Winning tough battles

As the chairman and chief executive officer of GMA Network Inc., Atty. Felipe L. Gozon or FLG to the broadcasting industry, his colleagues and employees, has his hands full given the highly competitive nature of the business in which the company operates. But FLG is definitely not the type of person who would shy away from competition or an adversarial situation. He is after all a very successful lawyer (Bachelor of Laws, UP; Master of Laws, Yale University; founding partner of Belo Gozon Elma Parel law firm) and lawyers   love to win tough battles.

FLG shared his thoughts with Spare Time and excerpts of the interview follows:

1) Was law always a passion of yours? Did you dream of becoming a lawyer even when you were younger?

FLG: I started to think of becoming a lawyer when I was already in high school even my classmates then were of the consensus that I should be a lawyer perhaps because I argued a lot in class.

2) Did your legal background help you in transforming GMA 7 into the successful and competitive company that it is today? How?

FLG: Yes, it helped me a lot. I applied the same system I follow when confronted with a legal problem or case i. e., try to know everything about it, know the strength/weakness of your position and that of your opponent, try to know the opposing counsel and the judge, etc.

3) What’s a typical weekend for you?

FLG: I relax during weekends by reading materials I wasn’t able to read during the week, teach my youngest grandchildren how to swim in our pool, have a haircut, etc., play bowling with three other couples (my wife and I have been bowling for 30 years now), sleep, watch TV/video, etc.

4) What is your parenting style?

FLG: I let my wife handle the day-to-day affairs concerning our children. I get involved in important issues/matters affecting them.

5) What are your hobbies? Do you collect anything?

FLG: I suppose outside of what I do on weekends, there’s nothing much else. I don’t collect anything but over the years I find that I have many oil paintings, etc.

6) What’s your greatest achievement in life?

FLG: Dont know yet. At this point I guess it’s in having bright, good and fairly successful children.

7) How is the future for GMA 7?

FLG: The future for GMA 7 can be described as good and bright.