José Ozámiz
Encyclopedia
José Ozámiz y Fortich was a Filipino politician from Mindanao. His parents were Jenaro Ozámiz from Navarre
, Spain and Basilisa Fortich, a Filipino mestizo
of Spanish and Cebuano
ancestry. Jenaro left Spain at age sixteen and came to Moran, then ended up at the Municipality of Jimenez
and engaged in the business of abacca and copra trading which made him very rich, acquiring through the years 3.55 km² in tile province and 10 km² ranch in Bukidnon
. José spoke his first languages Spanish
and Cebuano
and English
when Philippines came under American
rule.
Jenaro and Basilisa’s son Jose was the oldest and the only boy among ten children. Jose was born on May 5, 1898 in Moran in a house near the “old bridge” His sisters are Pacita, Consuelo, Carmen, Pilar, Remedios, Nieves, Mercedes, Paulita, and Lourdes. Three of Jose's sisters Consuelo, Cannon and Nieves remained distinct and never got married. Two entered politics: one was Consuelo, who was a councilor for six terms in Jimenez and Remedios who became a Congresswoman in Bukidnon. Remedios’ son, Carlos Fortich became a politician also by becoming a governor of Bukidnon.
In 1904, the Ozámiz family transferred to a big house in Jimenez, where they engage themselves in the copra business and ship them off to other islands in the Philippines.
's first provincial governor then he also served as representative of the Lone District of Misamis Occidental. He was a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that resulted in the creation of the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. In 1941, he was elected to the Philippine Senate.
On his way home, his family was under house arrest. Jose went back to Manila in February 1944. He was arrested on February 11 on his wife's birthday. Jose was condemned to be executed. A Filipino nicknamed "makapili" played a part in his downfall along with twenty-nine other fellow Filipino who also got arrested at the same time. They were the core of the guerilla movement in Manila.
He was beheaded by the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines during World War II for his involvement in the Resistance Movement.
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, Spain and Basilisa Fortich, a Filipino mestizo
Filipino mestizo
Filipino mestizo is a term used in the Philippines to describe people of mixed Filipino and foreign ancestry. The word mestizo is of Spanish origin, and was originally used in the Americas to only describe people of mixed European and Native American ancestry.- History :Spanish periodThe Spanish...
of Spanish and Cebuano
Cebuano people
The Cebuano people , are a Visayan ethnic group in Cebu and form the second largest cultural-linguistic group in the Philippines.-History:...
ancestry. Jenaro left Spain at age sixteen and came to Moran, then ended up at the Municipality of Jimenez
Jimenez, Misamis Occidental
Jimenez is a 4th class municipality in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,212 people in 4,997 households.-Barangays:Jimenez is politically subdivided into 24 barangays.* Adorable...
and engaged in the business of abacca and copra trading which made him very rich, acquiring through the years 3.55 km² in tile province and 10 km² ranch in Bukidnon
Bukidnon
Bukidnon is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Malaybalay City. The province borders, clockwise starting from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.Bukidnon is...
. José spoke his first languages Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Cebuano
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
when Philippines came under American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rule.
Jenaro and Basilisa’s son Jose was the oldest and the only boy among ten children. Jose was born on May 5, 1898 in Moran in a house near the “old bridge” His sisters are Pacita, Consuelo, Carmen, Pilar, Remedios, Nieves, Mercedes, Paulita, and Lourdes. Three of Jose's sisters Consuelo, Cannon and Nieves remained distinct and never got married. Two entered politics: one was Consuelo, who was a councilor for six terms in Jimenez and Remedios who became a Congresswoman in Bukidnon. Remedios’ son, Carlos Fortich became a politician also by becoming a governor of Bukidnon.
In 1904, the Ozámiz family transferred to a big house in Jimenez, where they engage themselves in the copra business and ship them off to other islands in the Philippines.
Political career
He served as Misamis OccidentalMisamis Occidental
Misamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Oroquieta City...
's first provincial governor then he also served as representative of the Lone District of Misamis Occidental. He was a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that resulted in the creation of the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. In 1941, he was elected to the Philippine Senate.
World War II
When the Japanese occupied the country during World War II, Jose was among those who accepted a post in the Japanese government with the blessings of the guerrilla movement who saw that his position would allow him to move discretely. He became chairperson of the Games and Amusement Board. Then in May 1943 he came to Mindanao to contact Fertig. He came by boat accompanied by Jose Maria and Pelong Campos of Aloran. During his arrival in Mindanao, he met Fertig and Parson, both major leaders of the guerrilla movementOn his way home, his family was under house arrest. Jose went back to Manila in February 1944. He was arrested on February 11 on his wife's birthday. Jose was condemned to be executed. A Filipino nicknamed "makapili" played a part in his downfall along with twenty-nine other fellow Filipino who also got arrested at the same time. They were the core of the guerilla movement in Manila.
He was beheaded by the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines during World War II for his involvement in the Resistance Movement.
Legacy
- The city of Ozamiz (which used to be called Misamis) in the province of Misamis OccidentalMisamis OccidentalMisamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Oroquieta City...
was posthumously named in his honor.
- Then Nailon Primary School of Nailon, Tudela, Misamis OccidentalTudela, Misamis OccidentalMunicipality of Tudela is a fourth class municipality in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 25,113 people...
was renamed after him, which is now Ozamiz Elementary School in Camarin, Cabol-anonan, Tudela, Misamis OccidentalTudela, Misamis OccidentalMunicipality of Tudela is a fourth class municipality in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 25,113 people...
(Barangay Cabol-anonan was once part of Barangay Nailon).