The Gullas brothers of Cebu
The Gullas brothers of Cebu, Paulino and Vicente both became lawyers and their names forever etched in Cebu's history. Paulino, founded Cebu's oldest existing newspaper, The FREEMAN, the other brother Vicente founded Cebu's oldest private university, the Visayan Institute, now the University of the Visayas.
The brothers were sons of the couple Jose Gullas of Leyte and Nicefora "Pura" Arandia of Cebu. The couple had four children, Rosario (married a Laput), Paulino (married Gilda Kilayko), Vicente (married Josefina Rivera), and Victoria.
Paulino, who was born on April 1891, had three children, namely, Mary, Cecilia, and Victoria. Paulino is the first Cebuano to place 1st in the Bar Examinations. Paulino, who took the bar examinations in 1916, was formally admitted to the Bar on November 13, 1916.
"The FREEMAN" is Cebu's oldest existing newspaper. Its maiden issue appeared on May 10, 1919. Don Paulino was elected congressman of the then old 2nd district of Cebu in 1925 and served until 1928. Don Paulino was not only a brilliant lawyer and politician, he was also an academician. Don Paulino was the first registrar of the Junior College of Liberal Arts of Cebu now called the University of the Philippines Cebu College.
Vicente's (he was born on January 12, 1888) wife Inday Pining was the child of Don Juan Rivera of Cavite and Doña Andrea Villariza of Cebu. Don Vicente, who became a lawyer on November 3, 1916 and his wife, Doña Pining had the following children: Gliceria fondly called Inday Sering (married Professor Procopio Lucero), Eduardo, nicknamed Eddie (married Norma "Mingming" Selma) and Jose, more known as Sir Dodong, (married Josefina Francisco of Cotabato).
Inday Sering and Professor Lucero have the following children: Lawrence, Leo, Leopold, and Lilian.
The greatness of Cebu's first Gullas brothers is replicated by the sons of Don Vicente. Eduardo (born on October 13, 1930) more known as Sir Eddie who became a lawyer on March 8, 1957 was elected congressman of the old 3rd district of Cebu. Eddie defeated lawyer Antonio V. Cuenco (the election was held on November 11, 1969) who at that time was an incumbent congressman of the then old 5th district of Cebu.
Eddie was elected governor of Cebu (during the Marcos administration), held the office for a decade until he was replaced by an Officer in Charge during the 1986 People Power Revolt. In 1992 (election was held on May 11, 1992), Eddie ran for Congress and defeated the well known lawyer from Talisay, Antonio "Tonying" T. Bacaltos (became a lawyer on April 14, 1953) the then incumbent congressman of the 1st District of Cebu.
Congressman Eddie who after finishing his term as congressman of the 1st district of Cebu (1992-2001) ran and was elected as the first city mayor of Talisay City. Talisay was converted into a city when it was ratified by the people of Talisay City on December 30, 2000.
The son of Eduardo and Norma by the name of Gerald Anthony (nicknamed Didi) has a son and namesake, Gerald Anthony V. Gullas Jr. (nicknamed Samsam) who ran and succeeded his grandfather as congressman of the 1st district of Cebu in 2010 and reelected in 2013. The younger brother of Cong. Gerald Anthony, Eduardo R. Gullas III fondly called as Digul, was elected councilor of Talisay City.
The other Gullas brother, Jose, more known as Sir Dodong, has the following children: Joselito, Jacqueline Mary, Joie Marie, and John Vicente (nicknamed John Vic, presently the vice chairman of The FREEMAN).
Jose or Sir Dodong founded the Tipiganan sa Kinaiyahang Sugboanon (Treasury of Cebuano Culture). Sir Dodong founded the JRG Halad Museum, inaugurated on January 12, 2010 and is open to the public for visits and tours (coined after the initials of his name, Jose R. Gullas). The museum is housed in the old building of the "The FREEMAN" newspaper. It is located in the street named after his father Vicente Gullas (formerly called as Manalili Street).
Dodong Gullas, the reviver of The FREEMAN (presently the chairman of The FREEMAN), who restarted the newspaper on July 18, 1965, should be given the title "Defender of Cebuano Arts, Music, and Culture."