Antonio G. Santos – July 4, 1930 to May 13, 2021
ENGINEER Antonio G. Santos passed away on May 13, 2021. He was 90.
Antonio was the fourth son among eight siblings from the marital union of Maria Belen Galang and Vicente T. Santos. Growing up in their ancestral house in Ipil St. in Tayabas, a district of Manila, Tony, as he was fondly called, graduated from Jose Abad Santos High School, then took B.S. Mechanical Engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology but because he was working as a mechanic and studying college at the same time, he finally graduated with the same major at the Far Eastern University. He became president of Lions Club, and also president of the Rotary Club of Metro San Francisco Del Monte.
In 1966, he joined the Shell Car Rally in the Philippines and in 1969, he became one of the first Cursillistas in the Philippines having finished the three-day Cursillo at the Cursillo House in Lipa, Batangas. He was a successful businessman and was always generous to his relatives who would always approach him in times of need.
He became service manager of Valiant Motors Corporation, distributors of Peugeot and Mazda in the Philippines and in the early 70’s became general manager of Roc Integrated Corporation. The late Architect Noli Bernardo convinced him to become a finishing contractor and in 1974, Astex Trading was born and specialized in textured spray painting, marble, parquet, waterproofing, fireproofing, etc. Engr. Santos also filed for a design and utility patent for his Vaccuumated Concrete Planer, which won the bronze prize award at the IMPEC Inventors Show in Monroeville, PA.
Engr. Santos, who died on the Feast Day of our Lady of Fatima, is survived by his wife Anacoreta “Coring” Casas Santos, 83; his daughters Louh Santos-Chiefe from Atlanta, GA & Architect Tina Santos-Franco from Valenzuela, Bulacan and his sons Joe from San Francisco, CA & Dr. Ramon Santos from Sydney, Australia; his grandchildren Martina, Joel, Joseph Santos, Francis Chiefe, Florence Faye, Frances Louie and Felicia Ysabel Franco.
His funeral mass and burial was held last May 16, 2021 and his remains lie at St. Peter’s Memorial Chapel, La Loma, Quezon City, Philippines.
