Dioscoro B. Lazaro of the Republic Daily (Part II)
It was shortly after World War II that Dioscoro B. Lazaro took charge of the newspaper in Cebu known as the "Republic Daily." It held office at the Republic Building along Colon Street, near the corner of D. Jakosalem St., Cebu City. It was the rebirth of the newspaper founded by Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco known as the "The Republic."
Dioscoro was not a Cebuano, he was from Manila it was the Cebuano senator, governor, and congressman, Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco that brought him to Cebu. When he came to Cebu with his young wife, they lived at the upper floor of the "Republic Daily" (in 1968, he was able to build a house in La Guardia, Cebu City, the people up to now refers it as the "Lazaro House").
Dioscoro was able to learn the Cebuano language and assimilated himself to the Cebuano community; thus, his popularity widely spread as well as his newspaper. Dioscoro was a cousin of the wife of Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco by the name of Dona Rosa Cayetano (M.J. Cuenco married twice, his first wife was Filemona Alesna of Carcar, Cebu).
Dioscoro B. Lazaro (son of Manuel Lazaro and Gregoria Bernardo) when he was 23 years old married Amelia Almera (daughter of Nacario Almera and Susana Quiambao) on December 8, 1941 in Tondo Church, Manila. Their marriage was solemnized by Rev. Fr. Vicente R. Navarro.
Dioscoro was a pious man, a devout Roman Catholic, who goes to mass daily, served as lay minister for decades. It was he together with Fr. Restituto Suarez,rector of the Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu that wrote the Sto. Niño Novena. He and his family were very close to the Augustinian Community of Cebu, in fact his four children (Beatriz, Dioscoro Jr., Concepcion, and Trinitas) all studied in the school founded by the religious order in Cebu.
Dioscoro B. Lazaro held the title as publisher and business manager of "The Republic Daily." His love and passion for journalism was tested many times, often by legal action. He was made defendant of a libel case filed by Don Miguel Cuenco (who was the younger brother of Don M.J. Cuenco, who served for years as congressman of the old Fifth District of Cebu and a lawyer). It was on November 15, 1958 that Don Miguel Cuenco filed the complaint regarding an article printed on August 3, 1958.
Among those who worked in the Republic Daily ran by Lazaro were: Ignacio Pogoy, the linotypist, Ildefonso Guisadio, a minervista, whose job was to make a galley proof of the articles, and Filemon Perez of Villagonzalo as typesetter (he sets the types called "emplanar").
Great men and women of Cebu journalism worked under the mentorship of Lazaro, among the many were: Concepcion Gantuangco Briones, she took charge of the society page of "The Republic Daily." Concepcion Briones became President Emeritus of the Association of Cebu Journalists and Executive Director of the Cebu Newspaper Workers Foundation. She also wrote a column for The Freeman. The Cebu City Council renamed a street, "Guerrileros" in the Veloso Subdivision in Guadalupe, Cebu City after her.
There was also Jose Logarta, who became Lazaro's Editor, a street in Brgy. Poblacion, Talisay City, Cebu was named after him. Wilfredo "Boy" Veloso also worked as staff of the newspaper. He would eventually transfer to the newly created newspaper, Sun Star.
The Republic Daily ended print in 1986 but the printing press up to now continues. The machines are still clicking, and it still carries its original name registered in 1958 called as "The Republic Publishing House." Today it is managed by Medardo Almera Flores, a nephew of Dioscoro Lazaro being the son of the sister of his wife Amelia nicknamed Amy.
Dioscoro B. Lazaro, the pious publisher and editor, devout father and husband returned to his Creator at the age of 81 on July 13, 1999. His ashes entered on July 19, 1999 at the Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu, a privilege bestowed only to those who served God and its Church, extraordinarily.
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