SAC Presidential Awardee: Gullas highlights value of education to athletes

CEBU, Philippines - Highly esteemed Cebuano philanthropist, educator and sportsman Jose ‘Dodong’ R. Gullas underscores the importance of education to athletes, even as he also egged them on to stay grounded no matter what they have achieved in life.

Speaking before the outstanding achievers of Cebu Sports for 2014 during the 33rd Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Brewery (SAC-SMB) All-Cebu Sports Awards the other day at the Ayala Activity Center, Gullas first asked the top athletes to include prayers in their everyday living as ‘their gift of glory today is their gift from the Lord.”

Gullas graced the star-studded affair not only as guest of honor but also as a special awardee. He was the recipient of the ‘Presidential Award’ for his invaluable contribution and selfless dedication to the development of Cebu sports especially in the field of tennis.

Gullas then reminded the rest of the awardees to always keep their feet firmly on the ground in the face of overwhelming success that comes along their way.

“You have achieved so much in life, but it always pays to be humble, to be humane, to be compassionate,” said Gullas.

In the same breath, Gullas spotlights the value education, stressing out that one cannot be an athlete forever while education lasts.

“I have one more request,” Gullas tells the younger batch of honorees. “Please study very very well. Do not forget your studies, because you will not be athletes in your lifetime. By studying, it will guarantee you a good future. You can be the best athlete there is but what is more vital is education."

The soft-spoken Gullas further added that "when one's focus is on sports, he can easily turn his back on drugs and other undesirable vices, making him a worthy member of the society."

Gullas, the executive vice president of the University of the Visayas and Chairman of The FREEMAN, was given by SAC one of its prized accolades for having founded the JRG Gullas Cup, the Philippines’ longest running junior tennis tournament outside of Metro Manila.

The most sought-after event in the Visayas and Mindanao, the JRG Gullas Cup has truly been the bedrock of the country’s future tennis stars since its inception in 1995. It will commemorate its 20th year milestone with a bigger, grander and more exciting competition three weeks from now.

Aside from being a tennis lover, Gullas is also a decorated athlete, who humbly rose from the ranks as a champion basketball player to coach, team manager, and eventually president of Cebu’s premiere inter-school athletic league, which is now known as the CESAFI (Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Incorporated). (Pooled report)(FREEMAN)