History of UTERA

History of UTERA

(Upi Teachers, Employees and Retirees Association)

By: Generoso F. Gurtiza

The situation prevailing befre the founding of the Upi Teachers, Employees and Retirees Association (UTERA), 1976 the only purpose ofg the UTERA for Teachers Day Celebration.

The founder Mr Generoso F. Gurtiza, was the Head Teacher of Kibleg Elementary School at the time, Mr. Jacinto R. Paco, principal of Nuro Central Elementary School, Miss Lourdes Moran principal of Notre Dame High School, Mr. Ireneo Quilaman-St. Francis High School, Mr. Arturo Agustin - Administrator of Upi Agricultural School, Mr. Severino T. Marcial district Supervisor of South Upi District and Mr. Carlos Sapon-District Supervisor of North Upi District.   There were five (5) unit schools during this period these units schools were not in good harmony as shown by the fact that each district unit has to take charge of the feeding of its athletes during meets, celebrate its own Teachers Day and worst is the driving of other students playing in the Nuro Central School grounds by the principal. All of these came into the mind of the founder.

And so one summer while the founder was on vacation in Pangasinan, he saw a big building at the grounds of the Dagupan City Central School with the signboard “PANGASINAN TEACHERS FEDERATION”. Actually Pangasinan is a big province four school divisions. These four divisions are united into one association. The idea of uniting the teachers of public and private came into the mind of the founder.

Upon arrival from vacation, he went from one school to another on his on initiative convincing the school heads, district heads to form an organization for all teachers of Upi public and private.  Because of the idea, there was an encouraging response “YES”.  The objective of this association is for Teachers Day Celebration only which fals about a middle of the year.  In preparation for this big events, a  caucus was held at the residence of the founder where all representative and heads of the five school units were in attendance.  At this juncture during the forum, a question arose- “Who will head this association-the UTERA?”.  Immediately, Mr Paco raised his hand, “I gladly nominate Mr Gurtiza to head this association”. To my peers in attendance and myself, there was no question of being nominated but what surprised me was why did he immediately nominate the founder.  I cannot grasp any reason but one thing came into my mind.  Perhapshe wanted to compensate me and my self-iniatives.  And so the UTERA was organized sometime in 1976 after the war in Upi making Mr Generoso F. Gurtiza the 1^st President of the Association.

During the 1^st Teachers Day Celebration of UTERA, where all five units school teachers attended there was a short program where president, Mr. Gurriza had a short talk, said: “in the beginning there was darkness, than I saw a ray of light.  With the ray of light, an association was born.”  Darkness was the time there was no harmony. Each to its own.  The ray of light was the signboard Pangasinan Teachers Federation, and big “YES” of the unit heads followed by the birth of an association during the caucus at the residence of the founder.

 (Encodedby Kaka Alih August 1, 2008 the copy thru the courtesy of the secretary Mr. Artemio Malvaran)