Previously named Gerona Vocational School (GVS) The Gerona Junior College (GJC) was founded by Mr. Bernabe T. Cardona in 1946. It was previously named Gerona Vocational School with an initial offering of six-month Stenography and six-month Typewriting course. The Gerona Junior College (GJC) was founded by Mr. Bernabe T. Cardona in 1946. It was previously named Gerona Vocational School with an initial offering of six-month Stenography and six-month Typewriting course.

GJC’s first high school graduates were given their diplomas in the Special Secondary Commercial Course in April 1950, with Dr. Fe C. Perez at the helm as the very first high school principal. The last graduates under this course were granted diplomas in 1962, the same year when the Academic Secondary Course was born.

In 1963, the Collegiate Secretarial course with the title Certificate in Secretarial Science was offered for the first time and, on the same school year, the first batch of graduates was produced.

In 1964, Gerona Vocational School was changed to Gerona Junior College, owing to the offering of the two-year Secretarial course and the first year of the Liberal Arts course. All collegiate courses offered were recognized by the government after three years of operation under temporary permits.

The benevolent Mr. Cardona offered poor but deserving students the opportunity to pursue higher education through the study-now-pay-later plan. Sadly, this same policy led to the demise of the course offering due to financial constraints. Two years after his death in 1974, all college courses were phased out so that the school could concentrate on the Academic Secondary Course.

This was when the Gerona Junior College started to stand on its feet again and enjoyed better prospects. For several years now, the school has held the position of having the highest student population despite the proliferation of 6 barangay/national high schools and 7 private high school in the town proper.

OUR FOUNDER: BERNABE T. CARDONA

Born to the humble family of Don Juan Cardona of Singat, Gerona, Tarlac on June 11, 1890, Mr. Bernabe T. Cardona obtained the values of a simple person with simple goals in life.

During his formative years, he was trained by his parents to do things extraordinarily well which caught the attention of his siblings and barrio folks as well.

Apo Abing, as he was fondly called by friends, was known to be a steadfast leader, public servant, educator, hard-working farmer and a loving husband to Hospicia Melevo and father to his thirteen (13) children.

Driven by his principle in life “Knowledge is Power”, Mr. Cardona established the first-ever private vocational school in the municipality: Gerona Vocational School (GVS) in the year 1946; giving chance to those who wished to continue their education especially those who were displaced by World War II. GVS was renamed Gerona Junior College (GJC) in 1964.

With his passion to continue providing better education to the youth; developing them to be more valuable individuals of the society; and preparing the youth to be competitive in “the real world,” he joined hands with the owners of other private schools in Tarlac province to establish the longest-living private school association in the province, the Tarlac Private Schools Association (TAPSA).

Much as he wanted to continue serving the community, his age hindered him to do so. He joined our loving Creator on June 14, 1974 leaving behind the best legacy one could ever think of - EDUCATION.

In our lifetime, people come and go, touching our lives in different levels. Tony and Fe Perez had been part of many people’s lives...through their civic associations, religious affiliations, community involvement and most of all, their heartfelt commitment to the development and growth of the Gerona Junior College.

Fe Melevo Cardona started as a teacher in a school founded by her father, Bernabe Cardona. The school was named and known as Gerona Vocational School. She met Antonio Wilwayco Perez (AWP) who joined the school faculty at the time. Both fell in love and got married.

Fe M. Cardona eventually became known as Fe C. Perez (FCP)... “Madam”, “Sister Fe” to many. AWP was fondly called “Sir” or “Kuya Tony”. Hand in hand, FCP and AWP rose through the administrative ranks of Gerona Junior College (GJC). FCP became the Principal and AWP, the Registrar of GJC for several years. Both poured their time, energy and love, making GJC what it is today. They’ve encountered many battles, setbacks and challenges through the years with GJC... but both kept the faith... shared finances, emotional and intellectual strength with each other. Both never gave up on GJC... nor gave up on each other.

FCP and AWP are peas-in-a-pod. One cannot think of one and not the other. Both were known, loved and respected by most. Both, individually and together, received accolades, awards and recognition for their accomplishments in their lifetime and beyond.

FCP passed on to our Heavenly Father’s place on May 9, 2002. AWP followed her tracks on July 15, 2007. Both were blest with eight children, who now carry the torch handed to them. All eight of them couldn’t be prouder for having these two as their loving parents who molded them into who they are today and for the legacy both parents left behind - one that will live on through the years... one generation to the next.