THE term 'strategic' has become a buzzword, heavily used in business and government, often to the point of overuse and misuse. In the Philippines, many organizations and institutions emphasize the word without fully understanding or properly applying its true meaning. While strategic implies a long-term, high-level approach to achieving goals, its indiscriminate use can dilute its significance, leading to confusion and inefficiency.

The concept of strategy originated in military contexts, which referred to the art of planning and directing large-scale military operations to achieve long-term objectives. Over time, the term has been adopted in business and government to signify deliberate, high-level decisions made to steer organizations toward specific, overarching goals. In this context, 'strategic' actions are those that align with an organization's mission, vision and long-term objectives, focusing on sustainable success rather than immediate, short-term gains.