"Ang Suga" editors and staff
(Last Of Two Parts)
"Ang Suga", Cebu's first newspaper in Cebuano first appeared in June 16, 1901 and its last print was in 1912. However, its founder Don Vicente Yap Sotto continued editing and publishing newspapers and magazines up to the last days of his life (he died on May 25, 1950). Though there are many other editors, staff, and contributors this two-part series discusses only a few of them, their biographies are mostly based on the book written by Professor Resil Mojares entitled "Cebuano Literature":
Escolastico Morre - the Pride of Compostela, Cebu, born on February 10, 1888. He studied at the Colegio de San Carlos and was justice of the peace assigned to Mindanao. He was a close associate of Don Vicente Sotto and one of the few who was able to visit the latter while on self-exile in Hong Kong. He used the pen names Errome, Dimas, and Upak. Among the short stories he wrote were "Banag sa linuiban", "Gugmang wala'y paglubad", and "Hangtud sa sala", all these were written in Don Vicente Rama's "Bag-ong Kusog". He died on March 27, 1921. A provocative article which Morre wrote which up to now is still relevant is the one printed in "Nueva Fuerza" of Don Vicente Rama entitled "Hain ang atong mga manunulat?" It was a commentary on the fewness of Cebuano writers.
Vicente R. Ranudo - He is the honoree of the street we call as V. Ranudo St., the one that starts at the corner of F. Ramos St. along Velez College. He was schooled at the Colegio de San Carlos and served as secretary of Governor Dionisio Abella Jakosalem (D. Jakosalem St. is named after him), who was the successor governor of Don Sergio S. Osmeña Sr. Aside from Governor Jakosalem he likewise served as secretary to Governor Manuel Roa (M. Roa St. formerly called as Kamuning St. is named after him). He was the man behind the success of the plays of Don Vicente Sotto as he wrote some of the verses. Ranudo resigned as Secretary of the Provincial Board of Cebu to join as staff of "Ang Suga" in 1906. His pen name was "Ernani". He wrote the novel "Loling". He died on May 6, 1930.
Fernando Aquino Buyser - He was born on May 30, 1879 in Kalunangan, Merida, Leyte. He taught at the San Isidro Elementary School, San Isidro, Leyte and was a ship officer before he became a priest of the Philippine Independent Church in Cebu, also known as the Aglipayan Church (founded by Bishop Gregorio Aglipay) in 1905. He wrote more than 200 books and booklets, among them was "Si Christo gikawat" and "Lucia". He died of paralysis in Surigao on November 18, 1946. Sotto was the benefactor of the Aglipayan Church which up to now still stands along Mabini St. in Barangay Parian. The funds came from his profits of the first Cebuano play entitled "Gugma sa Yutang Natawhan".
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