April 2008
Happy 78th birthday,
Mr. Oscar M. Lopez!
Available online at www.benpres-holdings.com
First Holdings
issues P5B in
preferred shares ...p.2
‘DZMM TeleRadyo’:
Radio reinvented
“You get a peep into the workings of a
radio station. It’s like reality radio,” ABSCBN VP-Manila Radio Division Peter
Musngi says as he explains the concept
of “DZMM TeleRadyo,” the first of its
kind in the Philippines. The award-winning AM station DZMM 630 launched
“DZMM TeleRadyo” on April 12, 2007
through a live video broadcast of its radio
feed aired on cable television.
With the advent of new media, “radio in the Philippines and even in the
US is somewhat declining. Even in the
National Association of Broadcasters
Turn to page 6
‘PBB Teen Edition Plus’:
Bigger and better! ... page 5
Double celebration
MML is CEO Excel winner,
Meralco celebrates 105th
Red-hot
Rockwell
... page 12
Meralco chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Manuel M. Lopez
(MML) recently received the CEO
Excel Award from the International
Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines for outstanding communication leadership in the
utilities, transportation, information
technology and telecommunications
category.
The award recognizes MML for
his leadership in bringing together
diverse professions in the 105-year-
Meralco chairman and CEO Manuel M. Lopez
(left) with IABC India Chapter chairman Bish
Turn to page 2 Mukherjee.
Lopezlink
Lopezlink April
April 2008
First Holdings issues P5B in preferred shares
First Philippine Holdings
Corp. (FPHC) pushed ahead
with its plan to offer as much
as P5 billion worth of preferred shares after submitting
the documentary requirements
to the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC).
In a disclosure, the company said it hopes to raise at
least P3 billion through the
sale, “with a provision for an
additional P2B depending on
the market’s response.”
A fraction of the money
raised from the sale, about
MML is CEO Excel...
from page 1
old utility and steering the privately
owned and blue chip electric distribution company through a rapidly
changing power industry.
The CEO Excel is given to senior
executives who have successfully
harnessed communication in advancing the reputation, enhancing
the profitability and/or achieving
major stakeholder objectives for
their organization.
Champion
As chairman and CEO, MML
championed Meralco’s five corporate thrusts for 2007 by leading the
strategic management committee
where details were threshed out
among different areas of operations.
He was also cited for advocating at
different employee forums to explain
these thrusts to employees.
These corporate thrusts were:
included corporate image building,
regulatory management, system loss
reduction, operational efficiency
and financial management. Due to
MML’s efforts, the company was
able to achieve the latter two.
For the first time in seven years,
a stock and a cash dividend were declared, while the gains of a P12-billion refinancing of outstanding loans
were effected, enabling the company
to achieve stability and a more posi-
P1.5B, will be used to “repay
or refinance debts and to fund
acquisitions in power and
infrastructure,” the company
said. Another P1B will be
allocated for “strategic acquisitions and/or investments”
in shares of Meralco, First
tive rating from its investors. In addition, Meralco’s subsidiaries earned,
giving the mother company a stronger financial position for 2008.
Near world-class standards
The gains of five years of implementation of the corporate image
program were also encouraging: the
Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)
for residential customers surpassed
the level of 7 in 2007 for the first
time since the 2003 refund issue.
This raised Meralco to the near
world-class customer satisfaction
standard of 8 among service companies.
IABC is a professional network
of over 14,000 business communication professionals in over 70 countries. The Philippine chapter was the
first to be established in Asia and
continues to be among the most active chapters. It gives the CEO Excel
Award to senior executives who have
successfully harnessed communication in advancing the reputation,
enhancing the profitability and/or
achieving major stakeholder objectives for their organization.
‘MeralcOlympics’
Another Meralco milestone was
the company’s Olympic Gamesstyle 105th anniversary celebration
and Employees Week.
With the Performance Based
Regulation (PBR) regime already
in effect, “MeralcOlympics 2008”
E-jeep: Meralco’s response
to ‘Clean and Green’ drive
Meralco backed the Clean Energy
and Energy Efficiency campaigns of the
Department of Energy (DOE) even as it
celebrated its 105th anniversary recently.
Streamers were rolled out in Meralco
offices and branches to support the
campaign and to remind customers and
employees about the DOE initiatives.
Also unveiled was an electric
jeepney, which the company bought to
showcase the capabilities and potential
of electric vehicles to reduce smoke
emissions in the country.
Maiden run
The vehicle was inaugurated
through a maiden run in the Meralco
compound in Ortigas Center, Pasig
City. The e-jeep is equipped with a fivehorsepower engine and runs solely on
electricity. Charging time is 10 hours,
with eight hours of use. It can seat 17
persons and goes 120 kilometers at a
speed of 40 kilometers per hour.
The e-jeep was deployed for transportation duties for Meralco employees
and guests during the weeklong anniversary celebrations, which proved
how effective and reliable the vehicle
is for real-world use. Because of this,
two units of the e-jeep will be used at
the Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center (MMLDC)
in Antipolo City.
‘Shift to CFL’
In addition, Meralco started its
“Shift to CFL (compact fluorescent
lamps)” campaign by highlighting
energy lighting conservation tips in its
website, www.meralco.com.ph. Other
ads and promos related to the campaign will be rolled out in the following
months.
With these efforts, Meralco shows
that not only has it been a provider of
comfort and convenience to its customers for the past 105 years, it is also looking forward as part of a bigger global
family to a cleaner, safer and greener
environment.
(Tonichi
Agoncillo,
Meralco Marketing)
Philippine Infrastructure Inc.
(FPII), First Philippine Infrastructure Development Corp.
(FPIDC) and Manila North
Tollways Corp. (MNTC), and
investments in manufacturing.
“The company intends to...
partially finance the acquisi-
tion of additional equity interest in Meralco shares held
by the national government
and/or
government-owned
or -controlled corporations,”
the company said, in addition to eyeing an increase in
its shareholdings in MNTC if
(L-R) Meralco chairman and CEO Manuel M. Lopez, Gawad Yorac
winner Milwilda Guevara, Senate President Manny Villar and UP
President Emerlinda Roman at the Meralco Theater.
Educator is Gawad
Yorac awardee
emphasized the need for employees
to deliver their best performance
in a competitive and deregulated
environment. With the tagline “105
Years of Excellence: Record Breaking Performance,” the celebration
also paid tribute to the employees
for their hard work, malasakit and
dedication, while revisiting the
company’s 105 years of rich history.
Competitions
Activities were lined up in the
tradition of the Olympic motto of
“Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Faster,
Higher, Stronger): lineman’s rodeo,
lineman Olympics, fire brigade, fun
run, “A-MACE-ing Race,” “kiddie-lympics,” interschool basketball
and volleyball competitions, and
the highly charged cheering competitions pitting the Shared, Supply,
Network and Subsidiary groups of
the company.
Meralco’s version of the game
show “1 vs. 100,” called “G1 vs.
105,” had game master par excellence Edu Manzano as host. A photo
contest and the WIT & PRIME inhouse conventions also highlighted
the artistry of Meralco employees
and departments.
The employees’ families and the
general public enjoyed the weeklong celebrations that included an
appliance fair, “Karnabal sa Obal,”
kiddie show, tiangge, “Cinemania”
(free movies) and chess exhibition
games.
Defining moments
The 105 years of Meralco
were highlighted through exhibits:
“Meralco Shining Moments,” photos
of Meralco’s defining moments during calamities and crises, the display
of Meralco photo contest entries
and the CSRO (Corporate Social
Responsibility Office) exhibit. A
theatre employee production “Trip
Mo, Trip Ko” reenacted milestones
in Meralco’s history through songs
and dances from the 1900s to present.
No Olympic celebration is
complete without the awarding
ceremonies and tributes. There was
the Meralco-University of the Philippines (UP) 2nd Gawad Haydee
Yorac awarding ceremony. Aside
from the awarding ceremony for the
OML is ‘Hero of
Philanthropy’
any of its partners in the North
Luzon Expressway (NLEX)
project unload their interest.
About P500 million will be
earmarked to “finance capital
and operating requirements
and other general corporate
purposes,” First Holdings said.
Meralco, in cooperation with the University of the Philippines (UP), recently honored Milwilda “Nene” M. Guevara
in the 2nd Gawad Haydee Yorac held at the Meralco Theater
in Ortigas Center, Pasig.
Guevara, president and CEO of Synergeia Foundation
Inc., was cited for her exemplary work in providing underprivileged children with access to quality basic education.
Her method in implementing basic education reform programs to the grassroots has inspired leaders from all over
the country.
The Gawad Haydee Yorac perpetuates the memory of
the former Presidential Commission on Good Government
(PCGG) chair and 2004 Ramon Magsaysay awardee and her
outstanding accomplishments. It is an annual search in recognition of leaders and public servants who possess attributes,
practice personal work ethics and live personal lives worth
emulating.
The first recipient of the award, in 2007, was Gawad Kalinga’s Antonio Meloto. (Meralco Corporate Communication)
(Top photo) Meralco chairman and CEO Manuel M. Lopez (standing, 7th from left)
and president and COO Jesus P. Francisco (standing, 5th from left) handed plaques of
exemplary performance to 14 outstanding employees and Model Employee trophies
to two others in corporate rites honoring top office and individual achievers held
March 14 at the Meralco Theater. (Lower photos) The opening ceremonies on March 7
with Francisco and Lopez lighting the cauldron at the Meralco Center grounds. Reminiscent of the Olympic Games, the opening activity featured other Meralco officials,
105 linemen and Olympic silver medalist Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco as bearers of the
flame.
2008
Forbes Asia magazine recently
named Lopez Group chairman Oscar
M. Lopez (O ML) as one of the “Heroes of Philanthropy” in Asia.
Four philanthropists each from
12 Asian countries were included in
the March cover story titled “48 Altruists.”
The Forbes profile of OML:
“Chair of the Lopez Inc. media
group, which controls ABS-CBN
Broadcasting Corp. Family has
been wealthy since the 19th century.
Donated 37 acres of family land to
116 Guimaras Island families still
suffering from the 2006 oil spill.
Lopez Group Foundation is helping to set up a cooperative farming
venture there. In 1999 he started
First Philippine Conservation Inc.
(FPCI), which works to protect the
country’s largest remaining block
of old-growth rainforest in Sierra
Madre range.”
Joining OML on the Forbes list
were Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
II, chair and CEO of Ayala Corporation; John Gokongwei Jr., founder of
JG Summit Holdings Inc. (JGSHI);
and Ramon del Rosario Jr., president
of Philippine Investment Management (Phinma).
3rd lowest since Oct. ‘04
Meralco clarifies generation charge adjustment
Meralco’s
generation
charge of P4.3998 per kilowatt/hour (kWh) for March
2008 is the third lowest
level since October 2004.
This represents a substantial
P1.30/kWh reduction from the
generation charge of P5.6764/
kWh in July 2007 when the
automatic adjustments were
restored, Meralco said.
While it is higher by 19.39
centavos than the P4.1946
per kWh generation charge
billed to customers in February, it is still lower than the
P4.42 per kWh billed during
the 10-month period when the
automatic adjustments were
suspended.
“…This is merely a costrecovery mechanism and revenue neutral. We never gain a
single centavo from changes
in the cost of power supply
that is passed on to our customers,” explained Meralco
vice president for corporate
communications Elpi Cuna
Jr.
Cuna said that the increase
was primarily because of the
upsurge in Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM)
prices. (Meralco Corporate
Communication)
Bayan has lot of things to dance about
Charo is new
ABS-CBN president
winners of the games, there was a
tribute to Meralco linemen, the service awards for employees and the
corporate rites, which recognized
the company’s model citizens.
There was also a testimonial dinner for outstanding employees and
a tribute to the women executives
who helped transform the formerly
male-dominated company with
their wit, candor, passion and work
ethic.
Capping the Olympic-themed
celebration was an outdoor thanksgiving mass, a reprise of the lights
and sound presentation to close
the event, and a street party for
employees and families with fireworks display and celebrity guests,
a banquet reminiscent of the ancient
Olympic Games, a fitting salute to
all the men and women of Meralco
as well as their families—victors all
for sharing in 105 years of service
excellence. (Meralco Corporate
Communication)
Charo Santos-Concio
was appointed as the new
president of ABS-CBN
Broadcasting Corporation
in March, taking over from
interim president Eugenio
Lopez III, who remains
chair and CEO of the network.
Santos-Concio joined
ABS-CBN as consultant
in 1987 and jumped on
the fast track, moving up
to director for programs
in 1989, vice president of
production operations in
1991, senior vice president
of TV production in 1996. She was promoted to executive
vice president in 1998 upon taking on the responsibility of
overseeing all the entertainment content of ABS-CBN.
In April 2006, she was assigned to the position of
network head, giving her total business responsibilities.
She brought greater synergy between sales, marketing,
and production, which enabled the company to deliver
remarkable business results for the past two years.
Santos-Concio, who completed the Advanced Management Program in Harvard Business School last year, is
the fifth—and the first female—president of ABS-CBN.
(Kane Choa)
Bayan had everyone shuffling their feet to festive
samba music at the Networking Reception Dinner of the
8th e-Services Philippines:
Global Sourcing Conference
and Exhibition recently.
“This is our fourth year hosting the e-Services Networking
Reception Dinner and we want
to live up to our promise of being kakaiba,” said Bayan vice
president for corporate brand
and communications John
Rojo. “So we made sure we
gave everyone something that
they’ll talk about until the next
e-Services.”
Bayan turned the esplanade
into a Mardi Gras celebration
when Escola de Samba Manila
dancers sashayed onto the dance
floor. Equally worthy of a Bayan Wireless Landline (BWL)
unlimited call is the O&O Excellence Award given by Bayan
The Bayan Business sales and
marketing team enjoy the ‘Samba
Night’ fun.
(L-R) Jon Arayata, Bayan Business key accounts head; Dr. Cayetano
Paderanga of IDEA Inc.; Department of Trade and Industry Senior
Undersecretary Thomas Aquino; Tunde Fafunwa, Bayan chief executive consultant; DTI Asst. Secretary Fe Agoncillo-Reyes; Oscar Sanez,
BPAP CEO; Brigs Merin, VP-Bayan Business, John Rojo, VP- Bayan
Corp. brand and communications.
chief executive consultant
Tunde Fafunwa to TeleTech in
recognition of its unparalleled
support of the outsourcing and
offshoring (O&O) industry.
Fafunwa also presented
“B2Biz,” Bayan’s O&O report endorsed by the Business
Processing Association of the
Philippines (BPA/P), the Contact Center Association of the
Philippines (CCAP), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Commission
on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).
With its comprehensive and
in-depth studies, “B2Biz” is
definitely the ultimate O&O
traveler’s guide.
“Helping Filipino subscribers with their communication needs through BWL
and bayanDSL, being a guide
to major O&O players through
the industry with ‘B2Biz’—it
has been a fantastic year
starter for Bayan,” said Rojo.
“And yes, we definitely have
a lot of things to dance about.”
(Freyja D. Santos)
‘s 24x7 SMS hotlines: Service in a flash
Good news! Metro Manila subscribers
now have more ways to contact SkyCable!
Just send a text message to the SkyCable
24x7 SMS hotlines for service-related inquiries or other questions and a customer
care agent will get back to you in a flash.
 0917-631-0000 (for Globe, Touch
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Text and Sun Cellular subscribers)
These numbers are for text messages only. Standard rates apply. To
talk to a customer care agent, call
the SkyCable 24x7 hotline, 6310000.
Lopezlink
Lopezlink April
April 2008
couch potato
PR CHALLENGE
Wanted: ‘Chief attention officers’ who see around corners
The scope of corporate communications or corp comm work
is getting bigger and the role of
practitioners becoming ever more
critical, thanks to new media that
put whatever anyone—and that
means anyone—says out on the
street in a matter of hours. As
seen in the case of the lurid tell-all
blog that initially targeted a small
group of socialites but ended up
smearing mud on innocent people
and institutions, you never know
when you or your company will
end up as collateral damage.
An article from the Financial
Times by Stefan Stern describes the
kind of work corp comm people
should all be doing—and this includes risk and reputation management. To underscore this expanding
role, the Management Association
of the Philippines (MAP) has
included risk management in
their Best Annual Report Awards
criteria (i.e. # 2.3—”Board’s clear
involvement in company-wide risk
management, which must state that
the board is involved (if they are) in
company-wide risk management”).
Excerpt from the article:
Crisis management is just one
of the disciplines that feature in
the burgeoning job description of
the corporate affairs director. The
responsibilities that come with
the role justify its rather grand
title, and explain why companies use a variety of labels to
try to capture the scope of the
job: “external/public affairs,”
“policy and communications,”
“corporate relations” and “corporate communications.”
Many corporate affairs executives have come from a media
relations background. But while a
reactive press office will always be
required by businesses, it can only
ever form part of what today, necessarily, is a much larger operation.
No longer in control
Consider the arguments set
out in a recent report by the USbased Arthur W. Page Society’s
“The Authentic Enterprise”,
“Companies used to control their
identities, value propositions and
the content of the messages about
themselves,” the report says. But
today, information about a company is “created, exchanged and
modified by a vast,
distribut-
ed
e c o system
of
employees, customers, partners,
communities and
interest groups.”
Managers
used to have control
over the channels of
communication, the
paper adds. “Today,
channels are exploding in number,
easy to use, freely available and,
as a result, now ‘belong’ to everyone.” As the society notes: “We are
no longer in control.”
‘Chief attention officers’
No wonder businesses increasingly look to corporate affairs gurus to provide something akin to
an early warning system, a way of
anticipating
potent i a l
problems
a n d
putting
mechain place to deal
nisms
with them.
Basil Towers, of the UK -based
consultancy Hesleden, notes the
emergence of a new breed of such
“chief attention officers” within
corporations. “A corporate affairs director might now have to
develop a greater focus on major
public policy issues, build an intelligent position on human rights
and establish relationships with
NGOs (nongovernment organizations) and diplomats,” he says.
Part of the core team
Simon Lewis, group corporate affairs director at UK telco
Vodafone, confirms that his role
has many more elements to it than
the central task of media relations.
“For me it is about being in at the
start of major transactions… You
aren’t just waiting outside the
boardroom, waiting for the communications draft to be handed
over to you,” he says.
The speed with which news
travels means corporate affairs
teams have to be equipped to
deal with emerging crises all the
time. They also have to be ready
to provide a clear interpretation
of corporate activity to a range of
audiences, not only the media.
Looking inwards, outwards
And then there is the question
of keeping the board informed and
ready for foreseeable eventualities.
Ian Wright, corporate relations director at premium drinks company
Diageo, submits a monthly risk
report to his board. “This includes
our up-to-date assessment of current reputation risks against our
established profile,” he says.
The corporate affairs director
has to look inwards and outwards
at the same time. Internal communications are every bit as important
as what a company tells the outside
world. As one chief executive told
the report’s writers: “Whatever
you say internally can show up in
the media almost immediately.”
Ability to see around corners
Another explains that the role
requires considerable skill. “You
want the head of your communications staff to be stronger than you’ve
been willing to deal with in the past.
More experienced, with a higherquality thinking process, being able
to see around the corners, and with
a broader experience base.”
In the difficult trading conditions of 2008, corporate affairs
directors have something to feel
cheerful about. As one seasoned
professional puts it: “This is a
recession-proof discipline.”
Excerpted from the Financial
Times, Feb. 2008. Stefan Stern
writes a weekly column on management for the Financial Times’
“Business Life” section, appearing on Tuesdays. He has been
writing about business, finance
and management for the past 15
years. Previously he has worked
for the BBC and Management
Today magazine.
OUR VERY OWN
Lopezes also cited for being social investors
AIM confers top distinction on Gina Lopez
ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) managing director Gina Lopez was chosen as
one of three alumni to receive the highest
distinction given by the Asian Institute of
Management (AIM) called the Alumni
Achievement Award or Triple A.
The award was conferred on Lopez
and fellow awardees Manuel Salak
and Pahamin A. Rajab of Malaysia as
part of the institute’s 40th anniversary
celebration in Makati City recently.
Lopez, the first ever Master in Development Management (MDM 1993)
alumna to receive the distinction, has
long been at the forefront of civil society as managing director of AFI.
In his announcement of the award,
Greg Atienza of the Federation of
AIM Alumni (FAIM) acknowledged
Lopez’s achievements and expertise in
CSR.
“She has harnessed the technology
of ABS-CBN Broadcasting in novel
ways for social good, and has been a
pioneer in media-based philanthropy,
utilizing the network’s resources to
generate concern and awareness for
ABS-CBN Foundation’s programs and
projects.
“From rescue to education, from
protection to financial security, up to
the preservation of nature, she has pro-
LAA corner
Screening
committee picks
9 semifinalists
The Lopez Achievement Award (LAA) screening committee has selected nine semifinalists
out of the 17 team nominations it received in
January. These nominations will be forwarded
to the panel of judges who will determine the
best among the Lopez Group achievers. The
names of the teams and their achievements will
be formally communicated to their nominators,
team contact and HR-LAA Ambassador this
April.
The screening committee is composed of
volunteer, functional experts from the different companies of the Lopez Group. The LAA
program management thanks the members of
the committee for sharing their expertise and
astute judgment in selecting nominations that
embody the LAA. (Bheng S. Relatado-Rubia)
vided through the AFI, an all-around
design for the Filipino child,” Atienza
wrote.
Meanwhile, AIM paid tribute to the
Lopezes at the same event for their role
in establishing the institute 40 years
ago. As one of the pioneer investors
of AIM, Eugenio H. Lopez in 1968
financed the building of the institute’s
physical structures through his contribution of P5 million.
Meralco chairman Manuel M.
Lopez and ABS-CBN Broadcasting
Corp. chairman Eugenio Lopez III
received the award on behalf of the
Lopez family.
Eugenio Lopez III and Manuel M. Lopez with Jose
Cuisia.
Making Baldrige work for you
Are you in need of a tool that would help determine
the health of the systems, processes and well-being of
your organization, in aid of your strategic planning,
to jumpstart change initiatives or to check progress
against target performance?
Self-assessment is one way to go, and the Baldrige Criteria come in handy as a comprehensive,
systematic assessment tool.
Self-assessment training
The Baldrige Criteria serve as the assessment
tool for the Oscar M. Lopez Award for Performance
Excellence (Oscars). It also serves as a template for
companies pursuing business excellence. Companies in the Lopez Group that have applied for the
award use the Baldrige in both ways. But a company
does not need to apply for the award to experience
Baldrige.
On April 16-18, the Business Excellence
Office is offering “Baldrige at Your Fingertips:
A Training on Self-Assessment,” which aims
Shows on the new
Celebrity Central Block
Tune in to Celebrity Central’s primetime daily offerings on Celebrity
Central Block at 9 p.m. On Mondays,
Cinema One counts down celebrity
favorites in “Celebrity Hit List.” On
Tuesdays, “Persona” unveils well-loved
celebrities who tell all about their lives.
On Wednesdays, “My Space” features
celebrity houses and living spaces.
“VIP Pass” on Thursdays updates
viewers on product launchings, fashion shows, weddings and
movie premieres. “Cinemanews Weekend Edition” on Fridays is
packed with celebrity updates and showbiz intrigues.
Cinema One is available on SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver
and other quality cable operators. (Katherine Solis)
“Inside the Cinema” is a once-a-month, onehour television special on Cinema One
hosted by Boy Abunda. What makes it
different from other talk shows is that
it is witnessed by members of the academic community, who may also be
participants or even virtual hosts in
the exchange between host and
guest. The overall orientation of
the program is that of a by-invitation-only film conference,
where the objective is not to see
“artista,” but true actors; not just
to listen to great practitioners,
but to study and know them as
well.
Make your way “Inside the
Cinema” every second Tuesday of
the month at 9 p.m. on the Celebrity Central block. (K. Solis)
to empower management and change agents to
conduct self-assessment whenever they need it,
and use the results to fullest. The session will be
conducted by Paul Steel, a Baldrige trainer and
alumni examiner who had helped companies and
institutions in the US and Asia in their Baldrige
journey.
Alternative
As an alternative to self-assessment, the Business Excellence Office is also offering the Pitstop
Assessment on a year-round basis. The BE Office
will tap its pool of Baldrige-trained examiners to
conduct focus interviews. There is less time investment but the organization will still reap the reward
of external feedback that details its strengths and
opportunities for improvement.
For more information about the self-assessment training and the Pitstop Assessment, contact
the Business Excellence Office at tel. nos. 4496005 / 449-6035; email [email protected] /
[email protected]; or mobile nos. 0917-8270757
/ 09175-306380.
Gina Lopez with Education
Secretary Jesli Lapus
OSCARS corner
Update: 2007 Oscars
THE Oscar Awards are now in the
site visit review stage, the last
stage in the three-stage review
process. After that, the examiners will present the results of their
assessment and submit their feedback
report. The feedback report details the strengths and opportunities for improvement of the company—a vital
document for strategic planning and for focusing the
company’s improvement efforts. The judges will convene in April to decide on recognition levels.
The awarding ceremony for the Oscars (the 2007
Business Excellence Awards) will be held in July
2008 with the other Business Excellence Programs:
Environment, Safety and Health-Business Assessment
and Rating System (ESH-BARS), Six Sigma and the
Lopez Achievement Award (LAA).
Critical dates
For those who are interested to apply for the Oscars, deadline for the submission of letter of intent is
on April 28, 2008. For inquiries, please contact the
program management at 449-6005 / 449-6035.
ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) now
carries Al Jazeera English’s news from its
broadcast center in Kuala Lumpur live from
4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. This
followed as ANC forged a content distribution partnership with Al Jazeera English, an English-language
news and current affairs channel based in the Middle East
The half hour segment is anchored by former ABS-CBN,
CNN and BBC journalist Veronica Pedrosa (in photo) and highlights the reports of Marga Ortigas, a former CNN and “Probe
Team” reporter/producer.
A Taiwanese television station has begun airing episodes
of “Sana Maulit Muli,” the hit
TV soap that gave birth to the
Kim Chiu-Gerald Anderson love
team.
Bong Osorio, head of ABSCBN corporate communications,
said that Taiwan Public Television Service Channel 13 bought
the rights to “Sana Maulit Muli,”
which was aired in the Philippines from January 8, 2007 to
April 20, 2007.
The show has been dubbed in
Taiwanese and renamed “Chances” for the Taiwanese audience. It
is being aired in Taiwan Mondays
to Fridays at 11 p.m.
Osorio said he hopes the airing of “Sana Maulit Muli” in
Taiwan will begin a trend of Filipino-produced series being aired
there. He said other TV stations
in Taiwan have already expressed
interest in acquiring other ABSCBN titles after the success of
“Chances.”
Before “Sana Maulit Muli,”
ABS-CBN sold “Pangako
sa ‘Yo,” another drama
series, to the international
market. The show, which
stars Jericho Rosales
and Kristine
Hermosa,
has
been
aired
in
Southeast
Asia
and
Africa. (K.
Choa)
Kim Atienza explores world of the unknown
Join trivia king Kim Atienza as
he goes around the country to
search for interesting information, demystify legends, unveil
nature’s mysteries and showcase
the Philippines’ vast cultural and
natural resources in “Matanglawin.”
Also, meet amazing people as
Atienza immerses himself in communities, talking to communitybased resource persons with different expertise on various fields.
“Tumalon ako sa gilid ng mga
bundok, nag-bisikleta ako, nagdive ako at naghanap ng susong
nakamamatay sa ilalim ng dagat,
humarap sa cobra,” Atienza shared.
“Talagang exciting at adventurous
bawat episode ng ‘Matanglawin.’”
Catch the exciting adventures
of Kim Atienza in “Matanglawin”
weekdays after “Bandila” on
ABS-CBN! (K. Choa)
ABS-CBN backs KBP on ad load rule
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation declared its full support
for the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas’ (KBP) call for
broadcast networks to abide by the
KBP rule limiting the commercial
load of programs to a maximum
of 18 minutes per hour.
Bong Osorio, head of ABSCBN corporate communica-
tions, said the Kapamilya network is committed to following
KBP’s commercial load limit in
order to give better value to its
advertisers and viewers.
He pointed out two reasons
for adhering to the KBP’s 18-minutes-per-hour advertising rule.
“First, the limit safeguards
the public from possible abuse
by broadcast organizations in
shortening programs to accommodate more airtime for
commercial loads. Sacrificing
program content for profit is doing a disservice to the public,”
he said.
“Second, the cap prevents
broadcast stations from flooding
the market with excessive com-
mercials. Limiting the number
of TV and radio spots lessen
the advertising clutter, thereby
making the ads more effective,”
he added.
According to Osorio, ABSCBN will comply with the commercial load limit despite the
huge demand for ad placement
reservations in its programs.
Teen Edition Plus update
Future superstars descend on Kuya’s house
Alex, 18
Ejay, 18
Jolas, 18
Jieriel, 16
Linda, 16
Nicole, 17
Josef, 16
Kevin, 18
Nan, 17
Robi, 18
Be amazed by ‘Gaby’s
Xtraordinary Files’
When ABS-CBN conceptualized a new show featuring scenes from the Discovery Channel, no other host
came to mind but Formula 3
driver Gaby de la Merced. Called “Gaby’s
Xtraordinary Files,” the
45-minute show brings
extraordinary videos and
information from the Discovery Channel.
Catch it every Sunday
after “ASAP ‘08” and
get a dose of interesting facts and amazing
features on science,
history, travel, food,
culture, technology,
civilization and a lot
more! (K. Solis)
‘Kimerald’ soap a hit in Taiwan
‘Inside the Cinema’ with Boy Abunda
Al Jazeera English
news on ANC
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE corner
By Bheng S. Relatado-Rubia
treats
2008
Andito na sila! Nakilala na
noong March 23, 2008 ang labindalawang teen housemates
na magiging kabarkada natin
ngayong summer sa “Pinoy
Big Brother Teen Edition Plus.”
Suot ang kanilang costumes na
inspired ng iba’t ibang sports
at extracurricular activities at
interests, isa-isang pinakilala at
pumasok sa makulay na Moroccan/Mexican/Spanish
“PBB”
house ang mga teen housemates.
Priscilla, 17
Rona, 16
The housemates. Kasama
sa bagong barkada sina Ejay,
ang promdi hottie ng Mindoro;
Kevin, ang Spanish stallion ng
Madrid; Nicole, ang “in chick”
ng Cebu; Linda, ang bikini babe
ng Iriga; Nan, ang junior kengkoy ng Davao; Alex, ang Italian
Valentino ng Milan; Rona, ang
prisoner’s daughter ng Dumaguete; Jieriel, ang bubbly girl
ng Davao; Jolas, ang gentle giant ng Bulacan; Beauty, ang re-
Valerie, 18
Beauty, 16
bellious beauty ng Dumaguete;
Valerie, the dazzling doll; at si
Priscilla, ang deaf dreamer ng
Davao.
Pinakilala rin ang “plus” sa
“PBB Teen Edition Plus”: ang
Atenistang si Robi, 18, at ang
La Sallistang si Josef, 16, na
binigyan kaagad ng special task
ni Kuya.
The hosts. Maliban kay
Toni Gonzaga, main host na
rin si Luis Manzano sa “PBB
Teen Edition Plus.” Si Bianca
Gonzalez ay mapapanood sa
“PBBTEP Uber,” habang si
Mariel Rodriguez ay magbibigay ng up-to-the-minute reports
sa “PBBTEP Update.”
The prizes. The prizes, to
date, include cash and an appliance showcase for each of
the top four finishers; a Sony
Vaio laptop each for the top
three; and, for the top winner,
an additional 46-inch LCD, a
negosyo package from Crystal
Clear worth P1.5 million, and
a condo unit from Globe Asiatique.
Abangan ang future teen
superstars sa kanilang pakikipagsapalaran sa Bahay ni Kuya
ngayong summer! Pumili na ng
inyong paboritong housemate!
Catch “PBBTEP” Mondays to
Fridays at 9 p.m. pagkatapos ng
“Lobo.” Ang “PBBTEP Uber”
ay mapapanood tuwing 5:30
p.m., at ang “Update” ay magiging available at regular intervals
throughout the day.
Lopezlink
Lopezlink April
April 2008
milestones
22 years of DZMM
Undisputed leadership
through public service
Throughout its history, DZMM has proven to be first in groundbreaking reportage, spearheading remarkable campaigns and
plunging head-on to cover newsworthy events.
1986
The Presidential Commission
on Good Government (PCGG)
returns ABS-CBN Broadcasting
Corporation’s two radio stations, DWWW and DWOK-FM;
DWWW is renamed DZMM,
with the tagline “Ang Himpilan
ng Malayang Mamamayan.”
1987
DZMM starts building a
remarkable roster of broadcasters that includes Korina
Sanchez, Frankie Evangelista
and Neil Ocampo. “Radyo
Patrol” reporters provide a
comprehensive coverage of
the Doña Paz sea tragedy that
killed more than 4,000 people.
1988-1989
“Radyo Patrol” reporters prove
their reliability in covering
numerous coup attempts,
typhoon tragedies and the
death of former President
Ferdinand Marcos.
1990
DZMM airs a comprehensive coverage of the killer
earthquake that devastated
the provinces of Nueva
Ecija, Baguio, Tarlac, Nueva
Vizcaya, and Metro Manila. Ted
Failon joins DZMM’s roster of
broadcasters, changing the
AM landscape with his distinct
style of broadcasting.
1991
“Aksyon Ngayon,” the first
DZMM program dedicated to
public service, soars to the top
of the ratings list.
1993
“Pulis, Pulis, Kung Umaksyon
Mabilis” is launched. It aims to
inform the public of the workings of the Philippine National
Police (PNP), anchored by Noli
de Castro.
1994
The station receives four
major citations from the 4th
Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster
sa Pilipinas (KBP) Golden Dove
Awards: Best Radio Public
Service Program, Best Radio
Drama Program, Best Female
Public Affairs Host, and Best
Male Public Affairs Host.
1995
DZMM’s radio documentary,
“Ang Kasaysayan ng Radyo
sa Pilipinas,” is the first radio
special cited by three awardgiving bodies: the Catholic
Mass Media Awards (CMMA),
KBP and Golden Pearl.
1996
DZMM wins in the Best AM
radio Station category in the
6th KBP Golden Dove Awards.
1997
A segment called “Hoy! Tubig!”
airs on DZMM, the station’s
contribution to mitigate the
impact of El Niño.
1998
DZMM vice president Noli
de Castro reintroduces the
station as “DZMM Radyo Patrol
Sais-Trenta.” The station wins
the KBP Golden Dove Award
for Best AM Radio Station for
the fourth year in a row, and
starts airing comprehensive
traffic updates through “Sky
Patrol.”
1999
The Advertising Board of the
Philippines (AdBoard) cites
DZMM’s “Iwas Dagdag-Bawas”
and “Oplan MM ‘98” campaigns as outstanding public
service messages, besting
more than 100 entries.
The station stages the first
AM radio-sponsored fun run,
“Run for Your Heart,” and airs
“Opinyon Ko, Pakinggan Mo,”
the first live airing of public
opinion on the hottest issues
of the day.
2000
DZMM tops the KBP
coincidental radio survey in
the primetime block.
Renamed “Takbo Para sa
Kalikasan,” the station’s fun
run is bigger and better, while
“Ang Paglilitis,” the impeachment coverage of “DZMM
Radyo Patrol,” becomes the
public’s first source of information on the impeachment
proceedings against President
Joseph Estrada.
2001
DZMM celebrates its 15th
anniversary of broadcasting
with its tagline, “Una sa Balita,
Una sa Public Service.”
The station taps the
power of text messaging with
“DZMM TXTPATROL,” enabling
listeners to report newsworthy events, and goes global
with its incorporation in the
programming of The Filipino
Channel (TFC).
2002
DZMM is again cited as the
Best AM Station in Metro
Manila during the 12th KBP
Golden Dove Awards.
2004
DZMM produces “Musikasaysayan,” a concert highlighting
the talents of Sanchez, Failon,
Vice President De Castro,
Charo Santos-Concio, Senator
Kiko Pangilinan, Joey Lina, Julius Babao and Tintin Bersola,
with the special participation
of Sen. Mar Roxas.
2005
“Radyo Patrol’s” Anthony
Taberna is the first reporter to
air a portion of the controversial “Hello Garci” tape.
2006
The program “Sikapinoy” is conferred an Anvil Award of Merit
by the Public Relations Society
of the Philippines (PRSP).
DZMM launches the
“Natatanging Kapamilya
Awards” as a tribute to unsung
heroes of the community.
The station caps off its 20th
anniversary celebration with a
concert, “20MM,” at the Araneta
Coliseum in Quezon City.
2007
DZMM pioneers the new
face of radio with “DZMM
TeleRadyo.” Radio listeners
not only hear, but also watch
their favorite radio anchors
as DZMM is televised via
SkyCable Channel 26.
2008
The ninth installment of “Takbo
Para sa Kalikasan” is aired live
over “DZMM TeleRadyo.”
‘DZMM Teleradyo’...
from page 1
Convention in America, the main
concern is reinventing and reigniting
radio,” Musngi says.
Another challenge for DZMM is to
capture the younger generation, as AM
radio usually caters more to adult listeners.
“What we want to do is to create programs that will also catch the attention,
if not the loyalty, of the younger crowd,”
Musngi says. He adds that “millennials,”
the 14- to 24-year-old generation, grew
up with little exposure to radio.
“Millennials” spend a chunk of their
time on the Internet, downloading music
and videos, blogging and joining social
networking sites, and listening to their
iPods. They tune in to AM radio only
when they’re in the car or if there’s a typhoon. “If you cannot capture them, the
14-year-old ‘millennials,’ they will still
not listen to AM radio even when they
grow up,” notes Musngi.
Redefine, reinvent
ABS-CBN Radio is preparing for the
onslaught of new media even as their
effects are not yet as intense as in other
parts of the world, particularly the United
States. Thus, Musngi, together with
ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III,
thought of redefining and reinventing
radio by bringing radio into television
to capture a wider audience and expand
its availability and broadcast reach. This
eventually paved the way for the breakthrough known as “DZMM TeleRadyo.”
Meet the
“If you want to resuscitate radio, you
have to make it available to many people—on the Internet, globally, through
cell phones and video streaming,” Musngi says about their strategy. They make
radio accessible to traditional and potential radio listeners, which include those
who are into new media and television.
Musngi explains that “DZMM TeleRadyo” breathes new life into listeners’
auditory experience as it now combines
audio and video, which reinforce each
other. Anyone can tune in to DZMM
anytime, whether at home or on the road.
DZMM TeleRadyo uses robotics cameras
to capture every action in the booth.
He points out that despite “DZMM
TeleRadyo’s” audio-video format, the innovation is still 90% radio.
Personal touch
“...We would like to keep the bulk of
our listeners, and the bulk of our listeners may not have a cable,” he explains.
Programs still have the same format and
news reports are still radio-oriented, in
other words.
With “DZMM TeleRadyo,” listeners
now associate a face with the voices they
used to only hear on radio. This gives
more personal touch and adds texture to
the news as “DZMM Teleradyo” provides
footage, photos and other visuals such as
traffic updates with their audio content.
In the beginning, some DZMM announcers were understandably apprehensive about being in front of the camera.
After being oriented about the vision of
“DZMM TeleRadyo,” however, they gave
their full support to the new format.
Musngi always reminds the announcers that DZMM is not a TV station so
they won’t be too conscious of the camera.
“They can wear anything except for
sando (sleeveless undershirt). That’s the
difference between radio and television.
On TV, you project and you have the
script. And you have to read the news.
You don’t have much time for your own
opinions. In radio, just like columns in
the broadsheet, what you think counts,”
Musngi says.
Breakthroughs
When ABS-CBN Radio launched “DZMM TeleRadyo” a year ago, listenership increased significantly. It also
opened more business and advertising
opportunities as advertisers discovered
the visual possibilities of the format.
“We have placed ‘TeleRadyo’ as a
separate business unit under the radio
division, Musngi says proudly.
“It
opens up more revenues because we’re
not only talking about audio.” “DZMM
TeleRadyo” now airs full TV commercials in addition to the supers, the text
“flashed across the screen to support key
voiceover points.”
Another DZMM breakthrough is the
use of 3G (third generation) technology.
When the Glorietta blast happened in
October last year, “DZMM TeleRadyo”
was able to get video feeds via 3G, which
was also the first time that ABS-CBN and
the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC)
used video feed. “DZMM Radyo Patrol”
reporter Glen Carlos also used his 3G-capable mobile phone when he interviewed
Judy Ann Santos at the “Takbo Para sa
Kalikasan” event at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila recently.
Leading AM station
DZMM continues to reign supreme
on the airwaves despite the big number
of competitors.
“I think it’s all about integrity.... It’s
also the personalities, because we have
well-known personalities who have
crossover ability. So it’s easy for us to
go into TV. And of course, the credibility
factor of these personalities is very high,”
Musngi explains DZMM’s competitive
edge. He also notes that it helps to be
a part of a big network like ABS-CBN
because of the very wide coverage area
and a well-established news network. “If
there’s one radio station that can do TV,
it’s us.”
“Right now, DZMM is in a very enviable position. The boost is coming from
‘DZMM TeleRadyo,’” Musngi says. He
gives credit to the management, production, sales and marketing teams for the
early achievement of the concept.
Since DZMM’s launch in 1986 after
the end of the Marcos regime, it remains
strong in the radio industry, besting other
stations and collecting awards and recognition; it won the Best AM Station and
the Most Development-Oriented Radio
Station plum at the Gandingan 2008:
Isko’t Iska’t Broadcast Choice Awards
of the University of the Philippines-Los
Baños recently (UPLB). The station is
also home to many top-caliber Filipino
radio announcers and talents, including
Angelo Palmones (also DZMM station
‘TeleRadyo’ team
For “DZMM TeleRadyo, which it
rolled out in April 2007, DZMM put
together a lean team of journalism, sales
and production veterans led by station
manager Angelo Palmones. After all, a
groundbreaking venture deserves nothing less.
Angelo Palmones
Station manager
Palmones manages DZMM’s overall operations and business direction, conceptu-
alizes and implements on-air programs based
on scientific research and market studies, develops and implements succession programs,
and ensures compliance with ABS-CBN’s
mission and vision on DZMM’s on-air and
off-air programs.
In addition to his duties as station manager, Palmones hosts “Radyo Patrol Balita” and
the award-winning science and technology
(S&T) show “Bago Yan Ah!” He also contributes to the S&T section of the Philippine Daily
Inquirer.
manager), Vic de Leon Lima, Ted Failon
and Korina Sanchez.
No slowing down
DZMM’s slogan “Una sa balita, una
sa public service” has always been the
equity of the station. Announcers always
say it without any doubt that they’re the
first to deliver news. Whatever time it is,
whenever something’s happening, you’ll
hear it on DZMM.
The station also puts a premium on
public service. Some of their projects
include the Buntis Congress, blood donation programs, world caravan in Hong
Kong and “Takbo Para sa Kalikasan,”
which were supported by many listeners.
Despite the emergence and growing
strength of new media, a considerable
number of people still use and listen to
radio. Its wide reach and easy accessibility makes radio a very convenient and
reliable source of information.
“Even if you don’t have electricity,
you can just put in batteries (in radio).
And of course, news has always been associated with radio,” Musngi says of the
medium’s strengths.
After the successful launch of
“DZMM TeleRadyo,” there’s still no
slowing down for ABS-CBN Manila
Radio. This 2008, FM arm 101.9 For
Life will also migrate to HD (hybrid
digital) and go the audio-video route,
bringing another breakthrough in the
industry. ABS-CBN Manila Radio also
plans to renew the platform of “DZMM
TeleRadyo” by providing more visual
concept and tie-ups with other organizations. (Karen T. Valeza)
Mawie Tadeo
Head of sales-Manila Radio Division
Tadeo started in DZMM’s blocktime sales department
in 1992. After holding different positions in DZMM’s
sales department, he took over the reins
of radio sales in 2005. Although a bit cautious at first, Tadeo considered the new
assignment a personal challenge and faced
it head on. He is credited with creating the
sales package for “DZMM TeleRadyo,” a
new revenue stream for DZMM.
Ma. Marah Capuyan
Program and production
services manager
Capuyan joined DZMM as a production assistant
right out of the University of the Philippines (UP)
executive feature
By Carla Paras-Sison
Clockwise from top: ‘Dos Por Dos’ hosts Gerry Baja and Anthony
Taberna; Bingo, one of the country’s favorite pastimes, was featured
during DZMM’s 21st anniversary; DZMM luminaries with AFI’s
Gina Lopez and actress Judy Ann Santos during the February 2008
‘Takbo Para sa Kalikasan’; 101.9 For Life Station manager Eli Bruce
Capuyan, program and production services manager Marah Capuyan,
VP-Manila Radio Division Peter Musngi and Radyo Patrol manager
Angelo Almonte at the 2008 Gandingan Awards; A relaxed Ted Failon
in the announcer’s booth; Ariel Ureta and Winnie Cordero, hosts of
‘Todo-Todo Walang Preno’; Politicians and celebrities run for the
conservation of La Mesa Watershed; Anchor Bernadette Sembrano has
a thorough screening before donating blood during one of DZMM’s
medical missions; And budding entrepreneurs in action in DZMM’s
‘Caravan ng Kaalaman.’
2008
Renowned as “The Voice” of ABSCBN, ABS-CBN Global and ABS-CBN
Foundation, Peter Musngi, ABS-CBN
vice president-Manila Radio Division
and head/managing director of ABSCBN Sports, has taken on the additional
hat of Big Brother of Philippine radio
by virtue of the groundbreaking DZMM
TeleRadyo on cable TV.
“The idea for TeleRadyo was really
to give people a peep into what goes on
inside a radio booth—it’s reality radio.
EL3 (ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio
Lopez III was really looking for an incentive for those who will be watching
DTT (digital terrestrial television) so
this idea was gestating in our minds for
some time,” Musngi recalls.
For Life!
“Hybrid digital means we will be
broadcasting on both analog and digital.
This will allow us to spawn additional
stations within the same frequency being used by DWRR, which is 101.9
FM,” explains Musngi.
According to him, all US radio stations will be migrating to the digital
platform by 2009. “In the Philippines, 2015 is the target.
But we can say that
digital is the wave of
the present, not the
future.”
Potent sports programming
ABS-CBN
is
capable of starting
test broadcast the
Peter
Musngi:
Big Brother of Philippine radio
As head of sports, he saw robotic
and lipstick cameras set up for covering live sports events without need for
a cameraman to handle them. With the
small space available in a radio booth,
these were shoo-in devices to make the
idea blossom into reality.
“If you look at our content, we are
still 90% radio. I instructed all our anchors not to be conscious of the camera.
The bulk of our listeners still do not
have cable TV and we must not alienate
them. But the cameras are being used to
take a peek into the radio booth. It’s really like ‘PBB’ (‘Pinoy Big Brother’) in
the radio booth,” Musngi says.
Imitated
With TeleRadyo now being imitated by DZMM competitors on the
AM band, Musngi and his team are so
flattered. “It just means we’ve raised
the bar and everybody else is playing
catch-up.”
Meanwhile, Musngi is busy on
several other projects, among them the
birthing of HD (hybrid digital) radio via
ABS-CBN’s FM station DWRR 101.9
moment it receives approval from the
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Musngi is also facing the continuing
challenge of creating very potent sports
programming. In 2007, ABS-CBN
Sports aired eight special events using
the synergistic multi-platform that the
company is known for. The May 2007
Oscar De La Joya-Floyd Mayweather
boxing match, for example, was covered on TV, radio, IPTV (internet protocol television), cable, and ABS-CBN
Global.
In addition, the Boxing World Cup
Championship in which six of seven
Filipinos won their matches made
Philippine broadcast history last
year.
“Sports make ABS-CBN a more
complete entertainment company. It
complements our news and current affairs and entertainment lineup. As with
other programming decisions, there’s
no scientific way to choose which sporting events are worth covering, or which
ones will receive mass support. We do
in Diliman, where she took up BA Communications. As manager of the program
and production services department,
Capuyan supervises the executive producers, production and technical assistants, and archive
assistants.
In 2007, she took on the
post of “DZMM TeleRadyo”
project manager. In addition
to monitoring the overall
operations of the new venture, Capuyan developed
systems and processes to be
applied to the departments
involved in the operations
of “DZMM TeleRadyo” and proposed its table of
organization.
use certain criteria but they are very
fluid and takes a lot of common sense to
apply,” he says.
‘Never a one-man show’
Musngi is grateful for the support he
has received from the ABS-CBN family.
“What I have learned is the importance of ‘team-manship.’ It’s never a
one-man show. And this applies to everyone, every group within the Lopez
Group. TeleRadyo would not have taken
off if the ExCom (ABS-CBN executive
committee) did not give its go-signal.
Our success in sports programming can
be credited to the fantastic teamwork
of the sports production team, sales,
marketing and CCM (creative communications management). The ExCom
embraced these projects and everybody
down the line did their part.”
As far as the Big Brother of Philippine radio is concerned, ABS-CBN
can certainly look forward to more,
better, greater success based on more,
better, greater teamwork in the years
ahead.
Alona Lindstrom
News and information center manager
Lindstrom majored in journalism at the University of Santo Tomas, and joined ABS-CBN as a news writer in 1990. She was promoted to producer in 1995, and assigned
to head the news and information center
as manager in 2004. Her duties include
supervising the 24-hour operation of
the newsroom and managing personnel,
including producers, writers, production
and technical assistants and provincial
correspondents. Lindstrom helped conceptualize “DZMM Teleradyo,” particularly in the news aspect. Now, her group
is in charge of changing and updating
headlines, putting sports headlines and
preparing the title cards of news scripts
during newscasts.
Lopezlink
April 2008
KCFI, PMPMI take
partnership to the Visayas
Cebu became the seventh
recipient-province of the “Proficient Measures for Quality Education” (PMQE) project of the
Knowledge Channel Foundation
Inc. (KCFI) with the turnover of
Knowledge Channel (KCh) and
math and science textbooks to
the Babag Elementary School in
Cebu City recently.
KCFI director for channel operations Doris Nuval
and Philip Morris Philippines
Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI)
managing director Chris Nelson
led the event. Representatives of
Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Rep.
Antonio Cuenco also graced
the event, as did Department
of Education (DepEd) district
supervisors Josefina Fabio and
Gemma Sy and the principals of
the four beneficiary schools.
Instead of the usual cleanup
activities, PMPMI volunteers
planted trees behind the school
as part of the “Green Mile”
environmental project. Students
from the school were on hand
to help the 15 employee-volunteers led by Nelson.
A few days after the Cebu
event, the eighth turnover of
the “PMQE” was held at Bool
Elementary School in Tagbilaran City. In addition to local
government officials, DepEd
division superintendent Norma
Varquez, district supervisor Dr.
Vida Encarquez and the principals and barangay/PTCA heads
of the four beneficiary schools
attended the event.
For the “Green Mile” project,
students and PMPMI volunteers
cleaned a strip of sidewalk in
front of the school. The area is
just across the Blood Compact
monument, which is a favorite
tourist/historical
destination.
(Risa Muñoz)
CSRactivities
Go
ahead,
ask!
By Vanessa Suquila
KCFI director Doris Nuval (extreme left) and PMPMI managing director
Chris Nelson (rightmost) with DepEd officials and school representatives in
Cebu City.
Top scientists assess conservation
status of marine species
ac- Frederick Short, project director sults of his and Dr. Victor SpringInternationally
claimed marine scientists were of the Western Pacific Seagrass er’s study indicating that the area
in the Philippines to attend Monitoring Program and over- of the Verde Island Passage has
the Global Mangrove World all project lader of SeagrassNet, the world’s highest concentration
Conservation Union (IUCN) headed the seagrass workshop. of marine species—both diverMangrove Workshop and the They were joined by Philip- sity and endemism.
Indo-Pacific Seagrass Red pines’ foremost expert on man- 20,000 marine species
List Assessment Workshop at groves, Dr. Jurgenne Primavera Part of the project’s commitMatabungkay Beach Resort in of the Southeast Asian Fisheries ment is the hosting of the Global
Lian, Batangas. From March Development
Center-Aqua- Marine Species Assessment–
8-16, 2008, over 30 scientists culture Department, scientist Coral Triangle (GMSA-CT)
L-R: Bacolor Mayor Buddy Dungca, AFI managing director Gina Lopez,
field station in the Philippines,
emeritus and Pew Fellow.
Vice President Noli de Castro and Globe Asiatique president and CEO Delfin analyzed existing data to classify marine species according to The project is part of First the global project’s only field
Lee.
IUCN Red List Categories and Philippine Conservation Inc.’s station outside of the United
Criteria.
(FPCI) the Center of the Center States.
Mangroves are trees and Campaign which began in 2004, GMSA is a global project of
shrubs that grow in salt-water where Carpenter presented the re- IUCN and Conservation Intercoastal habitats and are
national which inconsidered
self-sustends to assess the
taining ecosystems imconservation status
portant to biodiversity.
of some 20,000
Seagrasses are flowermarine species over
ing plants which grow
a period of three
BayaniJuan, ABS-CBN Foun- AFI provided the soul for an in salty water. They
years. The IUCN
dation Inc.’s (AFI) answer to the environmentally sound and emo- are highly diverse and
categories are as
clamor for decent living amidst tionally healthful community, productive ecosystems
follows:
Extinct
trying times, was recently while Globe Asiatique provided feeding fish, algae,
(EX), Extinct in the
launched in partnership with the structural foundation. It is geese, swans, crabs,
Wild (EW), CritiGlobe Asiatique Realty Hold- a housing project to rival those dugongs and hundreds
cally Endangered
ings Corp. in Bacolor, Pam- of middle-income residences in of associated species.
(CR), Endangered
panga.
the metro, with a decent public Experts
(EN), Vulnerable
BayaniJuan is a showcase market and a public school Prominent marine
(VU), Near Threatfor AFI’s key services working geared to produce mathematics, biologist Dr. Kent
ened (NT), Least
synergistically to heal the hurts English and science savants. Carpenter of the Old
Concern (LC), Data
of a struggling nation. Bantay Among those who witnessed Dominion University
Deficient
(DD),
Bata, Bantay Kalikasan, Bantay the inauguration of the project (U.S.A) and the IUCN L-R: Leading experts on mangroves Dr. Norm Duke (Ausand Not EvaluKalusugan, Sagip Kapamilya, was Vice President Noli de Cas- headed the mangrove tralia), Dr. Kandasamy Kathiresan (India), Dr. Sukristijono
ated (NE). (Monica
E-Media and Bayan brought tro. (Angelie Agbulos)
workshop while Dr. Sukardjo (Indonesia) and Lorna Collins (UK) in Batangas.
Tan)
their expertise to the Xevera
community in Bgy. Calibutbut,
Bacolor and made a difference
in the lives of about a thousand
families.
“Everybody deserves a More than a year has passed Kalusugan feeding program gram. He also urged the LGFI of La Paz will continue to benefit
fighting chance. I want to prove since the oil spill that wreaked in late 2007. Nueva Valencia to sponsor the same feeding from the feeding program.
to our kababayan and the rest of major ecological and economic Mayor Alejandro Araneta program in other barangays of Later, Solinap oriented the
parents on proper nutrition
the world that given the right damage on the tiny tourism kicked off the feeding program Nueva Valencia.
tools, even the poorest of the province of Guimaras. The Lo- with the symbolic breaking of The mayor recalled that for the while Erber Fe Tirado, Bantay
poor can and will excel,” said pez family, through the Lopez the bread together with LGFI past year, Brgy. La Paz was No. 1 Bata community education
AFI managing director Gina Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI), representative Nono Zaragoza in malnutrition in the municipal- and research officer, facilitated
Lopez during the signing of continues its commitment to and ABS-CBN Foundation’s ity, and that through the efforts of activities with the children.
the memorandum of agreement help the victims in Brgy. La Paz, Bantay Bata 163 Iloilo program the barangay council, a feeding This was followed by a medimanager Mary Grace Solinap.
program was launched last year. cal checkup, with vitamins and
(MOA) with Globe Asiatique Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
president and CEO Delfin Lee Forty-eight malnourished Mayor Araneta encouraged With the support of the LGFI and medicines distributed to the
and VP for sales and marketing children and their parents the parents to cooperate and Bantay Bata 163 Iloilo, the mal- children and other members of
participated in LGFI’s Bantay participate in the feeding pro- nourished and daycare children their family. (Vanessa Suquila)
Divine Lee.
BayaniJuan: Building
the country one
community at a time
Guimaras: The rehabilitation continues
If you see an employee wearing
a fluorescent yellow button pin
with a big smiley face that says “
Ask Me About Family Health,”
it means he or she is a trained
family health peer educator.
Volunteer employees from
ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.
(AFI), Bayan Telecommunications, First Balfour and Rockwell were trained under Phase
2 of the Family Planning in the
Workplace program of Lopez
Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) in
partnership with Private Sector
Mobilization for Family Health
(Prism). They learned interpersonal skills, particularly listening
and assessing what information
on family planning will be most
useful to their peers.
Twenty-two peer volunteers
were trained in Phase 2, while
around 100 trained in Phase 1;
the first batch came from ABSCBN Broadcasting, First Sumiden, Meralco, SkyCable and
Tollways Management Corp.
If you are an employee of
the participating companies and
you have a question about family
planning or are simply curious
about the program, these peer
educators are the right persons
to ask. You may also call LGFI’s
family planning coordinator, Diane Miñon, at 0921-3725261.
CSR calendar
Women to Women Mentoring/WoMentoring
April 3, 2008, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Philippine Trade Training
Center Hall B
Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Fee: P1,500; P500 (students)
Contact: 751-3385/817- 8280,
www.info.com.ph/~womenbiz
Women’s Business Council
Philippine (WBCP) is organizing a conference on “Women
to Women Mentoring” or
W2W/WoMentoring. Members
and resource speakers will share
their experiences, best practices
and learnings on academic, professional and personal issues.
Speakers include Citibank’s
Nina Aguas; Philippine National
Bank (PNB) chairman Flor Tariela; Universal Motors Corp EVP
Elizabeth Lee; Fil-Am businesswoman Loida Nicolas-Lewis;
and ABS-CBN news and current
affairs group head Maria Ressa.
The conference is open to
entrepreneurs of small- and medium-sized businesses, teachers,
students and graduates of entrepreneurship courses, officers and
middle managers of government
agencies and local government
units, and gender advocates in
nongovernment organizations
(NGOs) and government.
Lopezlink April
Ongoings @Lopez Museum
A partnership to boost
RP’s culinary heritage
The International Wine
and Food Society-Manila
Ladies Branch (IWFSMLB) and the Lopez Memorial Museum cohosted a
three-in-one event recently.
Attended by members
of the IWFS-MLB and
other Philippine culinary
heritage enthusiasts, the
event served as the reintroduction of FOOD as
a magazine that focuses
on regional cuisine; the
relaunch of the Doreen
Gamboa Fernandez Food
Writing Award; and the
opening of the exhibit
“Hain: Memory Spreads.”
In her welcome remarks, Lopez Museum
director Mercedes LopezVargas expressed appreciation for the IWFS-MLB’s
donation of memorabilia
related to Philippine culinary heritage, such as menu
cards and books written by
IWFS-MLB members.
Vargas also expressed
gratitude for the trust given by the IWFS-MLB to
the museum and her optimism that the partnership
2008
Workshop for teens: ‘In the Footsteps
of a Hero’ with Carla Pacis
April 16, 17, 18, 21 and 22, 2008, 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Award-winning children’s
writer Carla Pacis will hold
a five-day writing workshop for teens at the Lopez
Memorial Museum from
April 16, 17, 18, 21 and 22,
2008, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
The workshop aims to teach
participants the preparatory
stage of writing following
a structure called “Hero’s
Journey.”
“Hero’s Journey” is based
on the lifelong work on
world myths of scholar Joseph Campbell and has been
applied successfully to movie scripts and stories such as
J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the
Rings.” The text will be used
for the workshop.
Pacis is a multi-award
winner of the National
Book Award, a recipient of
the Gawad C. S. Alabado
Award and the Philippine
Board on Books for Young
People (PBBY) Writer’s
Prize for her story “Mayroon Akong Alagang Puno.”
An AB Economics graduate
of Assumption College,
Pacis earned her masters in
creative writing at the University of the Philippines
(UP). She currently teaches
at De La Salle UniversityManila.
Workshop : Clamshell box-making
with Loreto Apilado
April 29-30, 2008 (Tuesday-Wednesday)
Lecture fee P3,500
Lopez Memorial Museum director Mercedes Lopez- Vargas, Bambi Harper
and IWFS-MLB president Cristina Roces-Garcia.
between the two will do
much to promote and preserve Philippine culinary
heritage.
The menu cards donated by the IWFS-MLB
date from 1900 to 1940 and
commemorate historical
events. These include the
banquet organized to honor
Philippine Commissioner
and former US president
William H. Taft in 1905,
a dinner in Malolos for
National Artist Guillermo
Tolentino in 1925, and the
coronation of the image of
Special Feature
We all know the risks involved with sun exposure. But did you know that our eyes can be
sunburned too?
It’s called photokeratitis, or sunburn of
the eyes, and can be very irritating, painful,
could last for weeks and worse, cause permanent skin and eye damage. Ultraviolet (UV)
radiation is the main culprit behind sunburned
eyes.
According to Asian Eye Institute (AEI)
expert Dr. Edgar Leunberger, people who
This two-day workshop
will show participants how
boxes can be extensions of
books, enhance their presentation and provide an
additional surface where the
books’ contents can be reflected.
Facilitated by Loreto Apilado of the Cottage Industry
Technology Center (CITC),
the workshop will focus on
conservation boxes such as
drop-spine and solander boxes. These archival enclosures
help create an additional protective environment for your
books and are suitable for
displays and presentations;
they also make perfect gift
items for special occasions.
Apilado has participated
in local and international
seminars on papermaking,
book arts and conservation.
At the CITC, he is in charge
of teaching papermaking, paper crafts, bookbinding; designing tools and equipment
for workshops; and research.
our Lady of the Rosary in
1907.
After the turnover of
As part of its advocacy to
book donations by IWFSteach techniques in book
MLB members, the guests
preservation and conservaenjoyed the cocktails inspired
tion, the Lopez Memorial
by vintage Filipino recipes
Museum is offering a workshop on clamshell box-makprepared by Myrna Segising on April 29 and 30, 2008
mundo of Restaurant 9501.
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lecture
A tour of the “Hain: Memory
fee is P3,500 inclusive of maSpreads” exhibition featuring
terials. Reservations required
photographs and books from
because slots are limited.
the Lopez Library collection
capped the evening.
The Lopez Memorial Museum is at the ground floor, Benpres Building, Exchange Road corner
“Hain:
Memory Meralco Avenue, Pasig City. Museum days and hours are Mondays to Saturdays, except holiSpreads” will run until days, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, please call 631-2417 or email [email protected]
April 10, 2008.
or [email protected].
sunburn alert!
wear dark glasses with no UV protection are
actually more likely to have sunburned eyes
than those who don’t. This is because the dark
tint gives the illusion that the eyes are completely protected. The wearer then stays under
the sun longer without discomfort and thinks
it is safe to do so!
Constant exposure of our eyes to the
sun’s UV rays can lead not only to eye sunburn but also to more serious consequences.
It can cause early cataract, which normally
develops when a person is already about
60 years old. It can also lead to skin cancer
around the eyelids and can also cause burning of the retina, which is the back of the eye,
giving a person blind spots and possibly even
total blindness.
The best solution is to use multi-coated
lenses (available at AEI). They have UV
protection, are water repellant, have reflective coating to reduce glare and are scratchproof! These are highly recommended for
those who are particularly active under the
sun.
Also, protecting your most valuable asset—your child—from the sun is another mat-
ter. Some strategies to keep sunburn at bay
(these work for adults too!):
● Keep your child indoors when the sun is
at its hottest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
If you can’t, then slather on protective
sunscreen.
● Cover up! Wear clothes that screen out
UV rays (if you place your hand inside
the garment and you can’t see it from the
other side, then it’s good) and take refuge
under wide-brimmed hats, wide umbrellas
or pop-up tents.
● Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before
going outside. Check label for SPF (sun
protection factor) of at least 15 broadspectrum, meaning it protects against UVA
and UVB rays. Apply generously on lips,
hands, ears, feet, shoulders and nape. Reapply every two or three hours, especially
after swimming.
● Wear multi-coated shades that provide
100% UV protection. To make wearing
dark glasses less troublesome for your
fretful kid, let him choose the style he
wants—a pair with his favorite cartoon
characters, for example.
Get a FREE Lasik and Cataract
Screening at Asian Eye Institute
and enjoy the sights of summer!
Simply schedule your screening with us
from March 1 to April 15, 2008
MAIN CLINIC
9th and 10th Floors,
PHINMA Plaza
Rockwell Center,
Makati City
Tel.Nos. 898 2011 to
898 2020
SATELLITE CLINIC
Level 1 TriNoma
EDSA corner
North Avenue, Q.C.
Tel.No. 901 3931
www. asianeyeinstitute.com
10
LIFELONG
Lopezlink April 2008
Making tomorrow work
IT’s the end of the day and you’re
itching to get home to your spouse
and kids, dinner, the evening news
and into bed for an eight-hour (or
less) snooze.
Hold it just a minute. Before
you slam the door on your office,
why not set yourself up for success
in the next 24 hours? The best way
to turn up tomorrow’s volume? Consider these hints:
Come to a stop. Don’t leave
something for tomorrow. Tomorrow
will fill up and take care of itself.
Glance at tomorrow’s files.
Look at the file for each client or
project. Not an extensive review, less
than a minute each—just to remember
where you left off. It’s kind of like reshuffling the mental pages to put the
proper ones at the top of the stack.
Get a hold of yourself with reminder emails. Write yourself
emails with varying degrees of hysteria, including red flag priorities,
capitals or rude messages.
Maintain a sense of perspective. Ask yourself: “Will this matter
an hour from now, a day from now,
a week from now?” If the answer is
“No,” you can go home without those
particular pressures on your mind.
Have a peak performance
nightcap. No, it’s not a new kind of
drink. A peak performance nightcap is
the ritual of reviewing the next day’s
goals and mentally tying those goals
into the long-term goals or dreams.
Take an inventory of the
day. Review what you’ve done that
you could have done more gracefully
and give yourself credit for things
done, said or thought well.
Give thanks. Always thank every
employee before leaving the office
and appreciate their efforts, and it is
important for them to hear sincere
thanks every day.
IS the occasional pinch you feel in
your breast normal? What specific
breast test should a woman in her
40s undergo? Here’s an age-specific guide to keeping your breasts
healthy:
In your 30s
Breast pain is a common concern
among women in this age group. Resulting from hormonal changes (the
medical term is “fibrocystic breasts”),
this is usually benign and does not necessarily indicate an increased risk for
breast cancer. Try reducing your caffeine intake or taking 1.3 grams of evening primrose oil twice a day. The oil
is “a natural form of fatty acid believed
to interfere with the body’s production
of prostaglandins, the inflammatory
compounds that trigger breast pain.”
In your 30s, the possibility of getting breast cancer is still low, with
only about 5% of all cases occurring
in women younger than 40. One way
of lowering the odds? Breast-feed! A
recent University of California study
noted that breastfeeding protects
mothers against “increased risk of
breast cancer noted for women who
have their first child after age 25.”
In your 40s
In your 40s, the percentage of fat
in your breasts increases. Since fat
“less likely to withstand the effects of
gravity,” expect your breasts to start
sagging about this time. Cysts may
develop at this stage because of fluid
being trapped in the ducts. They are
harmless but occasionally painful,
and may be aspirated or withdrawn
through suction.
An expert advises women 40
years old and older to get a mammogram every year, “especially since
the test has only about 80% sensitivity in younger, premenopausal women.” She explains that, “this way, if
an early stage cancer is missed one
year, it most likely will be caught the
next.” Doing monthly at-home breast
WELLNESS
wellness calendar
Breasting the issue
checks and having annual breast exams are also must-dos at this age.
To reduce your risk of breast cancer, a Harvard advises premenopausal
women to make sure they get three
servings of low-fat dairy daily and take
a calcium supplement with vitamin D.
In your 50s
Some shrinkage and sagging start
to become noticeable at this stage,
while the risk of developing breast
cancer increases slightly to 1 in 38.
Annual mammograms are necessary,
in addition to the monthly self-exams
and physical exams by your doctor.
The fattier breasts women have
at this stage means mammograms
can better detect breast cancer: “the
false-negative rate drops from about
25% under the age of 50 to about
15%,” experts say. (Hallie Levine
Sklar. From Health Magazine)
Facedown massages can increase
—study
eye pressure
Massage addicts, take note.
A recent study has shown that facedown back massages can increase eye
pressure among people with normal
eyes. The study, conducted by Asian
Eye Institute (AEI) principal investigator Dr. Edgar Leuenberger, AEI
glaucoma fellow Dr. Jay League, and
University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center (UERMMC)
chief resident Dr. Jonathan Rivera,
won first place in the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology Residents’
Paper 2007 competition.
High IOP
Our eyes have their own pressure
called intraocular pressure (IOP).
Where high blood pressure can lead
to a stroke or heart attack, abnormal
eye pressure may damage the optic
nerve, the “cable” that carries messages from the eyes to the brain,
resulting in what we call sight or
vision. The condition in which IOP
is consistently high and should be
controlled is called glaucoma.
In the study, a group of 46 subjects
aged 25 to 35 years received 30-minute facedown back massages with
their faces on an open cushion
like those found in spas, leaving a portion of their faces
suspended (including the
eyes).
The subjects’ eye pressure prior to the massages
was normal (10 to 20 mmHg
or millimeters of mercury). Immediately after the massages, the
subjects’ eye pressure rose to 50%
above baseline measurements; in
two of the subjects, the pressure doubled. These could be attributed to the
effect of the pull of gravity on the eye,
as well as the effect of the massage on
blood flow distribution. Pressure levels
returned to normal
10 minutes after
the massage.
Alternatives
What can we conclude? People
with glaucoma or abnormally high
eye pressure levels should stop having facedown massages. Spas today
offer interesting alternatives that are
just as relaxing, where one can be in
a supine or sitting position, relieving
pressure from the eyes.
As for those who enjoy
facedown massages regularly or plan to have one
soon but don’t know the
status of their eyes, a comprehensive eye checkup
is recommended. If you
are over 60, suffer or have
suffered from any eye disease
or injury, or have a family history
of glaucoma or diabetes, it is especially important to visit a specialist
before going off on a spa holiday.
You will enjoy those massages
more with the peace of mind that
comes with knowing your eyes are
safe and cared for. (Javier Moreno)
Yoga for Menopause
Part Two on April 4
Part 3 on April 11
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
@ Yoga Manila, 120 Perea St.,
Legaspi Village, Makati
This special series of three yoga
classes, taught by Linda Naulty, is
designed to help women cope with
menopause, perimenopause and postmenopause. Contact 0917-522-YOGA
(9642) or email info@yogamanila.
com.
Walk the Talk
April 12 in Capas,
Tarlac
Observe Araw ng
Kagitingan (April 9) by joining the Walk
the Talk installment at the Capas National Shrine (Death March). This activity is
open to all Lopez Group employees and
their families. Participants must register
with their respective HR departments.
Wear comfortable attire and walking
shoes and bring a cap, extra shirt, towel
and refreshments. For more info, contact
Rico de Manzana at 449-6122.
Superkids Multi-Sport Festival
April 13, Narra Park, Ayala Alabang
Village
Check in at 6 a.m. Race starts promptly
at 7 a.m.
The aquathlon (swim-run) and
triathlon are open to the following age
groups: under 7, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and
13-15 years old. The swim shall be done
at the La Salle Zobel pool and for the
cycle and run, the loops will use Narra,
Dao and Molave Streets. Registration
fee is P600. Forms may be downloaded
from www.triathlon.org.ph. For more
info, contact 0915-643-0822 (Fabie) or
0915-444-0290 (Ani)
ROX running clinic and trail run
April 16, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. (running clinic)
April 19, 6 a.m.-1 p.m., La Mesa Ecopark
(trail run)
Imagine running with a fantastic
view of nature in the background
instead of buildings, where the call
of birds will cheer you instead of the
horns of cars. We’ll take care of transportation, breakfast and water—and
even provide professional instruction
by TNF athlete Miguel “Ige” Lopez.
Register now at ROX! Limited slots
only! Call or visit ROX at Building 1,
Bonifacio High Street, Fort Bonifacio,
Taguig/ 856-4638, 856-4639.
Stress Management Program
Mon.-Fri. starting 5:30 p.m. @G/F
Benpres Wellness Area
De-stress after work and engage in
various wellness activities: Ballroom
dancing, Tae-Bo, basic or advanced
yoga. Please complete the registration
form available at www.lopezwellness.
com and submit to the Wellness Team
secretariat. For more info, contact Tintin at 631-6465 or Louie at 631-6394.
Royal Sporting House Run & Bike
Attack
April 27 at 6 a.m. in Festival Supermall,
Alabang
Adults: 3.6k run–18k bike–2.4k run and
SuperTriKids: 1.2k-3.8k-1.2k
For more info, contact TRAP at 6134044 or email [email protected]
Wellness 101: Basic Corporate Wellness Course
May 8-9, 2008 (overnight) @ EL Center,
Antipolo
The course will provide an overview and framework of the wellness
concept, including diseases and prevention, stress management, diet, nutrition and lifestyle and spiritual wellness.
For more info, contact Ilene Estrada of
FPHC at 449-6119.
Lopezlink April
Sudoku
Maglaro tayo ng Sudoku, ang bagong libangan ng bayan!
Ayusin lamang ang mga numero simula 1 hanggang 9
para ang bawat numero ay minsan lang magagamit sa
bawat row, column at kahon.
 Very Easy
 Easy
 Medium

Hard
Answer to March puzzle
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.
sudoku.com
Did you know that temperatures this summer
are expected to reach as high as 37 degrees Celsius? Imagine how hot it will get in a few more
weeks! The thought is enough to send shivers
down the spine of every parent whose kids clamor to be allowed to play outdoors—at the risk of
suffering from sunburn or even heat exhaustion.
We have some tips on how to protect the young
ones, as well as interesting info on eye sunburn.
Intrigued? Check out our wellness section.
If you’re looking for a summer getaway,
check out some of our northern favorites: the
beaches of La Union, Pagudpud and Capones
Island, and the quaint attractions of Sagada.
But, if you’re pressed for time (after all, not all of us have the luxury
of a two-month break), you can reach Subic via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEx) in an astounding 20 minutes—something that we
actually accomplished over the Holy Week break!
It’s a double celebration for the folks at Meralco: not only did the
company celebrate its 105th anniversary in March, but chairman and CEO
Manuel M. Lopez was also cited by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines as CEO Excel awardee. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) managing director Gina Lopez
made history when the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) conferred on
her its highest honor, the Alumni Achievement Awards (Triple A). Charo
Santos-Concio, too, shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the first female president of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. Kudos!
Another trailblazer is DZMM, which launched its “DZMM TeleRadyo”
exactly a year ago this April. As the title of our cover story states, the
station redefined Philippine radio by combining audio with video, “breathing new life into listeners’ auditory experience” in the process. And, as
DZMM chief Peter Musngi informs us, in the span of a year, the gamble
has already paid off in the form of increased revenues (and imitators)!
Lastly, we’d like to greet Lopez Group chairman Oscar M. Lopez on
his special day on April 19. Happy birthday, Sir!
ooOoo
Please post the audition details for the Lopez Group musical.
Thanks!—Kasserina
HR Council’s Pinky Diokno reports that preparations are in full swing
for the Lopez Group musical “Undaunted: A Musical on the Life of Eugeno
Lopez Jr.,” which will serve as one of the highlights of the Group’s 80th
year celebration in June.
For those who want to be in the middle of the action, you may get in
touch with your respective HR departments first. HR will prescreen the
employees before the actual auditions; only those endorsed by HR may
proceed to the next step.
So, what happens after HR gives you the go-ahead? The auditions
for all parts/roles will be held on April 3-4, 2008, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Prepare your audition piece—a song number, minus one accompaniment
in CD format or a cappella—and colored photos in either 3R, 4R and 5R;
escape
2008
11
Dear Rosie
an English song from a musical is a plus but not required. The audition
will be in three parts: music audition, script reading for specific roles, with
copies to be provided by Stages, and dance audition.
The panel will include director George de Jesus, musical director
Roy del Valle, choreographer Chinie Nepomuceno and lead actor Audie
Gemora. Good luck!
ooOoo
I just read the Chronicle book. I think it’s one of the best books on the
Lopezes and the Lopez Group companies thus far. Appreciated the
behind-the-scenes look and the “past lives” of my favorite newspaper
columnists. Kudos to Lopez Museum, the publisher!—Jeni B.
We’re very pleased with readers’ response to the book. Do watch for
the volume detailing the beginnings of the Lopez Group, which we expect
to be released in a few months.
ooOoo
What kind of diet is Karen Davila on? Saw her on the cover of Working
Mom and she looks so svelte despite the fact that she just gave birth. (I’m
due to give birth at the end of the year also.) Hope you can help. Thank
you.—R. de Leon
Karen Davila’s reply: “What diet am I on? Well, breast-feeding definitely
helped me lose weight, but I am also on a strict diet—a mix of South Beach
and eating less portions. I also exercise more now. I guess it goes with age!”
ooOoo
I always see the name and logo of the Philippine Press Institute in the
newspapers, so I was surprised to learn that OML was one of the men
behind its formation. Good to know!—Migs
Yes, the PPI was the brainchild of OML and fellow publishers Joaquin
“Chino” Roces and Hans Menzi. “Publisher” is not a role many people
now associate with OML, but no one can deny that he left his mark on the
industry despite his brief stint as publisher of the Manila Chronicle.
ooOoo
Hi! I’m an employee based in Quezon City but I have roots in Guimaras. Can you give us an update on the Bantay Bata 163 feeding
program on the island?—Romy
Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) executive director Dario Pagcaliwagan replies: “Aside from the cooperative established last year for the
victims of the oil spill, Bantay Bata 163’s Bantay Kalusugan project conducted a feeding program for six months for malnourished children of the
barangay. LGFI, with the help of its nongovernment organization (NGO)
partner there, I-CODE, is also undertaking a values formation as well as a
vegetable planting project to supplement their income. We will keep the
readers of LopezLink updated on ongoing projects in Guimaras.”
ooOoo
If you have questions, comments, opinions, suggestions and reactions about anything
and everything about the Lopez Group, please send them to Dear Rosie through fax
REDISCOVER THE NORTH
Surfing lessons can be had in Capones
(below), as well as in San Antonio and
nearby towns in Zambales.
from the city!
Pagudpud
Sagada
What do you want to do this summer?
Beat the heat and bask in the serenity
and beauty of hidden oases? Discover
new places, collect memories and take
lots of awesome photos for your Multiply site? There’s only one thing to do.
Take out your bags, pack up your things
and travel safely to these northern vacation destinations:
La Union
Be adventurous and take your
surfboard with you as you head to La
Union. Feel the adrenaline rush as
you ride the waves. Compared with
other surfing destinations like Siargao, La Union is more accessible;
there are plenty of buses that can take
you there (it’s a seven-hour ride). If
you’re looking for consistent waves,
accommodations can be had at the
resorts in San Fernando and San
Juan.
Capones Island
Capones Island shows off
the other side of Zambales, serene and
far from the noise of the city. This sheltered
island is known for its white sand, coral
reefs, crystal clear water and high cliffs. The
mountains alongside the beach are also a
sight to behold. There are no resorts yet in
Capones, but if you plan to stay for few days,
you may check in at nearby Pundaquit where
boats are available to take you to Capones.
Pagudpud
Be enchanted by the beauty of Pagudpud
as you swim in crystal blue waters mirroring
the blue sky. Aside from its powder-white sand
beaches, Ilocos Norte also boasts of a productive and verdant valley. Pagudpud is perfect for
boardsailing, kayaking, swimming and surfing.
Te n
hours away from Manila,
Pagudpud offers accommodations in the form
of inexpensive resorts along the beach.
Sagada
Sagada is the perfect escape from the city.
You’ll never run out of things to do in this
town in Mt. Province. If you’re the adventurous type, you can explore the caves of Sumaguing. You can also have side trips to Bomodok and Bokong falls and Danom Lake. Visit
the subterranean caves used as burial grounds
and the limestone cliffs. You can also trek
the mountains either on foot or by bike. The
atmosphere is very tranquil and peaceful as a
curfew is enforced here. (Karen T. Valeza)
12
Lopezlink April
2008
What’s new
from ABS-CBN Publishing this April
By Sheila Quieta
‘Maxim’ experts on fitness, food,
fashion
If you think Milagring, Mariposa and Luningning look sexy
on the noontime show “Wowowee,” then you will be surprised
by Maxim’s special photo shoot. Our April fitness expert, Leo
Oracion, teaches us what it takes to be a triathlete, while our
career expert features Bistro Filipino’s chef Rolando Laudico.
Check out some car drifting action, learn more about poker and
take a look at our feature on a Brazilian modeling school. Editor
in chief Pierre Calasanz reviews the 2009 Corvette ZR-1 as
Doug Kramer shows us what real men wear to the beach in our
fashion section.
‘FOOD’ highlights flavors of Ilocos,
SE cities
Go on a journey to the exotic and the familiar with FOOD
Magazine’s newest issue, where the landscapes
of Ilocos, the Dutch countryside and the cities
of Southeast Asia are rich background of
flavors, stories and cuisines. Over 20 kitchentested recipes allow you to recreate the range
of dishes—pinakbet, beef putrid manis, asinan
Jakarta, appeltaart and penne with chicken and
sage butter, among others. The premier culinary
magazine in the country delivers on its promise
to deliver the flavors of the regions. So go ahead,
immerse yourself.
New mag: ’foodie’ offers
‘real food, real recipes’
Whether you’re a gourmet or a casual eater,
whether you’re aspiring to be a professional
chef, a hobby cook or simply willing to get your
hands dirty in the kitchen, foodie is for you.
foodie, a culinary magazine that guarantees its
sun
Under the Rockwell
By Kat Lalisan
Here comes the sun… and with Power Plant Mall’s Summer
Series, things will be more than all right!
Spending in the sun
Start the season with a summer sale! From April 4-6,
2008, your favorite stores in Power Plant Mall will lower their
prices as the temperature rises! Things are really going to heat
up as we offer discounts up to 70% off!
Editorial Advisory Board
Executive Editor
Contributing Editors
Carla Paras-Sison (Benpres)
Maite Bueno (Meralco)
Estela de la Paz (First Gen)
Kane Choa (ABS-CBN)
Nicole Carlos (FPHC)
Rafael Alunan III (Wellness)
Circulation
Editorial and Layout
Boo Chanco / Danny Gozo
Rosan Cruz
Marlene Ochoa (MNTC)
John Rojo (Bayan)
Juno Chuidian (SkyCable)
Sheila Quieta (ABS-CBN Publishing)
Vienn Tionglico (Rockwell)
Vanessa Suquila (LGFI)
Lucy Torres (Tel. 449-2468)
Mousetrap Publishing
LopezLink is published by Benpres PR Group
4/F Benpres Bldg., Ortigas, Pasig City
Telefax: 633-3520
For feedback, please email
[email protected]
Stop, souk and listen!
On Sunday, April 6, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Plaza Drive
transforms into the Rockwell Sunday Souk, an outdoor market that offers the finest in food, plants and handicrafts. Rockwell residents share family recipes and
personal designs as they join other market favorites
for a shopping experience unlike any other.
Sun dancing
Escola
Brasileira
de Capoeira (EBC) Philippines will hold capoeira classes at the
North Court from April 8 to May 22
(every Tuesday and Thursday), 5 p.m.6 p.m. This Brazilian art that combines
dance, acrobatics, music and fighting
techniques is the perfect way to get
toned for the beach! For inquiries, call
EBC Philippines at 0917-8138931.
recipes work, is supervised by trained and award-winning chefs
who test all recipes before allowing them to be printed in the
magazine. Our photos look good enough to eat, our words whet
the appetite, our recipes are simple and easy to follow. foodie
is the magazine for the food lover in you. Look for our maiden
issue in newsstands this April!
Vixens and breakthrough stars in
‘SSM’
Summer sirens Cristine Reyes and Bangs Garcia land on the
cover of SSM together with Shaina Magdayao. Also in this issue
are the hottest bodies in the biz, led by “PBB Celebrity Edition
2” housemates Jon Avila, Victor Basa and Will Devaughn in the
“Boys of Summer” feature. Read all about breakthrough stars
like Iza Calzado, Jodi Sta. Maria and Rafael Rosell and other
artists who gave excellence a whole new meaning.
Get the newest issues of your favorite magazines at leading
bookstores and magazine stands nationwide. Exclusive to
Lopez Group employees within Metro Manila, use your office
address and get a full year subscription discount up to 50%
off cover price. For inquiries, call ABS-CBN Publishing Inc.
at 455-9434.
Hot bods
On April 12-13, Plaza Drive becomes your summer
sanctuary as Manila’s top studios offer free yoga and
Pilates classes in “A Weekend of Fitness.” To sign
up, call Aura Athletica at 756-5104. You may
even win a chance at a shopping spree! Limited
slots only.
Bring on the bazaar!
Rockwell proudly presents the “Summerlicious” Discoveries Bazaar at the Rockwell Tent
from April 18-20. The country’s best retailers
gather under one roof to present their latest
offerings. Scorching hot deals await!
Summertime and the living is
definitely easy—Rockwell will
make sure of that! Sunup or sundown, we make sure the heat is on!