UV's “GAHOM”: A hundred-year milestone

“GAHOM” is really an acronym for Grand Alumni Homecoming and GAHOM 100 is the great milestone in the history of the University of the Visayas which, like The FREEMAN, is celebrating its first 100 years of educating, inspiring, influencing, and empowering hundreds of thousands of Cebuanos, and other Visayans and Mindanaoans since 1919. This great institution of learning, for the last 10 decades, is noted as a leading pillar in Cebu's social, economic, cultural and political development. This haven for affordable but quality education has been the empowering institution that transformed the lives of thousands, despite their poverty and powerlessness. UV, like The FREEMAN, is the Gullas family's gift to the Cebuanos.

The first generation of the Gullases led by the late Don Vicente and his eminent wife, Dona Josefina Rivera Gullas, were the founding pillars who built UV into a very responsive and relevant institution in the lives of Cebuanos. They struggled very hard despite all odds, limitations, and too many competitions and obstacles. Don Vicente was somehow like a Don Quixote de la Mancha who refused to be discouraged by the many problems that came his way, and he defied all disparaging remarks against what was then named the Visayan Institute. With the inspiration of his wife, and the help of his friends, Don Vicente could not be stopped from his persistent and persevering struggles to make his vision come to reality.

When Don Vicente died, his widow and his three children continued the founder's pursuit of excellence and over the years made UV what it is today. They have attracted many educators to join them as administrators and faculty. They were able to attract students from all walks of life, and the entire city and province of Cebu witnessed the progressive growth of UV into a leading center of excellence in many courses and professions. Sir Eddie R. Gullas whose lifetime has been dedicated to public service, continued to serve as president after his mother passed away. But the day-to-day operations, the decisions and actions were under the command and leadership of Sir Eddie's younger brother, Dr. Jose “Sir Dodong” Gullas.

GAHOM is the alumni's tribute to the Gullases for their pioneering leadership in quality but affordable education. It is an expression of gratitude and appreciation by the hundreds of thousands of UV graduates who are now in more than 200 countries all over the world. The alumni, led by this writer, will come to express their thanks to a family who has given immensely to transform their lives into a meaningful and challenging, happy grateful sojourn in this world. GAHOM is a renewal of loyalty, a homage to our alma mater and a prayer for the repose of the founders and the many departed administrators and faculty.

We will not have another GAHOM in our lifetime. The celebration tonight in the Grand Ballroom of the Marco Polo Plaza is the culmination of a year-long series of activities to commemorate this landmark occasion in the university's 100 years of service to the people of Cebu and other places.