking holiday in Cebu. It was signed into law by President Duterte on October 30, 2018.