RESIL B. Mojares, an essayist, fictionist and scholar whose intellect and books on Philippine history, literary criticism and cultural studies won him widespread admiration and the title of National Artist for Literature, died in Cebu City on Saturday, a day after his 83rd birthday.
Mojares’ daughter Leigh Go Mojares announced his passing on a Facebook post on Saturday morning, expressing gratitude that his family “spent his final day honoring and celebrating his life.”
“Papa Resil was a pillar of our family, and although we will miss him dearly every day, we find comfort in knowing that he is now reunited with our dear mother, Sally, who left us in 2022,” she wrote.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Members of the Philippine writing community paid tributes and voiced gratitude on social media after news of Mojares’ death broke. National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario said in Filipino that the Cebu-based author’s service to the country is “invaluable and cannot be matched by any grief.”
Author, translator and Manila Times columnist Danton Remoto called Mojares’ mind “deep and wide and full of light,” while public historian and fellow columnist Michael Charleston “Xiao” Chua said the national artist’s “light will never dim,” even if he is gone.
Poet Merlie Alunan said “many of us took strength from the works of Resil Mojares,” and thanked him “for leading the way,” while fellow poet Aida Santos said “the literary universe lost another brilliant mind.”
Another poet, Michael M. Coroza, wrote in Filipino that “the entire country is mourning his passing.” And author Jose Dalisay Jr. called Mojares one of his “personal heroes, the kind of patient, thoughtful, and scholar I would have wanted to be.”
On a Facebook post, the Ateneo de Manila University Press — which had published a number of Mojares’ books through the years — said it would “remember him not only for his works, but also his generosity, warmth, and endless curiosity.”
Son of the South
According to his profile in the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Mojares was born to public school teachers in Zamboanga del Norte province on Sept. 4, 1943. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in literature from the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City in 1964 and 1969, respectively, and his doctorate degree in literature from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1979. He began teaching in 1964 at the USC, where he was the director of its Cebuano Studies Center from its founding in 1975 until 1996, and from where he retired as professor emeritus.
Among his books were “Origins and Rise of the Filipino Novel: A Generic Study of the Novel Until 1940” (1983); “Casa Gorordo in Cebu: Urban Residence in a Philippine Province” (1983); “Theater in Society, Society in Theater: Social History of a Cebuano Village, 1840–1940” (1985); “War Against the Americans: Resistance and Collaboration in Cebu: 1899–1906” (1999); “Waiting for Mariang Makiling: Essays in Philippine Cultural History” (2003); “Brains of the Nation: Pedro Paterno, T.H. Pardo de Tavera, Isabelo de los Reyes and the Production of Modern Knowledge” (2008); and “Isabelo’s Archive” (2013). He also collected his personal essays in “House of Memory: Essays” (1997).
Some of these works won prizes: “Origins and Rise of the Filipino Novel,” “Casa Gorordo in Cebu,” and “House of Memory” at the National Book Awards; and “Theater in Society, Society in Theater,” “Waiting for Mariang Makiling,” and “Brains of the Nation” at the Gintong Aklat Awards.
Award-winning fictionist
Mojares was also an accomplished short-story writer. He garnered second prize for “Beast in the Field” at the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in 1971; second prize for “A Sickness in the Towns” at the Philippines Graphic literary contest in 1970; and third prize for “Island” and first prize for “Ark” at the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards in 1966 and 1969, respectively.
For his contributions to Philippine literature, history and scholarship, Mojares received several lifetime achievement honors. These include the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas for the essay in English from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas in 1997; the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts for cultural research and literature in 1999; and the Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi from Ateneo de Manila University in 2013.
In 2018, he was named National Artist for Literature by then-president Rodrigo Duterte in 2018.
Mojares is survived by his children Leigh, Kim Carmel, Mark Soren and Ressa Gail; daughter-in-law Therry and son-in-law James; and grandchildren Margaret Alexi, Maxine Therese, Micah Kathryn, Jamie Madeline and Chloe Jeremy.
Details on Mojares’ wake and memorial service are expected to be announced later.
