As the country commemorated the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, a former dean at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) shared his connection to one of the most iconic images of the uprising — the child handing a flower to a soldier, immortalized on the past P500 bill.

Professor and urban planner Gabby Lopez revealed that the boy in the image, Jello Gutierrez, was once his student. “I had no idea until he told me,” Gabby told DAILY TRIBUNE on Tuesday.

“That image is a symbol of peace and hope, and to find out that he was my student was surprising,” he added.

Lopez expressed concern over the removal of national heroes from Philippine banknotes, arguing that history should be preserved through symbols like currency.

“Money is a good way of reminding us of our heroes. Nature and animals are important, but they should exist alongside the people who shaped our country,” he said.

In 2015, when Lopez was dean of the PLM Graduate School, Gutierrez, a nurse by profession, enrolled in the MBA program.

During their conversations, Gutierrez mentioned his seminary background, which led to the revelation that he was the child in the historic photo.

Gutierrez, now in the United States, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing. Despite his distance from the Philippines, his story remains tied to the legacy of EDSA.

The professor also weighed in on the diminishing public consciousness surrounding the revolution, noting that commemorations have become quieter over the years.

“It was a major event that put the Philippines in the global spotlight,” he said. “But now, fewer people seem to reflect on its significance.”