Rufino B. Noel, The FREEMAN editor
Rufino was born on July 10, 1905 in Cebu City. His article "Ang Babaye" won him first place in a contest in The FREEMAN. Rufino became editor of various publications like the Ang Tigmantala and Nasud. In 1931 he became editor of Don Vicente Rama's Bag-ong Kusog.
He wrote 300 stories and 12 novels. In Cagayan de Oro, he edited for the Mindanao Press under the publication of Gregorio Pelaez. In 1955 he became President of the Cebu Writers Guild.
The FREEMAN was born in 1919. This 2019 will be its centennial. In his book Cebuano Literature Prof. Resil B. Mojares notes that the first issue was on May 3, 1919 and registered on May 27, 1919. It was fathered by Don Paulino Gullas. It was revived in 1965 by Jose "Dodong" Rivera Gullas who served the 1st District of Cebu as congressman from 2001 to 2004.
Aside from Rufino the following became editors of The FREEMAN: Saturnino D. Villoria (of Talisay, Cebu), Julian Bulaon (Dionisio Sy's article of The FREEMAN dated July 15, 2009 says that Julian Bulaon was a Tagalog friend of Don Paulino, however on the 10th issue of The FREEMAN on July 13, 1919, Ismael Amado took over as English section editor, while Bulaon stepped down as business manager), Domiciano Lambo (the Lambos belong to the pioneer families of Moalboal, Cebu), Ismael Amado, Aproniano Borres, Eugeniano Perez, Paulino Ybañez, Aniano Rusiana, Flaviano Boquecosa, Alejandro Seno Fortuna (a street in Mandaue City is named after him, he is the Martyr Mayor of Mandaue, a grandson by the name of Carlo Pontico Fortuna, a lawyer, was elected Vice Mayor of Mandaue City in 2016), Piux Kabahar (a street in Guadalupe, Cebu City is named after him), Natalio Bacalso (the longest road in Cebu is named after, the avenue renamed the Rizal Street in Cebu City and extends up to Santander) and Pedro Lopez (P. Lopez Street, the street in front of the USJ-R Main Campus is named after him, its former name is Carmelo Street named after Fr. Miguel Nellas Carmelo.
Paulino Ybañez, who once edited The FREEMAN, and a native of Bantayan, was elected Representative of the old 7th Congressional District of Cebu. This was from 1925 to 1934, the district was composed of the municipalities of Asturias, Balamban, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remegio, Tuburan, Santa Fe, Madridejos, and Tabuelan.
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