PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared Friday that Sept. 12 will be a day of national mourning over the passing of National Artist for Literature Resil Mojares.
Flags shall be flown at half-mast during the said day.
“The passing of National Artist for Literature Resil B. Mojares is a great loss to the Filipino people and to the nation’s cultural and artistic community,” read Proclamation 1434, signed on Sept. 10.
“Mojares’ outstanding contribution as a pivotal figure in Philippine literature and cultural studies has significantly enriched the nation’s understanding and appreciation of its literary and cultural heritage,” it added.
Mojares was a teacher, scholar, essayist, fictionist, and historian who contributed to the promotion of regional literature and history, as well as the formation of Cebuano and national identity.
Known as the “Visayan Titan of Letters,” Mojares died on Sept. 5 — a day after his birthday. His family has not made public the cause of his death.
He was recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 2018.
