Hi! I am Nic Gabunada Jr. — welcome to my little corner of the internet.

I am Nicanor Cejulela Gabunada, Jr., the proverbial poor probinsiyano who worked hard, did well, and eventually prospered in the Metro.

My family and childhood friends call me William, though most people know me as Nic. I was born and raised in Padada, Davao del Sur, a small rural town in Mindanao where my migrant parents built a life. School was always important to me, and I pushed myself to excel — first in elementary, then in high school. When it came time for college, I chose Ateneo de Davao, where I thrived academically but also discovered something else: activism.

Those were turbulent years. I was once arrested during an anti–martial law demonstration and briefly detained on charges of subversion. Thankfully, the charges were eventually dismissed. That experience didn’t stop me from pursuing bigger goals, though. I went to Manila for postgraduate studies at the Opus Dei–run Center for Research and Communication (CRC), which later became part of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P).
After CRC, I joined Pulse Research Group, the leading market research firm in the country at the time. From there, my career took me to ABS-CBN, where I worked as a senior executive, and later to Omnicom Media Group (OMG), where I became CEO of the Philippine branch in 2012.
I retired from corporate life on May 1, 2015, but it wasn’t to rest. I wanted to help prepare for what many of us from Mindanao had long dreamed of — a chance for someone from our region to finally lead the country. That someone was then–Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

I was part of the small team that crafted his tri-media campaign. What happened next reshaped Philippine politics: Duterte’s campaign harnessed the power of social media in a way never seen before, and for the first time, a Mindanaoan became president.

Looking back, I realize how far my journey has taken me — from Padada to the Metro, from a boyhood of modest means to becoming part of a defining chapter in our nation’s history.

This site is where I share my thoughts on people, places, events, and whatever else happens to occupy my mind these days. Think of it as a running journal of observations, lessons, and stories collected over the years.

By day, I juggle corporate responsibilities with managing my personal investments. On the side, I take on consulting work across various industries—mobile marketing, farm ventures, AV post-production, real estate, media strategy, and content production. I also offer pro bono support to friends setting up businesses, church groups launching communications platforms, and public servants running campaigns grounded in real service.

Once upon a time, in my blog Wednesdays with Nic, I made a list of things I wanted to do even when work got busy. I’ve since ticked off a few:

– Drove my kids to school
– Quit smoking
– Scanned old family photos
– Taught my dogs a trick or two
– Produced a movie
– (Re)started a blog (this one!)

Still on the list: a road trip from Manila to Ilocos and Cagayan; a road trip from Manila to Davao; building a library-museum in my hometown of Padada; and, finally learning photography.

These days, I’m intentional about giving back—continuing to help good people build meaningful things. But more than anything, I’m looking forward to spending time with family, especially my grandkids. That, to me, is the most fulfilling project of all.