The Osorios, the writers of Dalaguete, Cebu

Dalaguete was and is still politically dominated by members of the Osorio Clan. The town leaders trace their roots to this clan. The clan has not, however, only produced political leaders but also literary giants. Two Osorios are featured in the 1975 book of Prof. Resil B. Mojares (the book is entitled Cebuano Literature with the subtitle, A Survey and Bio-Bibliography with finding list). May its publisher, the San Carlos Publication urge its author to reprint, or better yet, write a new edition as this is the only book that is dedicated to informing us about our great history of writers.

AMANDO N. OSORIO. He was born in Dalaguete on February 8, 1890. He studied at the Cebu High School (now Abellana National School) and at the Colegio de San Carlos (now University of San Carlos). He served Dalaguete as mayor. He also served as Deputy Governor of Cebu. He was a bilingual writer in Spanish and Cebuano. He wrote for the publication of the Sotto brothers, Ang Suga of Don Vicente, and was editor of the La Revolucion of Don Filemon. His poem “Bitoon sa Akong Yuta” was published in Babaye in 1931 (Babaye was a magazine that existed from 1930 to 1940, its publishers were Sotero Cabahug, Cipriano Barba, and Eliseo Dejoras). He wrote around 12 plays, also a book on poetry and the novel, “Daylinda.” He used the pen names, Gerundio Amar and Omanad. Amando was a recipient of the Ranudo Gold Medal, in honor of Cebu’s poet laureate who was born in 1882 and died in 1930. Ranudo served as Secretary of Cebu’s two governors, Dionisio Jakosalem and Manuel Roa. It was Ranudo that wrote some of the verses of the plays of Don Vicente Sotto. The great playwright died on March 6, 1930 and Cebu honors him with a street, along which Casino Español is located. Amando, the poet and novelist of Dalaguete, died in 1946.

SULPICIO OSORIO. He was born in Dalaguete on January 17, 1898. He was a cousin of Amando. He studied at the Cebu Normal School (now Cebu Normal University) but did not finish his course. He served as Secretary of the Municipality of Dalaguete. Among his serialized novels were “Mga lungsod nga guipangguba,” “Carlito ug Amparing,” and “Sa Gingharian ni Kupido.” He used the pen name Sulposor. He died on March 26, 1970.

Members of the Osorio Clan also became lawyers, among them were: Conciso (December 23, 1937), Jesus (March 1, 1966), Vicente (February 11, 1952), Juvenal (December 23, 1931), Angeles (April 28, 1989), and Patrick (March 5, 1998).