The Ylaya Clan of Cebu has produced writers and artists. The 1975 book of Prof. Resil B. Mojares "Cebuano Literature" mentions two of them. During the 75th Charter Day Celebration of Cebu City, the Ylayas was among the 75 families of distinction, honored by the city.
ALBERTO YLAYA. He was born in 1875 in San Nicolas, Cebu City. His works were published in Don Vicente Sotto's Ang Suga, Cebu's first newspaper in Cebuano, so as in Don Vicente Rama's Bag-ong Kusog. Alberto married Fortunata Obias who was the daughter of Dalmacia Abella. In 1905 he wrote the drama "Habeas Corpus," in 1915 the "Dalagang Sulundon," in 1920 the "Bandilang Pilipinhon," and in 1921, "Linimbungan." Alberto finished college at the Colegio de San Carlos and served as clerk of court and also as a principal in San Nicolas. He died on March 24, 1947 at the age of 72.
ARCADIO B. YLAYA. He was born on November 13, 1886 in San Nicolas. Just like the Sotto brothers Filemon and Vicente, Arcadio was schooled at the San Juan de Letran. He was Justice of the Peace of Aloguinsan, Cebu. He was a member of the Hijos del Pueblo in Cebu. Arcadio and Alberto were cousins and both were also involved in stage plays. Alberto was publisher-editor of Banwag, a magazine that existed for a year (1949 to 1950), its printer was the Velez Press. It had a page size of 11¾ x 9 inches. Incidentally, a Cebuano-English weekly tabloid called Ang Banwag was also published in Ozamiz in 1936. Its publishers were Pantaleon V. Kardenas and Arsenio F. Villarin. Another publication of Arcadio was the Katilingban, which existed for more than a decade (1937 to 1950). Arcadio's editor was Tomas Alonso, of Asturias, Cebu. The associate writers and editors of Katilingban were Isidro Abad, Vicente Jayme, and Fructuoso Sabanpan. Registered after World War II (April 10, 1947), it had a page size of 11½ x 9 inches. The publication claimed to be "the leading vernacular in the Visayas and Mindanao." The publication featured the writings of Armando N. Osorio and J.D. Galicano.
Another member of the clan who is held in distinction is Miguel Ylaya, he is the sculptor of the Rizal statue in the city's public library. There was also Riel Ylaya, an actor who co-starred with Chanda Romero. Two Ylayas became lawyers. They were Maximino S. Ylaya of Basak, Cebu City, who became a lawyer on April 14, 1953, and Angela P. Ylaya who became a lawyer on March 8, 1957.