The Cuenco family is a multigenerational political and religious family from Cebu, Philippines, whose members have been active in public service, journalism, publishing, and the Catholic Church since the late nineteenth century. Its earliest documented patriarch, Mariano Albao Cuenco (1844âÂÂ1909), was a Cebuano poet, teacher, and publisher who founded the Imprenta Rosario printing press, while his wife Remedios López Diosomito Cuenco managed the enterprise following his death and became one of the first female publishers in Cebu. Succeeding generations included Mariano Jesús Cuenco, who served as President of the Senate of the Philippines (1949âÂÂ1951), and José MarÃÂa Cuenco, who became the first Archbishop of Jaro and founded the Catholic newspaper El BoletÃÂn Católico. Subsequent members have held elective and appointive posts in both national and local government, making the Cuencos one of CebuâÂÂs longest-continuing political families.
In later generations, members of the Cuenco family continued to be active in public service, publishing, and business. One descendant, Emmanuel Luis Gonzalez (born June 21, 1951, Cebu City), is the son of Teresita CuencoâÂÂidentified in civil-registry records as a daughter of former Senate President Mariano Jesús CuencoâÂÂand Anthony Gonzalez. Gonzalez later founded and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, a property noted for its lagoon-style architecture and hospitality standards. Earlier members of the family include Mariano Jesús Cuenco (1888âÂÂ1964), who served as Senate President of the Philippines from 1949 to 1951, and his brother José MarÃÂa Cuenco (1885âÂÂ1972), the first Archbishop of Jaro and founder of the Catholic newspaper El BoletÃÂn Católico. Other descendants have included Governor Manuel A. Cuenco, Representative Antonio V. Cuenco, and several local officials in Cebu Province.
Mariano Albao Cuenco & Remedios Lopez Diosmito
The beginnings of this powerful political family can be traced back to Mariano Albao Cuenco, a poet and teacher from Capiz, who married Remedios Diosomito. Remedios originally came from Naic, Cavite, but attended school in Cebu. The couple settled first in Carmen. They later lived in Leyte, but returned to reside in the famous Parian district of Old Cebu. They had 16 children, of which only five survived to adulthood. Jose Maria Cuenco, Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Dolores Cuenco, Remedios Cuenco Borromeo, and Miguel Cuenco. Most of their children died in infancy; a son Jaime died when he was older.
At the turn of the 20th century, shortly after the PhilippineâÂÂAmerican War, Mariano Albao worked as a Court of Clerk to the American Judge Carlock. He also wrote and founded the Imprenta Rosario where he and his family published several newspapers. He later ran for governor, but lost. His children went on to be powerful figures in politics and religion.
After Mariano Albao died, his wife Remedios took over the management of the Imprenta Rosario and is technically the First Woman Publisher of Cebu.
The Children of Mariano Albao
Mariano Albao and Remedios Diosmito bore sixteen children, to which five survived (Jose Maria Cuenco, Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Dolores Cuenco, Remedios Cuenco Borromeo, and Miguel Cuenco), and to which three of them transcended to become well-known leaders of their provinces.
Senator Mariano Jesús Diosomito Cuenco (January 16, 1888 - February 25, 1964) was born in Carmen, Cebu on January 16, 1888, to Mariano Albao Cuenco and Remedios Lopez Diosomito. He studied at the Colegio de San Carlos of Cebu where he graduated in 1904 with a degree in Bachelor of Arts. He finished law in 1911 at the Escuela de Derecho (later became the Manila Law School) and passed the bar examinations in 1913. With his first wife, Filomena Alesna Cuenco, they bore the bloodline of the political generation, as well as the most recognized generation.
Representative Miguel Cuenco of 5th district, Cebu; National Assembly [House of Representatives]; In office as a Representative 1931âÂÂ1941, 1944âÂÂ1946, 1949âÂÂ1965.
Archbishop Cuenco was born in Carmen, Cebu, Philippines on May 19, 1885, the eldest child of Mariano Albao Cuenco and Remedios Diosomito. He became the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jaro, Philippines. Jose Maria was in Washington D.C. as a Pensionado in 1906, when he contracted typhoid fever and almost died. During his long convalescence, he began to read the lives of saints and decided to become a priest instead of a lawyer. Ordained a priest in Cebu on June 11, 1914, he went on to become Archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo. As a publisher, he founded El Boletin Catolico and Veritas, an English-Spanish weekly.
Bloodline of Mariano Jesus
With Mariano Jesus' first wife, Filomena Alesna Cuenco, they had seven children; Manuel Cuenco, Concepcion Cuenco Manguerra, Carmen Cuenco, Lourdes Cuenco, Consuelo Cuenco Reyes, Teresita Cuenco Gonzales, and Maria Cuenco.
One out of seven of them became a political leader, and nurtured and influenced a political family; Gov. Manuel Cuenco.
Governor Manuel Cuenco was Cebu's Governor, In office as a Governor during the 1950s. To which he raised up six children with Milagros Cuenco; Antonio Cuenco, Ramon Cuenco, Filomena Cuenco Panis, Jose Cuenco, Jesus Cuenco, and Manuel Cuenco Jr.
Antonio Cuenco became the congressman of 2nd district of Cebu on 1987 until 1998. His wife, Nancy Cuenco, took the title of a congresswoman when she resumed his seat after his term was over. Congressman Antonio Cuenco ran once again for his congressional seat in 2001. Nancy and Antonio had four children; James Cuenco, Ronald Cuenco, Antonio Cuenco Jr. and Cynthia Cuenco Dizon. And to which only two of them developed the political heredity.
Councilor Ronald Cuenco was in office as a Councilor on 1992âÂÂ2001; then becoming the Consultant/ Office of the Mayor of Cebu City/ Market Affairs 2001âÂÂ2003.
James Cuenco, on the other hand, became the Chief Legislative Staff Officer, under office of his father, Rep. Antonio Cuenco, House of Representatives. His wife, Marjorie Mejorada Cuenco, became the Supervising legislative staff officer III under office in Research and Reference Bureau, House of Representatives.
Antonio Cuenco's brother, Jesus Cuenco, also became a well-known figure. He served as the President of Cebu's famous Casino Español.
Also, Antonio Cuenco's cousin, Emmanuel Gonzales, became the co-founder and President of Cebu's most famous resort, the Plantation Bay resort.