Dodong Gullas’ final resting place is near Camomot’s

CEBU, Philippines —  The FREEMAN chairman Jose “Dodong” will be laid to his final resting place today at the motherhouse compound of the Daughters of Sta. Teresa in Barangay Valladolid, Carcar City, where the remains of former Cebuano archbishop are also buried.

Mother Louella Grace Buscato, superior general of the DST sisters, said that Cebu auxiliary bishop Midyphil Bermejo Billones will officiate the requiem Mass for Gullas at 1 p.m. today.

With today's birth anniversary of Camomot and Gullas' burial, Buscato said that all the preparations are in place for the implementation of minimum health and safety protocols.

“Bisan pa og pandemic, we expect daghan gihapon mga devotees and pilgrims manganhi and with the burial ni Sir Dodong, we can expect more people but giandaman na ni namo, especially ang implementation sa health protocols,” said Buscato.

Gullas, 87, died after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His wake was at Crystal Palace of Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City from Feb. 25 until Mar. 2.

Yesterday, his remains were brought to the DST motherhouse.

From Lahug, the funeral convoy passed by the family-owned University of the Visayas along Colon Street, as well as the Halad Museum and  The FREEMAN Newspaper at the V. Gullas Street corner D. Jakosalem Street in Cebu City.

Gullas revived The FREEMAN in 1965 after the paper went into a hiatus during and after the Second World War. The paper was founded by Gullas’ uncle and illustrious lawyer, Paulino, in 1919.

Buscato said that Gullas’ wake is at the Domus Teofilo chapel, which Gullas helped build a few years ago, not at the new Sta. Teresa chapel, another chapel that Gullas helped construct, as earlier reported.

“Diri ra ang iyang wake gibutang sa Domus Teofilo kay abog kaayo ang new chapel tungod sa paghimo sa nitso ni Sir Dodong,” Buscato said.

Gullas’ remains will be buried just beside the Sta. Teresa chapel.

The DST motherhouse has its own cemetery that is exclusive to the sisters who die, with the exception of Camomot, whose body is inside the Domus Teofilo, and this time, Gullas.

Archbishop Camomot died in vehicular accident in the town of San Fernando, Cebu while on his way home to Carcar City on Sept. 27, 1988.

Gullas is a devotee of Camomot and is one of those who worked for the latter’s canonization as part of the process to his sainthood.

DST is a congregation founded by Camomot some 60 years ago.

Today is also the 107th birth anniversary of Camomot, who is known for his generosity, love for the poor, living a simple life, prayerful and healing the sick. — JMD (FREEMAN)