By Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Centralians formed a human 114 during the last U-Day celebration before the pandemic in September 2019.

Traditionally, the University Day celebration at Central Philippine University was held in the first week of September. Later on, the games and contests were transferred to the dates nearer to October 1 which is the Foundation Day of CPU. However, due to changes in the school calendar caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration should be moved to another date. With most schools in the Philippines starting their academic year in September, the CPU community had to find an alternative date to commemorate this important occasion.

The CPU Republic, in consultation with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, proposed an alternative event called the Centralian Fest which the President approved to start on April 11, 2023. The Centralian Fest promises exciting sports competitions, literary-musical contests, other activities including the well-loved Mr. and Ms. CPU for students and the rest of the Centralian community to enjoy. The entire CPU community is eagerly anticipating this momentous event which hopes to recapture the joys of past University Days.

It is not widely known, but April 1, 1953 was the date when the Department of Education approved the request for university status made by Central Philippine College. At that time, the approval was not immediately known, as there was no text or social media to spread the news. The communication from the government was hand-carried, and it arrived just in time for the Commencement Exercises on April 8, 1953.

The letter granting university status said, “By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Department of Education, Republic of the Philippines, I, Cecilio Putong, Secretary of Education, do hereby grant to Central Philippine College of Iloilo City, the authority to use the name Central Philippine University, effective April 1, 1953.” Just imagine the celebration of Centralians during graduation time!

Later, on August 1, 1953, the Board of Trustees, through a formal motion and duly seconded, changed the name of the college to Central Philippine University. It is worth noting that CPU began as Jaro Industrial School (JIS) on October 1, 1905. In 1923, the school was renamed Central Philippine School (CPS), and a year later, in 1924, it became Central Philippine College (CPC).

On April 1, 2023, CPU is actually celebrating its 70 years of existence as a University. Therefore, the Centralian Fest is now held closest to the date when Central Philippine College was granted university status. It is hoped that the date of April 1 will be given more prominence as the real date to celebrate University Day.