Univ of Cebu’s Gus Go revisits roots

Cebuano educator donates P3M to funs construction of new city central building

Officials of the Cebu City Central School and their benefactor and former pupil, Augusto Go (right side of the marker), owner of University of Cebu pose by the marker of the new school building after blessing rights on Wednesday. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

A prominent Cebuano educator has gone back to his roots.

Last Wednesday, the Cebu City Central Elementary School in P. Del Rosario Street facilitated the blessing of the 15-classroom building that replaced a school building that was razed by fire in 2012.

Lawyer and businessman Augusto Go, who spent his third grade from 1945-46 in the public elementary school donated P3 million to help rebuild the school building. DepEd spent P12 million to build the school building.

Go said he is hopeful the students and school administrators will take care of their new classrooms.

Rudy Aviles, UC director for students cultural service said Go’s contribution is way of paying back his roots. The school, he said is a reminder that Go wouldn’t be who he is now without his mentors.

Raylene Manawatao, former school principal, said she was very happy that the students could now feel comfortable in their new classrooms.

She recalled that before the new building was completed, they coped with classroom shortage by holding classes in two shifts, 6 a.m. 12 noon and 12 noon to 5 p.m.

It was hard for both the teachers and students. Learning she admitted was also not that good in that arrangement.

The classrooms in the newly built building are now used by “fast learner” classes.

Current school principla Lyra Illaga, ask students to take care of their new classrooms.

Old design

Manawatao said that the new building adopted the old Gabaldon design.

Before she completed her duty as the principal of the school in 2012, she insisted on retaining the old features in the new building.

“Wala kaayo miy gi-change, actually wala man gyod, it’s just that the lights we put kay modernized na, cove light na na siya karon, saona kay simple light lang,” said Manawatao.

(We have not changed a lot. But the cove lights we used is modern.)

Go himself appreciated the efforts to adopt the old design of the building.

The classroom windows are still made of Capiz shells, the wooden doors with bars that serve as lock could also be noticed.

Illaga said the original design of the classrooms symbolize longevity.

The City Central Elementary School is already a 100-year-old this year. It was founded in 1914 as the City Intermediate School.

Manawatao said the DepEd central office gave P12 million budget for the rebuilding of the Gabaldon building. All in all, a total of P15 million was the expenses they spent in constructing the classrooms.

The building was actually finished in May this year.