Jacob Cortez paid an emotional tribute to one of his closest friends and former San Beda teammate JV Gallego following the latter’s untimely passing in a vehicular accident on Saturday.
Gallego, who was 28, died in the crash, while his wife Chloe survived.
In a heartfelt social media post, the reigning UAAP Finals MVP reflected on the friendship they built after arriving at San Beda during the NCAA Season 97 bubble tournament.
Cortez recalled feeling out of place on his first day with the Red Lions until Gallego, together with Peter Alfaro, welcomed him with open arms.
“I’ll never forget my first day at the Beda bubble. I didn’t know anyone, so you and Peter came up to me and said, ‘Yo, what’s up, bro?’ assuming I didn’t speak Tagalog. Ever since then, I knew I had an older brother who took me under his wing,” he recalled.
The bond between the two only grew stronger over the years.
According to Cortez, Gallego constantly looked after him beyond basketball, checking in after games, introducing him to new friends, and making sure he always had someone beside him.
“You protected me. You taught me so much, on and off the court. Even until now, you would check up on me after games or even on a random day.”
Gallego, who transferred from National University during the pandemic and debuted in NCAA Season 97 as a “rookie-veteran,” remained one of Cortez’s biggest supporters, encouraging him through both the highs and lows of his collegiate career.
“During your last year at Beda, you kept pushing me. I’ll never forget how you would always joke that I shouldn’t pass to our other teammates because you always believed in my capabilities as a player,” recalled Cortez.
The pair, along with Yukien Andrada, formed a tight-knit friendship after Gallego and Alfaro took them under their wing during the bubble season.
The quartet eventually won the crown in NCAA Season 99.
Even after Cortez transferred to De La Salle University and Andrada turned professional with Magnolia, they remained close.
What made Gallego’s passing even more difficult for Cortez was how recent their last conversation had been.
The two reminisced about their years together at San Beda, discussed Gallego’s coaching stint at Colegio San Agustin in Makati — where Cortez first learned the game — and talked about Gallego’s plans for the future with his wife, Chloe.
“Just a few nights ago, we were talking about the past and all our memories as teammates. We talked about how you were coaching at the school where I first started playing basketball. We talked about your future with Chloe. You were making sure I stayed focused on basketball,” he said.
Cortez also vowed that he and their teammates would continue looking after Gallego’s family.
“The guys and I will watch over your family, brother. Kami na bahala. Magpahinga ka na diyan.”
The tribute ended with Cortez thanking Gallego for the impact he had on his life, both as a teammate and as an older brother figure.
“Rest in peace, my brother. Lucky Lefty. My rookie veteran. I wouldn’t be who I am today without you in my life,” he expressed.
“I love you, brother. Look after me up there.”
