Memories to Warm My Heart

The month of February, which has just closed, is memorable to me. It’s my birth, month. And every time February comes around I am reminded of all my past birthdays – especially in my childhood – when was always showered with love and attention in our family.

To this day, memories like those continue to bring a smile to my lips. In fact, I consider these memories as the best gift I get – not only on my birthday, but every single day of my life.  

Many of us keep, in our mind and heart, sweet and beautiful memories. We cherish these, because they warm our senses every time we remember. Memories are like music – they evoke feelings of nostalgia, haunting melodies enliven our spirit and heal our soul.

Memories bring to my mind my human imperfections – my sinfulness, my shortcomings of every kind, and my smallness against the vastness of the universe. In musing over what I had been through in my years, I can’t help but be grateful for this gift of life, honored and blessed to be able to do what is probably my life’s mission.

I believe that when my Lord and my God breathed life into this poor soul, this lowly servant of His, He had a reason, a purpose for me… as for all of us. I know that every step I take in this life journey counts. I know that we are all living on borrowed time; we never know when our time is up. Therefore, we should not waste a minute of our time in falsehood and fakery. In my case, I make sure that when I speak, I speak from the heart. Life, to me, is so precious to be wasted in pretenses and hypocrisy.

I may sound redundant here, but I find truism in the words of my elders. My father, Don Vicente Gullas, who was a lawyer by profession but an educator by heart and founder of the University of the Visayas, and my mother, UV co-founder Dona Josefina Rivera-Gullas, used to remind us siblings – Inday Sering our eldest; Mayor Eddie, and I (our sister Inday Teresing died in infancy): “In your journey in life, it pays to be always ‘mapaubsanon’ (humble), ‘matinahuron’ (respectful) and ‘maloloy-on’ (kind), and ‘mainampoon’ (prayerful).” My maternal grandmother, Lola Andrea Rivera, likewise shared: “Walay dahon nga matagak kun dili pagbuot sa kahitas-an. (Not a leaf will fall if not by Heaven’s will.)”

Papa Inting, at one time, whispered to me, “I do believe that the three of you [siblings] have your respective missions in life. Inday Sering will be a very good teacher. Eddie will serve the community in many ways. And you, Dodong, probably will take care of my little legacy.” Papa meant that I should look after the school.

And the words of Mama Pining echoes still ring in my mind, “Basin Dodong sa imong paglakang sa kinabuhi, tingali makatabang ka ug maka serbisyo alang sa Ginoo. Basin ba lang.” Mama hoped that I would somehow find time for the Lord’s service.

When one of the biggest fires in Cebu hit the entire Sanciangko area many years back, the flames almost ate up a portion of UV. The big fire started at around 10 p.m. and was declared “fire-out” only the following day. Several people were with me in monitoring the fire – (may their souls rest in peace) the late Mayor Boy Cortes; our Physics teacher, Ismael Pastor; my cousin Boy Laput; and the school electrician, Mr. Cantillas. One of the early responders that helped secure UV was the Chinese Brigade, and equally helpful was the Mandaue Fire Department. When I reported to Mama Pining at around 7 in the morning, she very calmly told me, “Dodong, kini tanan hinatag sa Ginoo, ug Siya ra gayud ang makabawi.”  Indeed, what God gives, God may take back.

In the course of running the University, I am always reminded of how Papa Inting encouraged me to attend monthly meetings of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities or PACU, in Manila. One person Papa specially mentioned was Dr. Amado Dizon, whom I learned a lot from. I was lucky to have been able to experience the wisdom and valuable knowledge of the “who’s who” in Philippine education. Dr. Santiago de la Cruz, co-founder of the University of the East and Dr. Dalupan ware like parents to me. There was also Dr. Fely Reyes who was an expert in accreditation, a concept that was still foreign to many provincial schools then. And Dr. Armand Fabella, who was a close confidant of former President Marcos. 

I learned the value of hard work from my father. Both Papa Inting and his brother Tio Paulino worked their way to obtaining degrees from the University of the Philippines. And I think I inherited my passion for journalism from them. Tio Paul founded The Freeman and Papa Inting had worked as a cub reporter for one of the local dailies. I was 31 years old when I revived my uncle’s The Freeman in 1965.

As we celebrated the paper’s 100 years on February 22, I mentioned to my wife Nena that it was a sentimental journey. I wanted to acknowledge the people who were with me in reviving The Freeman amidst various challenges. My heartfelt gratitude to the late Juanito Jabat and Balt Quinain.

In my heart and mind I continue to hear the counsel of my dear elders, “to be kind at all times.” Kindness is the mother of all virtues and, no matter how controversial this idea may be, “Being kind is better than being right.” There is beauty in sharing, while there is nothing but wickedness and malevolence in being selfish and greedy – and it holds true in all things, whether time, material possessions, or love.”