DepEd gives Gullas award of appreciation

The Department of Education-Cebu Province presented an award of appreciation to former Cebu 1st District representative Jose R. Gullas for his unending support and continued cooperation for quality education.

Gullas is the executive vice president of the University of the Visayas.

The award was presented to Gullas last Friday at the Eco-tech Center Pavilion in barangay Lahug.

The former congressman, however, failed to attend the awarding, but his daughter Jackielyn Gullas Weckman was there to represent him and received the award from DepEd provincial director superintendent Recaredo Borgonia.

"I am grateful for the award but due to previous family commitment, I've requested my daughter, Jackie, to represent in my behalf," Gullas said in a telephone interview.

The older Gullas said his daughter -who holds a doctoral degree in the US- is staying with the university for a few months to help him assess the university's accreditation.

Borgonia recognized the effort done by Gullas, during his term as Cebu First District representative, for having worked for and succeeded in having his House Bill 2542, or the Act Regionalizing the Department of Education Payroll Service Division, passed in Congress.

The teachers have suffered delayed salaries as they used to wait, sometimes for months at a time, for their checks to arrive from the DepEd central office in Manila.

It was last June 22, when Gullas finally won the battle. A payroll office in Region 7 was inaugurated and the teachers received the first salary checks printed and distributed here. The regionalized payroll system became a reality. - Garry B. Lao/BRP