IF Dean Gloria Martinez Santos had had the uncommon durability of former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, she would have turned 98 on May 18. Unfortunately, she died on March 25, 2011 at the age of 88. But, like Manong Johnny, ManangGlo never really retired. Her mind was lucid and was active to the end with her great passion project, the Philippine Historical Association (PHA).

Born in 1922, Dean Santos was originally a teacher of home economics, who was forced to marry early because of the war. Ricardo Trota José, the war historian, once told me that she was part of the intelligence during the resistance. She didn’t want people to know and even denied it to my face when I interviewed her for my war documentary ”MapaladangInyongmga Apo. (Your Granchildren are Fortunate.”

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