The alumni of the first university in Cebu, the University of the Visayas gathered last week to organize themselves and plan for the grand celebration of this great institution's one-hundredth year anniversary 2019. Under the guidance of the university's executive vice president, Jose "Sir Dodong" R. Gullas, and the inspiration of the university president and chairman, Talisay City Mayor Eduardo "Sir Eddie" R. Gullas, and their elder sister, Gliceria "Inday Cering" R. Gullas-Lucero, and the entire Gullas family, the alumni put their minds and hearts together and vowed to produce a celebration that will surpass all past celebrations.
The theme of the celebration shall focus on the university's motto centered on excellence, love, leadership, and service to humanity. And, initially, the alumni thought of a search for one hundred great Visayanians in various fields of human endeavor, including public service, diplomacy, law and judiciary, medicine and health services, education and education administration, business and trade, engineering and architecture, agriculture military and police, journalism and literature, arts and music, sports and entertainment, The alumni plan to build a gallery of great Visayanians who can inspire the young with their legacies of strong impact on the future generations of Visayanians.
This university that was founded by a visionary Don Vicente "Inting" Gullas, started as the humble VI or Visayan Institute. The founder was ably inspired and assisted by a devoted wife, Josefina "Inday Pining" Rivera-Gullas. The brother of Don Vicente, Don Paulino, was a Bar topnotcher and founder of this paper, The FREEMAN, and also the Gullas Law School, which is UV's center of excellence in legal education. It is now being managed by its incumbent dean, Madam Justice Portia Alino-Hormachuelos, also an almuna of this great university. Thousands of mayors, governors, congressmen, justices, judges, and successful lawyers finished their law studies here.
The centennial celebration will be climaxed by three great events: first is a planned musical, entitled "Handurawan", which shall tell the UV story in songs. The alumni plans to invite three great Visayanian divas: Pilita Corales (who was earlier conferred a doctorate degree "honoris causa"), Dulce, and Vina Morales. The second big event is the christening of the Gullas Law School in honor of great Visayanians like Supreme Court Justice Regino Hermosisima, Senator Ernesto Boy Herrera, Secretary Cerge Remonde, Governor Francisco Emilio F. Remotigue, Mayor Michael "Mike'' Rama, and Democrito Mendoza of ALU-TUCP. The last one will be the groundbreaaking of a UV Alumni Village, a residential center for Visayanians. Books will be published, songs will be written, and poems shall be composed.
We all look forward to this great day in 2019 when UV will turn 100, and we thank the Gullas Family for the immense inspiration and unconditional support.