When my Lord and my God breathe life into this poor soul, this poor sinner, and lowly servant of the Lord, He did it with purpose, He had a reason in doing so. As my Lola Ande used to say: “Dodong, sa yuta ka gikan, sa yuta ka mobalik… ug maayo gayud nga magpabiling mapaubsanon, maluloy-on, matinahuron ug maalampuon sa kanunay.”
Now, more than ever, I’ve realized that you and I are living on borrowed time. We never know when our time is up. At my age now, I live by moment to moment.
I am grateful to have been so blessed by the Almighty, to have been able to enjoy this precious moment, this very minute of this very hour of this very day. I believe each one of us has our own moments worth remembering – some very sweet, some beautiful… some too painful, like a scar that blemishes the skin.
Looking back, I have some cherished memories along my journey. One would be the centennial anniversary celebration of the University of the Visayas. The year-long celebration has commenced on January 12 this year, the birth anniversary of the university’s founder, my father, Don Vicente Gullas. I remember Papa giving up his lucrative law practice to open in 1919 the then Visayan Institute with only 37 students.
In the beginning, Papa was the principal, the teacher, and the janitor rolled into one. Perhaps the turning point was when he married my mother, Josefina “Inday Pining” Rivera, who was a big help to Papa in sustaining the operation of the fledgling school.
Now, I can’t help but whisper to my brother, Mayor Eddie, that this UV Centennial is very special to us, siblings – our elder sister Inday Sering, Eddie and I, and Inday Teresing, our sister who died in infancy. The opening celebration started with a Eucharistic celebration, where the officiating priests were two UV graduates, Basilica del Sto. Niño Rector Fr. Jun Nohara and Fr. Andy Rivera Jr., Prior Provincialate Community of the Basilica, formerly a scholar of Mama Pining.
I recall with crystal clarity when the accreditors from Manila led by Dr. Conrado Iñigo, noted, observed and commended the University for making a 360-degree turn in terms of physical facilities, the laboratories, and in our efforts of improving the quality of instruction since their last visit about two years before. The new eight-story building that provides the background of the stage built for the centennial celebration is the answer to the unkind words uttered against the University all these years.
There was the moment when we decided to construct the six-story Gullas College of Medicine Building in Banilad. This was undertaken when DepEd ordered the full implementation of its K12 program. While some schools resorted to cost-cutting measures and trimmed down its work force, we constructed a new building. Challenging as the times were and bold as our move was, we were able to ride the tide and saw the building to its completion. That was one very significant and memorable moment.
What is perhaps another notable moment was having met Dr. David Pillai, who shared with me the same vision and hopes in providing our medical students access to quality instruction, state-of-the-art learning facilities and a highly conducive study environment. Together we envisioned an ultra-modern medical health and wellness facility. To be able to provide the best health care center outside Manila is what we both dreamed of, something that should excite Cebuanos. What is also striking is our deep love and reverence for our dear mothers.
Looking back to all these poignant memories, I really hope and pray that we, the second generation Gullases – Inday Sering, Mayor Eddie and myself – have made our parents happy and proud of what we have done to preserve their legacy.
Last February 22 was another significant date, as we celebrated the 100th founding anniversary of The Freeman. The oldest paper outside Manila, which I revived in 1965, has also turned 100 years. I remember with gratitude Mr. Juanito Jabat and Mr. Balt Quinain, may their souls rest in peace, and the hundreds of men and women who were part of the paper’s fair and fearless reporting all these years. Likewise, I hope and pray that my uncle, Tio Paulino Gullas is happy and proud, too, of what we have done.
As we continue to live from moment to moment in our short journey in this life, may we all learn to cherish the gift of life, the gift of family, the gift of friends, with gratefulness and appreciation with the blessings given to us, to be reminded of our humanity… our smallness in this vast universe.
To me, this moment is a gift… a few seconds from now this will be but a memory… and tomorrow is only a dream.