Talisay, Cebu, produced dozens of literary geniuses. Some of them are those listed in the book of Prof. Resil B. Mojares entitled “Cebuano Literature”, here they are:
Protasio D. Badinas
He was born in San Roque, Talisay, on June 19, 1914. Though he did not finish elementary school he was able to show his literary brilliance. His first poem was published in Bag-ong Kusog (of Don Vicente Rama) in 1928. He has written more than 200 poems published in Lamdag and Bisaya. “Ang Kagabhion” is considered as his best poem.
Maximo D. Bas
Born in Talisay on May 16, 1910. He finished his elementary in Talisay and at the Cebu Provincial High School (now Abellana National School) in 1930. He went on to attend college at the Cebu Junior College (now University of the Philippines-Cebu Campus) in 1932. While in school he contributed poems and writings to the Bag-ong Kusog and Babaye. He was publisher of Kamya (established in 1933 it was a magazine designed purely for literary publications, it was a contemporary of “Ang Bairan sa Dagang” edited by fellow Talisaynons Macaraig Canton and Santos C. Candia.
Bas also edited Babaye (it saw print from 1930-1940, Bas’ associate editors were Brigido Alfar, Maria Kabigon, and Rodrigo Fernandez), Lamdag, and Kahayag. He edited Bisaya from 1946 to 1950.
Priscillo A. Campo
Born in Talisay on January 16, 1895. Studied at the Silliman Institute, later taught in Talisay, appointed as postmaster of Barili, Cebu. Wrote for almost half a century (1918 to 1950) for Lungsoranon, Babaye, Lamdag, Bisaya, and others. He was a Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya (LUDABI) awardee. Lamdag was a magazine printed in Manila from 1947 to 1950. The publisher was the Malayan Publishing Company renamed as the Filipinas Publishing Company. Its editors were Natalio “Talyux” Bacalso and Flaviano P. Boquecosa.
Potenciano S. Canizares Jr.
Born in Talisay on May 20, 1936. He was a writer of English-Cebuano verse and prose. He studied at the Colegio de San Jose Recoletos (now USJR) and the University of San Carlos for his Bachelor of Laws, and passed the Bar on March 18, 1965. He was the first editor of the Cebu Advocate.