‘Better than watching royal wedding on TV’

Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. and his bride Rhea Aquino (above photo) say their I dos at a church wedding at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. At right, Representative Gullas places the ring on her bride’s finger during the wedding ceremony. CDN PHOTOS/CHRISTIAN MANINGO

Grandma from Talisay City in awe as she witnesses Rep. Gullas’ church wedding

It’s better than watching the wedding of the royal couple of Britain (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) on television.”

This was how a 58-year-old grandmother from Talisay City described in Cebuano her witnessing Friday’s church wedding of Cebu’s 1st District Representative, Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr., and his bride, Rhea Aquino, at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

The grandmother (who asked not to be named) from Barangay Tabunok was among the estimated 100 people outside the church, who were waiting to get a glimpse of the couple saying their I dos. The crowd outside also cheered when the priest finally told Representative Gullas to kiss his bride.

“Idol gyud nako na si Samsam ug ang iyahang pamilya. Gikan ko Colon namalit pero gitextan ko sa akong anak nga naa daw sa Facebook gipakita nga gikasal na si Samsam sa Cathedral. Niadto dayon ko,” she said.
(I am a fan of Samsam and his family. I just came from Colon where I was buying some goods when my child texted me about Samsam’s wedding at the Cathedral which was posted on Facebook. I immediately headed to the Cathedral to witness the event.)

Thirty-three-year-old Gullas and 29-year-old Aquino had already tied the knot though in a civil wedding last January 26 before presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. The civil wedding was also witnessed by Michael Dino, presidential assistant for the Visayas.

According to Aquino’s Instagram post, she and Gullas had been together for three years.

Aquino, who is a businesswoman, also said that they got engaged last December.

Gullas, on the other hand, is a scion of Talisay City’s most influential political family and the grandson of incumbent Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas Sr.

Prominent figures government officials attended the Gullas couples’ church wedding with guests and the couple’s entourage filling the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

Aside from Dino, who was one of their principal sponsors during their civil wedding, those who were present included Senators Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, and Sonny Angara, together with Cebuano representatives, who included Gwendolyn Garcia (Third District), Jonas Cortes (Sixth District), Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa (Cebu City second district) and Raul del Mar (Cebu City first district), Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing, and Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña.