May 2008 May 20 Happy birthday, Meralco chairman & CEO Manuel M. Lopez Available online at www.benpres-holdings.com Employees get special ABS-CBN umarangkada, deals from Bayan 2007 financial KAPAMILYA, here’s an offer you can’t refuse! Enjoy discounts and early payment schemes with when you sign up for bay- performance anWIRELESS landline (BWL) and other Bayan products (see sidebar story on p. 6) angat...p.2 BWL was rolled out in 2006, initially in key provinces and areas in Metro Manila, as BayanTel SPAN. Following the retooling of Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) into “Bayan” in 2007, SPAN got a new identity as BWL. Then, as now, SPAN/BWL cap- sulized the maverick telecom- munication company’s key attributes—simple, honest, reliable and re- sponsive, which can be summed up as “being kakaiba.” “Part of our approach even in the branding of our products is to keep it as simple as can be, to keep it generic,” says Bayan vice president for corpo- rate brand communica- tions John Rojo. “When we Bayan Academy: Asian called BWL ‘SPAN,’ people center for social asked ‘Ano yun?’ Iisipin mo pa what the product is. So, the entrepreneurship ... p.8 approach is to simplify, but with the Bayan brand.” Turn to page 6 Happy Mother’s ‘Undaunted’ Day, Mom! Lopez legacy in auditions for musical PREPARATIONS are in full swing for the 80th anniversary Gift ideas ... p. 12 of the Lopez Group on June 12, 2008, with the life story of Eugenio “Eñing” H. Lopez Sr. set to music as one of the most anticipated highlights of the yearlong celebration. Auditions were held over two days in April to cast some 80 roles for “Undaunted: A Musicale on the Life of Eugenio H. Lopez Sr.,” a very special production for the 16,000-strong Lopez Group family. The audience will get a glimpse of Eñing, who will be brought to life by Lopez descendant, actor and direc- Turn to page 4 ‘Undaunted’ hopefuls learn dance routine during tryouts. 2 LOPEZLINK May 2008 LOPEZLINK May 2008 3 ABS-CBN umarangkada, First Holdings ventures into biofuels with FWV Biofields ‘Newsbreak’ editors join ABS-CBN 2007 financial performance angat ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation re- and managing editor of Newsbreak, Gloria FIRST Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPHC) is set to enter the bio- cently appointed award-winning journal- brings with her 22 years of experience in 2007 Financial Results fuels business through FWV Biofields Corp., a venture with its ists Marites Danguilan Vitug and Glenda reporting and managing newsrooms. She infrastructure, manufacturing at subsidiary First Philippine Properties Inc. Gloria to lead its online and cable TV has written several books on Philippine TOTAL REVENUES Net income/ (loss) property, at para bayaran ang FPHC vice president Benjamin Lopez said FWV Biofields, news groups, respectively. elections, politics, security issues, Mind- mga lumang pagkakautang. which has an authorized capital of P5 million, is the company’s Vitug is now the editor in chief of abs- anao and the media. 2006 2007 % change 2006 2007 % change Magiging pag-aari ng FPHC vehicle for plantations and forestry. Incorporators include Rafael cbnnews.com, currently one of the top local Meanwhile, Rolando Valdueza was ang 33.4% ng Meralco matapos M. Alunan III, Rafael Abello Jr., Rodolfo Waga Jr., Agnes Le online news sites. She will manage its con- appointed as ABS-CBN’s chief financial ABS-CBN P17.020 B P19.891 B +17 P741 M P1.27 B +71 bilhin ang mga Meralco shares Casabar Oxales and Esmeraldo Amistad. tent as part of the partnership with News- officer (CFO), taking over from Mike Benpres P17.020 B P19.891 B +17 P4.702 B P5.928 B +26 na dating hawak ng First Phil- “First Philippine Properties…owns some agricultural lands. break magazine, which she currently heads. Navarette. Among others, Valdueza previ- She is the Philippine correspondent for ously worked for Pilipino Cable Company First Gen US1.05 B* US$1.1 B +5 US$147.1 M US$181.9 M +24 ippine Union Fenosa and at ng We are just keeping track of the developments in the industry for Newsweek, and a member of the board of and for SkyCable. FPHC P63.7 B P60.5 B -5 P8.8 B** P4.5 B** -49 Meralco Pension Fund. future opportunities,” Lopez said. Umabot ng P60.5 bilyon ang FWV Biofields Corp. will also engage in agribusiness activi- editors of the Philippine Center for Inves- Also appointed was Charles Gamo, as P190.79 B P200.69 B +5 P13.88 B*** P4.04 B -71 Meralco consolidated revenues ng FPHC ties, including nursery operations for plant seedlings and culti- tigative Journalism (PCIJ). She is also the head of investor relations and corporate plan- noong 2007, mas mababa ng 5% vating aquatic resources and mangroves. author of several award-winning books, ning. Before joining ABS-CBN, Gamo, who *As restated including “Under the Crescent Moon,” holds a Master of Science degree in finance kumpara sa P63.7 bilyon noong It is looking at raising between P2.94 billion and P4.91B from **Net income attributable to equity holders of the Parent which she coauthored with Gloria. from the London Business School, worked ***Kasama ang P15.73 bilyon na reversal ng probable losses. Kung wala ang reversal na ito, P3.66 bilyon lamang ang net income ng Meralco 2006. Ang net income attributable the sale of 50 million preferred shares; the proceeds will be used On the other hand, Gloria is now the with such companies as United Laborato- noong 2006. to equity holders of the parent ay to repay or refinance debt. chief operating officer (COO) of ABS- ries, Ayala Corporation, SGV & Co. and nasa P4.5 bilyon, 49% na maliit The biofuels industry is expected to boom with the passage of CBN News Channel (ANC). A cofounder Unilever Philippines Inc. (Kane Choa) (L-R): Marites Vitug, Glenda Gloria, Rolando Valdueza and Charles Gamo Benpres umangat dahil sa sa Pampanga at Bulacan noong income noong 2006 ay dapat kaysa P8.8 bilyon noong 2006. the Biofuels Law of 2006, which, among others, mandates “mix- investees 2007. Nagustuhan ng mga P3.66 bilyon kung hindi kasama Kasama sa net income noong 2006 ing 1% of biodiesel in petrodiesel and 5% of ethanol in gasoline DAHIL sa magandang perfor- manonood ang malinaw na TV ang pagbawi ng probable losses ang gains ng FPHC mula sa initial for the first four years; this will then be increased to 2% for SkyCable Update mance ng mga pinamuhunang reception at ang madaling pag- sa halagang P15.73 bilyon, na public offering ng First Gen noong biodiesel and 10% for ethanol.” Bioethanol is alcohol produced Gabby: Digital TV next step for RP cable companies kumpanya ng Benpres Holdings gamit ng set-top boxes, ang mga resulta ng desisyon ng Supreme taong iyon. (Carla Paras-Sison) from fermented sugar or starch. Corporation, nagtala ang holding electronic decoders na nagko- Court pabor sa Meralco sa EugENIO “Gabby” Lopez III, convention. “We have to be ready key source of revenue for the indus- company ng consolidated rev- convert ng digital signals ng usapin ng unbundled rates. chairman of ABS-CBN Broadcast- to make the investments that allow try. ing Corp., parent firm of SkyCable, us to maintain our competitive ad- “…The product we are capable enues na P19.891 bilyon noong ABS-CBN para sa mga TV sets. Umakyat ng 5% ang total urged cable companies to move to- vantage vs. copper and satellite. We of offering is very competitive…. Nais ng ABS-CBN na makuhang revenues ng Meralco sa P200.69 2007, 17% na mas mataas kaysa wards adopting digital encryption need to be innovative and ensure It’s also much more attractive… P17.020 bilyon noong 2006. muli sa pamamagitan ng DTTV bilyon mula P190.79 bilyon NLEX boosts customer in order to lead the race to provide that we lead in offering consumers from a revenue standpoint. The Ang net income naman nito ang mga manonood na hindi in 2006, samantalang ang total video, voice and data to consum- the applications that a digital life- ARPU (average revenue per user) ay lumago ng 26% sa P5.928 makakuha ng maayos na signal expenses ay tumaas ng 5% sa ers. style demands. from our broadband service is two bilyon mula P4.702 bilyon at ng ABS-CBN Channel 2 dahil sa P194.69 bilyon mula P184.59 service systems Lopez said cable companies Part of the applications of- to four times that of our cable sub- ang net income attributable to natural na technical interference bilyon dahil sa pagtaas ng pre- Additional outdoor television Variable message signs centers in Balintawak, San Fer- must upgrade their networks for fered through digital TV includes scription fees,” he said. the equity holders of the par- sa kanilang mga lugar. syo ng kuryente at ng operations cameras installed by Manila MNTC also put up variable nando and Sta. Rita in Bulacan. digital distribution to stay competi- video-on demand and high defi- There are now about 600,000 ent ay nasa P5.365 bilyon mula First Gen patuloy ang and maintenance expenses. tive. nition TV (HDTV), which can broadband subscribers in the Phil- North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) message signs at the northbound NLEX ambulance and patrol P4.297, or mas mataas ng 25%. paglakas Ang revenues from the “We cannot be competitive as only be presented on a digital ippines. The figure is expected to has boosted emergency roadside approach to the Valenzuela in- crews are also on standby for im- Ang mga investees o pinamu- Lumaki ng 6% ang consoli- sale of electricity ay lumago an analog provider in a world that platform.