ILOILO Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. signed on Friday, October 3, Executive Order 183, designating the provincial public information head, Jose Nereo Lujan, as the resident historian of Iloilo.

Defensor said the province of Iloilo has a colorful history that must be documented and shared not only with its residents, but also with the rest of the country.

He said Lujan, as the chief of Public Information and Community Affairs Office (Picao), has been documenting and sharing Iloilo's history in various media, forums, and assemblies, including those organized by the Philippine National Historical Society and the Philippine Historical Association.

Lujan presented his paper, "The Life and Works of Pedro Casanave," during the 36th National Conference on Local and National History in 2015. He said his manuscript, "Casanave (1867-1948): An American Photographer in Iloilo, Philippines," will be published in a book by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Defensor said Lujan's appointment as resident historian is just an addition to his duties and functions as chief of Picao.

Asked for comment, Lujan told SunStar that he also promotes local history by writing tidbits of Iloilo history in his History 101 series on Facebook.

Lujan was a journalist before he entered the Iloilo Provincial Capitol as one of its employees. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)