The Rosendo Mejica Monument is located inside the vicinity of Baluarte Elementary School along Lopez Jaena, Street, Molo, Iloilo City.
Don Rosendo Mejica is an llonggo nationalist, educator, journalist and philanthropist. He founded Baluarte Elementary School in 1905 on land he donated. It began as a nipa and wooden structure with 65 pupils. Its roster of graduates includes former Senate President Franklin Drilon and former Senator Rodolfo Ganzon.
The Marker
DON ROSENDO MEJICA
TAGTUKOD
BANGUD SANG DUNGGANON NGA KATUYUAN O HANDUM NGA MAHATAGAN MAN SANG KAHIGAYUNAN SA PAGTUON ANG MGA IMOL, SI ANAY DON ROSENDO MEJICA, SA BUYLOG SANG MGA KATAPU SANG TALAPUANAN “ANG BAYBAYANON” NAGPASAD SANG LABING UNA NGA BULOTHUAN PUBLIKO GINKILALA NGA BULOTHUAN ELEMENTARYA PUBLIKA SA IDALUM SANG PAGGINAHUM SANG GUBIERNO AMERIKANO SADTONG TUIG 1905. NAGHATAG SANG KATUMANAN SANG PAGLAUM SANG MGA TIMAWA PARA SA PAG-AGUM SANG KAALAM.
MARCH 1 IS ROSENDO MEJICA DAY
Rosendo Mejica is the man who established the the country’s first public grade school, the Baluarte Elementary School, and the oldest existing newspaper in the country the Makinaugalingon (lover of
things native).
He is an Ilonggo nationalist, educator, journalist, and philanthropist whose life spanned the twilight years of the Spanish regime in the late 19th century to the declining days of martial law in the mid-1980s.
Mejica’s house on Graciano Lopez Jaena Street in Molo has been turned into a small public museum which contains some of his original printing equipment, the books he wrote, newspapers and magazines he wrote for, and other memorabilia of his colorful career.
It is a modest collection, but it says a lot about the man who promoted Hiligaynon as the language of Ilonggo literature and journalism and who set a record in Ilonggo education and public service.
Mejica was one of Molo’s first professionals, getting the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the Escuela Profesional de Artes y Oficios in 1896, and was the first Filipino accountant in an American firm, Castle Bros., in Iloilo at a time when accountancy and auditing were the white man’s domain even in Manila.
Later, he became the first municipal treasurer of Bacolod. He was named the “Dean of Iloilo Municipal Councilors” for serving as Iloilo councilor for 30 consecutive years, from 1906 to 1936.
In December 1954 the Iloilo Press Club named him “Dean of Visayan Journalists.
The Baluarte Elementary School, which was built in 1905 on land donated by Mejica, began as a nipa and wooden structure with 65 pupils, some of them old folk who wanted to learn the three Rs. One of the first pupils to graduate from there, Pilar Madrazo, eventually became Mejica’s wife.
Its roster of graduates includes former Senate President Franklin Drilon and former Senator Rodolfo Ganzon. (AND OF COURSE, ME.)
Mejica’s passion for imparting knowledge also made him turn to journalism. In 1913, he founded Makinaugalingon, and to print the Hiligaynon newspaper, he set up the first printing press in Iloilo.
Mejica translated Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, because “I wanted llonggos to read Rizal’s masterpieces.” He published the works of Marcelo H. del Pilar and Lopez-Jaena, patriotic journalists with whom Mejica identified.
He also wrote a Hiligaynon-Spanish-English dictionary.
In recognition of his contributions to the growth of Hiligaynon literature Mejica was given a diploma of honor by the Sumakwelan, an association of Hiligaynon writers.
Source: Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro and Vicente Roman Santos in Estilo Ilonggo: Philippine Southern Lifestyle published by KCC Innovations in cooperation with DOT (2009)
How to Get There
To get here, the most convenient jeepney to ride is: ROUTE # 15 MOLO – ILOILO CITY PROPER VIA BALUARTE LOOP.
