The First Filipino President of Central Philippine University (CPU) in Iloilo City * Dr. Rex Divinagracia Drilon “A Legacy of Stewardship”

The First Filipino President of Central Philippine University (CPU) in Iloilo City * Dr. Rex Divinagracia Drilon “A Legacy of Stewardship”

“A tribute to Dr. Rex Divinagracia Drilon, the first Filipino president of CPU, in commemoration of his 113th birth anniversary today, the 21st of April, 2018.” --dinggol.d~~~

Central Philippine University (CPU) at Jaro in Iloilo City, was established in 1905 through the benevolence of the famous American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller under the auspices of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

It's mission is to carry out a program of spiritual, moral, intellectual, scientific, technological, and cultural training, and allied studies under influences which strengthen Christian faith, build up character and promote scholarship, research and community service.

The Reverend William Orison Valentine, worked for its incorporation and recognition by the Philippine Government. He is the acknowledged founder and first President of CPU that initially consisted of two separate schools: the Jaro Industrial School for boys and the Baptist Missionary Training School.

In 1913, women began to be admitted and in 1920 the school started offering high school education. Jaro Industrial School became a junior college and started offering college courses in 1923 and changed its name to Central Philippine College. Then, in 1936 the junior college became a senior college. In 1938, the school became only one, when the Baptist Missionary Training School merged with the theology department of the college.

Central Philippine College attained university status in 1953, and was renamed as CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY.

Since its inception, Filipinos were gradually given larger responsibilities in its administration. In 1966, after the tenure of 13 past American presidents, the first Filipino president, Dr. Rex Divinagracia Drilon, a CPU alumnus and a Political Scientist from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, was elected. Dr. Drilon began initiatives for the Filipinization of the university.

Today, the University ranks No. 1 in the Western Visayas region and No. 5 in the whole country in terms of high passing rates in various licensure examinations given by the Professional Regulation Commission.

A Brief Backgrounder:

RESURRECTION "REX" DIVINAGRACIA DRILON was born in Sapao, Dumangas in Iloilo on April 21, 1905. He lost his mother before he became a teenager and had to learn to fend for himself early in life.

After finishing his high school and Associate in Arts at then Central Philippine College in 1925, fate and scholarship brought him to the United States of America. He took up Bachelor of Arts at Linfield College in Oregon. He later took up his Master of Arts in one of the best schools in America for journalism - The University of Missouri.

After his return to the Philippines he was given a grant to study at Columbia University for his PhD in Political Science.

He wrote for the Philippine Herald before the war and became a leading journalist in Iloilo during the late 40’s. He started many publications in Iloilo and mentored some of the best Ilonggo journalists of the time. In the 50’s to the early 60’s he wrote a column for the Daily Bulletin.

When he first went to America during the great depression years he had to endure hard labor in the fields in California and the fish canneries of Alaska.

In the struggling years of work and study in America, he had to endure hunger, the bitter cold of winter and the racial prejudice prevalent then.

He remembers lining his clothes with newspapers to beat the bitter cold because he had inadequate winter clothes.

He remembers seeing a sign in restaurants in Stockton, California saying “ No dogs and Filipinos allowed”. His credo was: “Eye single to the goal”, “Fortitude”, “Perseverance”, and unwavering commitment to responsibility.

Rex D. Drilon was considered the epitome or the embodiment of the “Central Spirit” of Central Philippine University. He was the pioneer of the new era and the fulfillment of the dream of the Filipinazation of the administrative leadership of the school.

(Main Source: Wikipedia and Rock Drilon Files)

(Dr. Rex Divinagracia Drilon’s maternal grandfather Eulalio, was the brother of my very own paternal grandfather Lino Dolar Divinagracia of Dumangas, Iloilo. --dinggol.d~~~)