CAPITOL officials and members of various organizations held a tribute to Dr. Resil Mojares after he was named National Artist for Literature last month.

In a testimonial dinner held at the Capitol Social Hall Monday evening, Nov. 5, members of the Cebu Provincial Board led by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale presented Mojares with a copy of a Provincial Board resolution recognizing his contributions in the field of literature and his recent conferment as National Artist by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In her speech, Magpale said she was privileged to work with Mojares, particularly on the Capitol’s project to create a definitive history of the Province of Cebu.

Magpale said the conferment of National Artist on Mojares was a “fitting recognition” of his dedication to research and hard work.

“His conferment has now elevated him to the gallery of illustrious Filipino literary artists. Being the first and only Cebuano to have clenched such an award is indeed a monumental fountain of honor and pride for all the Cebuanos to cherish forever,” Magpale said.

For his part, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he knew of Mojares’s reputation even before he became a National Artist.

Mojares was commissioned by Davide and his family to write a book on the life of his father, retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Though he was not born a Cebuano, Mojares said he considered Cebu as his home for almost half of his life.

In his speech, Mojares said that while he was born in Dipolog, it was in Cebu that felt familial connections.

“To have lived in Cebu, raising a family to what is now over half of my life has cemented the fact that Cebu is home. Perhaps more important than these details of personal life is the fact that being Cebuano is not just something that I kind of inherited. I found myself deeply involved in studies pertaining to Cebu and Cebuanos,” he said. (JKV)