The FREEMAN's 93rd Anniversary & Gov. Gwen's SOPA

Everyone was all agog when The FREEMAN celebrated its 93rd anniversary… The FREEMAN being the longest ever existing newspaper in the country today.

The festivities started with a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Msgr. Jose Tajanlangit at the oh-so-commodious MGB Social Hall of the Philstar building.

Very much present were our Chairman Jose "Dodong" R. Gullas with his wife Nena, President Miguel Belmonte, Vice Chairman Johnvic Gullas, Joie Marie Gullas Yu, Publisher Juanito V. Jabat, GM Melandro Mendoza, Editor-in-chief Jerry S. Tundag, editors and editorial staff and the The FREEMAN employees…hundreds of them.

Immediately after the Mass, a short program followed. It was then when I heard and knew of how Chairman Dodong revived The FREEMAN for all his reasons. Without him taking over the helm, The FREEMAN would not have been what it is today.

Before Chairman Dodong ended his message, he thanked all those who stayed loyal to The FREEMAN. A big surprise for all was Chairman Dodong's announcement that "this time, we'll have Christmas in July!" And everyone present received gifts like watches, plaques and cash incentives for the many years of good service to The FREEMAN.

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For the first time we have heard Governor Gwendolyn Garcia deliver her SOPA which was a powerful speech in the presence of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada. Her voice reverberated throughout the Plenary Hall of the Cebu International Convention Center where some 6000 people came to hear the Governor deliver her last SOPA.

Governor Gwen was in her element. Albeit different from all her SOPAs where she was elegant and resplendent in her gowns, this time around, the Governor wore an ecru suit. Yes, this last State of the Province Address of Governor Gwen was the most attended and the most successful SOPA she ever had in her eight-year reign as the first woman governor of the Province of Cebu.

In the evening, after her SOPA, Gov. Gwen's good friends, Carlos and Mariquita Yeung gave a dinner reception at Villa Mariquita. Seen were Vice-Pres. Jejomar Binay and wife Dr. Elenita Binay, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile with son Congressman Jackie Enrile, former President Erap Estrada, Ms. Laarni Enriquez, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Gov. Gwen Garcia, Mayor Michael Rama, Glenn Soco, Congressman Benhur Salimbangon and brother Cesar Salimbangon, Ernesto Maceda, Jojo Uy, Mary Ann de los Santos, Willy Go, and many others. Spirits and wines flowed endlessly with Chateau Cheval Blanc 1994 and Erap's favorite Petrous served to the hilt. To Gov. Gwen, congratulations and more power!