Remembering Don Vicente

Today, January 12, is the 117th birth anniversary of Don Vicente Gullas, founder of the University of the Visayas and one of the pioneer private school educators in the country. In 1919 he opened the Visayan Institute with only 37 college students using a rented house for classrooms. From this humble beginning the school expanded in enrolment and course offerings until by the time the Second World War broke out it had become one of the biggest schools in the Visayas. Reopened after the Liberation, the VI in no time regained its status as a major educational institution, and in 1948 it attained a university status, the first tertiary school in Cebu to be so upgraded

Futuristic in outlook, Don Vicente started such educational innovations as evening classes for high school and college students, study-now-pay-later plan, work and study scheme for young men and women from low-income families - strategies which have enabled thousands of young people to finish professional courses and become recognized personalities in their chosen fields.

He was a lawyer, a philanthropist, thinker, and an inspirational writer, a multi-talented man indeed like his brother Paulino Gullas, a member of the Philippine Assembly in the Philippine Commonwealth. But it was his work as an educator which endeared UV's grand old man to thousands of Visayanians, as the school's alumni are called, especially those he had helped to become successful career men and women.

For these accomplishments Don Vicente deserves to be remembered. And what better way to do this than to have a glimpse of his personhood through the memories of those who knew him? Here are a few of these:

As a student, I used to assist the then UV President Gullas in preparing the materials for his monthly newsletter, a publication in loose sheets of newsprint half the size of a regular tabloid. In its pages we would print success stories of UV graduates, news reports on school activities, excerpts from his books, stories of saints and other items of interest to teachers and students.

At one time, while we were working on the format of the front page, the President gave me a picture of the Santo Niño and told me, "Place this right on top of the page beside the masthead".

"But, Sir," I explained, "there's no write-up on the Santo Niño".

"It does not matter," he said. "Every issue shall contain a picture of the Holy Child right on the first page so that our paper will be blessed". He continued: "With the picture of the Holy Child on the front page, people will treasure every copy of our paper". ·

A former senior executive of the University and one of its most seasoned faculty members, Atty. Felisa P. Oro, recalled that one of the shining qualities of Don Vicente was his courage and fortitude in expressing his views on what he believed to be right with regard to certain religious, social and political issues. For instance, when Don Vicente took an active part in an affair organized by a Protestant group in Cebu, his attention was called by some Catholic leaders. But the UV President countered that there was nothing wrong with cultivating a close relationship with any non-Catholic organizations. All Christians are brothers under the fatherhood of God, he told them. ·

Judge Lorenzo Paradiang (retired) narrated that at one time when he was still teaching in the UV, Don Vicente came to his class and lectured on how the Filipinos won their freedom. He talked of Rizal, Bonifacio, Aguinaldo and other heroes and underscored their roles in our people's struggle for freedom.

The heroic events in Bataan and Corregidor he recounted as well as the exploits of Cebuano guerrillas during the Second World War.

The lecture was capped with the following statement: "Ang usa ka langgam su'od sa bisan unsa kaanindot nga halwa way kalipay kay way kagawasan paglupad-lupad sa kahanginan. Mao usab ang tawo nga walay kagawasan ug linugpitan". ·

Don Vicente's religious nature could be seen with his faithful observance of Sabbath or Sunday as a day of prayer. Church-going on Sundays and holidays was a must for him and the family. Religious activities such as novenas, retreats, processions and others he participated in. And in church-mandated organizations such as the Confradia de San Jose. Knight of Columbus, and parish council, he was a leading figure.