The Dean

Joaquin M. Henson, better known as “Quinito,” graduated with A.B. (major in East Asian Studies) and B.S.C. (major in Economics) degrees, cum laude, at the De La Salle University in 1973. A true green-blood, he was salutatorian of his grade school class in 1964 and First Honorable Mention of his high school class in 1968. He was in the last high school class to finish at Taft Avenue. 

Quinito was editor of the Junior Archer grade school organ and the La Sallite high school newspaper. In college, he was class president for five years and vice president for external affairs of the student council.

After earning a Master in Business Management degree at the Asian Institute of Management in 1975, Quinito worked for an investment house where he rose to vice president. Today, he is managing director of the highly-successful North-Central Luzon microfinance company Kaunlaran Sa Kabuhayan Microcredit Corp. and the Eduardo Cojuangco Foundation, which on its 25th anniversary in 2010, partnered with the Department of Education, University of St. La Salle Bacolod and Tarlac State University to provide masteral and doctorate scholarships for over 2,000 Tarlac public school teachers who upon graduation, will receive La Salle diplomas. 

Quinito has lectured on microfinance before the United Nations in Geneva and Lyon and met with Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank at a microcredit summit in Washington, D.C. 

Quinito’s other passion is sports. He has been a sportswriter since 1972 and gained the moniker  “Dean” as a multi-awarded columnist for the Philippine Star. He is the only sportswriter to receive back-to-back Catholic Mass Media Awards and the Olympism award of the Philippine Olympic Committee. 

He is a much-sought-after speaker on leadership, commercial endorser and event host and has delivered lectures for Metrobank, Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, University of Sto. Tomas, Far Eastern University, University of the Philippines, University of Negros Occidental Recoletos, the Department of Education, Ateneo de Manila University, St. Louis University at Tuguegarao, Ateneo de Davao, Teodoro F. Valencia Foundation, various Rotary Clubs, Davao State College, Rizal Technological University, Immaculate Conception Academy, AMA Computer University, University of Manila, Polytechinic University of the Philippines, Philippine Women’s University, Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School, Koronadal National Comprehensive High School, Angelicum College, San Pedro College of Business Administration, Philippine Air Force, Philam Life, Pasay City West High School, Ramon Magsaysay High School, Mabini Elementary School, Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Vocational High School, University of St. La Salle Bacolod, De La Salle University Dasmarinas and De La Salle University Manila, among others.

Quinito appears on TV as a sports commentator for the Philippine Basketball Association, professional boxing bouts and other sports shows. He has also covered numerous international events, including the NBA Finals, the NBA All-Star Game and world title fights involving Manny Pacquiao, Luisito Espinosa, Nonito Donaire and Brian Viloria in nearly three decades of sportscasting.

In 2004, Quinito was inducted into the De La Salle Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to sports as a pillar in the media industry.

He is married to Carmencita Genato and they have one child, Cristina.