Page 37 - OPA 2014

Outstanding Professional
A
ward 2014
Outstanding Professional Award 2014
Gil H. A. (a.k.a. Guillermo) Santos

Futurist, Professional Journalist,

College Professor, Geopolitical Analyst, and Environmentalist

In 1982 during one of his home leaves as associated newsfeatures or listen to the international news networks.
Press-Dow Jones News Services regional correspondent and This, precisely, is the reason Philippine mass media are rather
representative, gil Santos was invited by Enrique Zobel de ayala, more entertainment-oriented and even their world news
then Chief Executive officer of the ayala group of Companies, to sections are limited when compared with foreign newspapers
join the Philippine Futuristics Society. It was a group of business and magazines.
executives--including the late Business Day and BusinessWorld
publisher raul Locsin, Pilipinas Shell Oil President Cesar anyway, he had been writing for the aP, the aP-Dow
Buenaventura, David SyCip of general Motors Philippines, Jones, Time magazine group, the defunct International News
Mariano Que of Mercury Drug Company—he and Locsin assembled Service since 1950 as a college dropout so Santos agreed to be
to determine where Martial Law dictator President Ferdinand E. elected to the Futuristics Society Board of Trustees. The mission
Marcos was leading the country into the future. is to educate Juan de la Cruz to adapt futurism as an integral
part of the national discipline—even though admittedly, it is a
The Society found out there was no national vision-mission. generational and Herculean job. revising the average citizen’s
Culturally, the average Filipino Juan de la Cruz takes the stance of mindset takes time. World history books show it takes time to
“bahalana, god will take care of us” as a philosophy in their daily change civilizations.
lives. Philippine political practices were and are still personal
and transactional. Thus futurism or strategic planning outside of He added: “Our aSEaN Tiger economies neighbors—
private corporate circles is unheard of in the Philippines. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam are now MOrE
PrOgrESSIVE THaN US because they took on strategic and
Worst, the average Filipino prefers to be entertained sustained futuristics planning. In the late 50’s and in the 60’s
by TV and movie celebrities than read in-depth analytical they were 20 years BEHIND us.”

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