79th Anniversary of Mindanao Colleges

On July 27, 1946, a Davao group signed the articles of incorporation of Mindanao Colleges (MC), the first non-sectarian college (meaning no religious connection) in Mindanao. It was led by Guillermo E. Torres, a UP graduate who was no. 8 in the 1934 CPA exam and no. 8 in the 1938 Bar exam. G.E. (as he was called by his staff and ‘Bering’ to his friends) was so involved in making MC survive that he married only in 1954, 20 years after passing the CPA exams.

G.E. expanded MC’s operations by opening: 1. the first Mindanao commercial radio station (DXMC); 2. the first school branches (Sta. Ana, Digos, Magugpo, Ilang, Tibungco, Mintal Tugbok, Miral, etc.); 3. the first College with technical schools on Radio-Telegraphy, Auto-Mechanics, within the first ten (10) years (1946-56).

He had guts, vision, patience, humility, brains and intuition, a very, very rare combination indeed.

In 1945, America created the Alien Property Custodian agency to get all Japanese lands which were mostly in Davao. Knowing that the US was preparing for Philippine Independence, the agency slowly began to transfer the control and disposal of Japanese land to our government. G.E., with foresight, single-handedly negotiated and got for MC the 4,000+ meter lot along Bolton St., Bonifacio St., and the Crooked road. The land became the source of MC’s foundation. The first buildings made of wood had the high school, College of Commerce, Liberal Arts, Law, Engineering. From the 40’s up to the middle of the 50’s, a diesel power plant was used at night to supplement the electric supply.

In 1946, Lorna Occena, Jean Mangaoil, and I were the first grade one MC pupils. We started at the YMCA office-library along San Pedro St. (site of Felicitas Jewelry Shop, Kusina Dabaw, RCS Fashion Academy, Universal Theater). We moved to a small building in Anda St., then to the MC gym was along Legaspi St. and Bolton St. compound. My brothers Pedro ‘Pete’ (Engineer and former DBP bank manager) and Melchor ‘Boy’ (Lawyer, former City Administrator, Duterte’s 1996-22 Undersecretary) followed me.

The biggest Japanese land in the downtown Davao (poblacion) was the one hectare embassy ground along Palma Gil St., Ponciano St., and Bonifacio St. It housed the Japanese Consulate building which in 1941 was the biggest concrete and most modern building in Mindanao. G.E. using all his talents was able to get a lease for MC in the late 40’s and in 1962 bought it for MC. From 1962 to 64, he single-handedly dealt with the Department of Education to change the name from MC to University of Mindanao (UM). In the late 70’s to 80’s, he again single-handedly negotiated with the Villa Abrille heirs and purchased 28 hectares of land which became the UM Matina Campus.

Today, UM is the biggest in Mindanao in the following aspects: 1. student population; 2. number of campuses/branches; 3. number of Education and ETC (Elementary Teaching Certificate) graduates, 4. number of post education degree graduates.

UM was the first to give work-study scholarships to hundreds of deserving hardworking students, the first to have a Campus Ministry Program, campus chaplain, and daily masses. It was also the first to computerize (early 1960’s using a UNIVAC Machine from Taiwan Del Monte Corp)

I remember Mr. Evencio Pilipinas, band conductor, and the UM Band in the San Pedro Parish Biyernes Santo procession and the 5 AM Diana for the Misa de Gallo (December 16–24) from the 50’s to the 70’s. Mr. Guillermo Anajao the composer of ‘MC Marches On’, the MC school song ‘With Loyal Hearts and Purpose True’, and the MC Recessional Song ‘Glory to UM O Light of the Southern Skies’, and the Davao City anthem ‘Tayo’y Dabawenyo’ (Sa Dakong Timog).

I remember MC/UM for the yearly Mutya ng Mindanao Contest Pageant in the 50’s–60’s and the New Year’s Pista sa Nayon at MC gym during the 50’s. There was the graduation Cadena de Amor festival at the Embassy grounds and Bolton campus, the Junior–Senior Proms and Graduation balls at the MC gym, Puericulture Center and Boy Scout Auditorium. The most popular graduation song then was ‘Walk with Faith in Your Heart’. We had the Torch Parades around the poblacion (downtown Davao) honoring those who passed the government exams (in law, engineering, CPA, education, surveying); and the 3 Days Interbranch Meets. In the Bolton campus, there were 2 big canons, an armory with real Browning water cooled machine guns and hundreds of 1917 Springfield rifles.

UM had its share of tragedies too. During the 1971–72 demonstrations, a student was shot and killed along Bonifacio Street. There were 2 nights of riots which damaged offices along Claveria St., including the United States Information Service library. In 1980’s, 3 grenades were thrown inside the Bolton campus. Two (2) of them exploded killing 5 people, mostly student athletes and wounding many.

I am 84 years old. I could continue but the bittersweet images are fading slowly. I tried so to forget, at times I do and yet, the past floats like a lonely mist. Like a dream, it soon was gone but the magic goes on and on. MC will always be a part of me. I cannot turn back the hands of time. But oh! How sweet, how beautiful, how pleasant the memories.