Resil Mojares, the renowned Cebuano writer, historian, and leading scholar of Philippine literature and culture, died on Sept. 5, one day after his 83rd birthday.

His daughter, Leigh Go Mojares, confirmed his death in a Facebook post the same day: "We are heartbroken to share the passing of our beloved father, Resil Buagas Mojares. He joined our creator today, in the early morning of September 5th. He had just celebrated his 83rd birthday yesterday, and we are grateful to have spent his final day honoring and celebrating his life."

Mojares was born on Sept. 4, 1943, in Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte. He spent most of his academic and professional life in Cebu, earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of San Carlos (USC). He later obtained a doctorate in Literature from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Beyond publishing at least six National Book Award-winning works, one of his enduring legacies was founding the Cebuano Studies Center at his alma mater, USC, in 1975. He led the center until 1996, shaping it into a major institution for research on Cebuano history, literature, and culture, after which he was named Professor Emeritus of the university. The center helped establish Cebuano and broader Visayan scholarship as a recognized field of study within Philippine academia, much of which had long been centered on Manila.

Among his notable books are The War Against the Americans: Resistance and Collaboration in Cebu, House of Memory: Essays, Origins and Rise of the Filipino Novel, Brains of the Nation, Isabelo's Archive, and Waiting for Mariang Makiling.

In 2018, he was conferred the Order of National Artist for his contributions to literature. The National Artist award is the highest state recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the country's arts and cultural heritage.

To many, he was "a true titan of local history," according to a Facebook post by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). The commission noted that he advanced local historical scholarship through his work at USC's Cebuano Studies Center and his participation in the Cebu Town History Project, producing writings on the history of the Province of Cebu.

The NHCP also shared that Mojares chaired a panel of experts which reaffirmed Limasawa as the site of the first Easter Sunday Mass in the Philippines in 1521. The finding weighed in on a long-standing historical debate over whether the Mass, celebrated during Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, was held on Limasawa island in Southern Leyte or in Butuan.

As news of his passing spread, social media filled with tributes and memories of encounters with the writer.

"May his memory be treasured by the nation," wrote food historian and writer Felice Prudente Sta. Maria in a comment under the Facebook post by Mojares' daughter announcing his death.

Writer Danton Remoto wrote on Facebook: "His mind was deep and wide and full of light."

Historian Ambeth Ocampo wrote: "For those who didn't have the chance to meet him, you will hear his voice in the pages of his books."

Lost Books Cebu, a bookstore Mojares frequented, posted a photo of the National Artist reading in the store, taken just two days before his death, and recounted that visit, including the books he bought and a conversation about cultural institutions and artists. "Cebu will never be the same without him. The Visayas region will never be the same without him. The entire Philippines will never be the same without him," the post read.

Mojares is survived by his children Kim Carmel, Mark Soren, Ressa Gail, and Anna Leigh, and his grandchildren. The wake is being held at the Cebu Rolling Hills Memorial Chapels. — Brontë H. Lacsamana