José Ozámiz

Who was José Ozámiz?

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 abacá 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 Tagalog 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.