A tale of two families: The Gullases and the Aznars

Charles Dickens wrote a masterpiece historical novel, “A Tale of Two Cities,” which essayed the two sides of one reality. One side was of great prosperity, wealth, and profligacy, and the other side was of extreme poverty, suffering, and hopelessness. The saga of the Gullases and the Aznars, and of UV and SWU, respectively, might also be two versions of one great reality: the difficult challenge of holding on to family unity, amidst too much pressure in running a big university and with family members having varying, and often colliding views and goals. The Gullases and the Aznars somehow did have separate but similar journeys, which converged in the way each university was founded respectively, but diverged on how SWU shifted to PHINMA from the Aznar Family, while UV remained steadfast in the hands of the cohesive Gullas Family. What then is the difference?

UV started as the Visayan Institute or VI in 1919 with only 37 students and less than 10 teachers. Don Vicente A. Gullas, the founder was determined, passionate and unstoppable in the pursuit of his vision. SWU began as SWC or Southwestern Colleges in 1946, with 509 students and 18 faculty. Don Matias H. Aznar II was daring, dynamic, and relentless in pursuing his dream. Don Vicente found support from the well-to-do family of his wife, Josefina Rivera. Don Matias was supported by his wife and former classmate in Pharmacy, Anunciacion Barcenilla, from Carcar. The Gullases had only three children, while the Aznars had ten. Over the years, the Gullases, as a family, was solid, cohesive and strongly united. The Aznars had some problems reportedly when the third generation of cousins assumed the leadership.

I love both the Gullases and the Aznars. Then Governor Eddie Gul was my wedding ninong and the late Dra. Lydia Aznar-Alfonso was my ninang. I completed my high school and AB in SWU. I also taught there shortly. I earned my Law degree in the UV Gullas Law School in 1974 and taught there as Law professor in 1977. SWU has always been focusing on medical courses, including Medicine, Pharmacy, Optometry, and Dentistry. My first dream was to become a doctor. But I was very poor and so I shifted to Law. For many years, UV has always been well-known to be the premier Law school in Cebu, with excellent faculty and outstanding graduates who later topped the Bar Examinations. Great professors like the late Matoy Seno and bar topnotcher and civil law expert Teddy Almase were my professors, and Dean Cecilio Gillamac headed the law school for the longest time.

In SWU, Atty. Pabling P. Garcia (later Cebu governor and multi-term congressman) was Law dean. One of the professors of law was a young Argawanon, Hilario G. Davide (who later rose to become Con-con delegate, Batasan Pambansa member, Justice, Chief Justice, Comelec chairman and Con-com member). UV produced such great lawyers as Aven Piramide of this paper, Supreme Court Justice Regino Hermosisima, Court of Appeals justices Portia A. Hormachuelos and Pampio Abarintos, ALU-TUCP President Democrito T. Mendoza, Senator Ernesto F. Herrera, Secretary Cerge Remonde, and former Cebu Governor Francisco E. F. Remotigue. The most famous UV alumni are, of course, governor, mayor and congressman Eddie Gullas and our very own Dr. Jose “Dodong” Gullas.

UV remains with the founder's family. On the other hand, the family of the SWU founder no longer owns the university. I am a writing a book on this tale of two families. There are immense lessons to be learned.