Eduardo Gullas

Eduardo Rivera Gullas Sr. (October 13, 1930 – November 6, 2025), known as "Eddie" or "Eddiegul", was a Filipino politician from Cebu. The son of Vicente Gullas and Josefina "Pining" Rivera, he was elected to seven terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 1st District of Cebu from 1992 to 2001, 2004 to 2013, and from 2019 to 2022. He was at the time of his death a member of Nacionalista and the One Cebu party. Gullas had also served as the governor of Cebu during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, whom he was a close political associate of. During his tenure as governor, Cebu was struck by Typhoon Ike, which affected and devastated the province. Gullas also served as the president of the University of the Visayas. He had also held the offices of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the House Majority Leader. He served as mayor of Talisay, Cebu from 2016 to 2019. He was among the 70 congressmen who voted to deny the ABS-CBN franchise. Gullas died on November 6, 2025, at the age of 95.

Early life and education

Eduardo was born in Cebu City on October 13, 1930. His father was the founder of what is now the University of the Visayas (UV),efn-ua|University of the Visayas was founded as the Visayan Institute. On the other hand, he was conferred the Doctor of Public Administration, Honoris Causa, by the Cebu Normal University. Eduardo Jr. and Gerald Anthony. Digul (Eduardo III; his grandson, Samsam's younger brother)

Academic career After graduation at UST, Gullas returned to Cebu and, later with his youngest brother Jose, worked in the family-run UV. He was a janitor and a teller in the accounting department.

Later, he became the university president; and from 1960s to 1980s, the school expanded with the installation of new facilities. defeating two incumbent representatives.

As provincial governor In 1976, Gullas, a close associate of First Lady Imelda Marcos, who had been reorganizing the provincial government; a body of advisors that acted as the collective deputy presidency

In 1986, Gullas supported Marcos in the presidential election where the latter lost in the entire Cebu City and Cebu province. His governorship ended sometime after the EDSA revolt

Thereafter, He returned to resume his duties at UV.

1992–2013: Return to politics Second time in Congress (1992–2001)

Gullas returned to politics in 1992. he reclaimed the congressional seat in the elections, defeating incumbent representative of Cebu's 1st district, Atty. Antonio Bacaltos of Talisay, He assumed the post until 2001. He was a Promdi member at the time he won his third term in 1998. In the height of controversies involving the president particularly the jueteng payola, The following day, he was one of the Cebuano representatives who relaunched the dormant He later served as the party's secretary general.

Meanwhile, he was later accused of misusing government-owned equipment for the construction of his hilltop mansion in Minglanilla, which he denied.

As city mayor (2001–2004) Gullas was known for converting the municipality of Talisay into a city. as the conversion had been ratified in a plebiscite on December 30, 2000. and served until 2013.

In 2005, he was among those more than a hundred representatives who openly supported president Gloria Arroyo amid an opposition-led move to impeach the president for electoral fraud.

He led the Cebuano legislators who opposed the proposed division of Cebu known as Sugbuak, which was later eventually shelved.

"Gullas Bills" In the House of Representatives, Gullas, in some occasions, filed bills that sought to reinstate and institutionalize the use of English language as the sole medium of instruction (MOI) in all public schools countrywide;efn-ua|Multiple citations used (English-only MOI): Also, these were among the attempts to revise the Bilingual Education Program by the Department of Education (DepEd), introduced in 1974. Despite the approval on the English bill by the House in September,

Later, HB No. 5619 was filed, with Gullas as the principal author This time, coincided with the move towards globalization, The bill also sought to encourage the use of English in interaction in schools.efn-ua|Multiple citations used (English in interactions in schools): by January 2010, the bill was up for report on committee level and was reportedly not a priority.

Later years (2013–2022) 2013 elections In 2013, Gullas, running for the city mayorship of Talisay under the NP–Alayon, thus his only electoral defeat in his political career. His candidacy had been marred by massive opposition from those affected, both by the 2011 closure of the old public market in Tabunok, which he reopened in the final days of the campaign,

Gullas was among the 70 representatives who voted for the denial of a new franchise for ABS-CBN.

Other careers Gullas, along with Cuenco and Bascon, was a member of the Cebu's Junior Jaycees, a non-profit organization for the youth.

Death Gullas died on November 6, 2025, at the age of 95 due to septic shock, pneumonia, and acute respiratory failure.