Dec ‘09-Jan ‘10 Available online at www.Lopezlink.ph Season’s greetings from OML, MML and EL3…page 5 ‘Bro’ takes center stage in ‘Kapamilya’ Christmas Q3 financial results PASKO na, Kapamilya! ing Marketing’s company-wide Christmas ABS-CBN EBITDA You know it’s Christmas when décor in the tree lighting activity, Licensing’s Parol season’s colors start popping up on major thor- ni Bro, CCM’s tagline and station ID, reaches P5B...p.2 oughfares and the mall muzak is interspersed a Christmas bazaar and the Win sa with carols. And, for kapamilyas all over the world, Bituin viewers’ promo—into one Christmas is definitely around the corner when big campaign. the station ID featuring their favorite The core idea, in the beginning, singers, actors and other media personali- was simply to boost employee ties starts getting airplay on Channel 2. morale in the midst of the global For Christmas 2009, ABS-CBN came economic crisis and unite every- up with “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko,” one in a ceremonial Christmas a “back-to-basics” campaign centered tree lighting ceremony. How- on “Bro,” as the child Santino calls Jesus ever, the idea was scrapped when Christ in the network’s sleeper hit “May they realized that there are “so many Bukas Pa.” Christmas tree lighting The campaign kicked off on Nov. events.” 4 with the launch of the Christmas station ID, and the lighting of an 18-foot parol led by ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, presi- dent Charo Santos-Concio and “ S o FPHC grants call other executives, and Kapamilya we said, why not talents, including Santino him- go back to the on half its Meralco self, Zaijian Jaranilla. basic symbol of stake…page 3 With several departments, Christmas for divisions and subsidiaries the Filipinos, contributing their ideas to which is “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko,” the star,” this year’s campaign not only unites Vidanes ABS-CBN employees for the common said. “It’s re- goal of bringing cheer to the Filipinos ally the parol; the 2009: The year in and infecting them with the Christmas star led the Three spirit. It also inspires and uplifts a Kings and the review…page 5 nation in need of healing after the shepherds to Jesus double whammy inflicted by tropical in Bethlehem.” storms Ondoy and Pepeng. “We wanted some- The way to “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng thing uplifting also for the Pasko” started as early as June, when employees, we wanted to teams from Sales, Marketing, Creative come together in a ceremonial Communications Management (CCM), lighting,” added program mar- Licensing, Production, and Property keting head Zita Aragon. “In pitched concepts to the leadership com- the wake of Ondoy, the message mittee composed of Channel 2 head Cory V. became even more relevant.” Vidanes and department heads. Vidanes Turn to page 8 suggested merging all the concepts—includ- 2 3 Lopezlink Dec 2009-Jan 2010 Lopezlink Dec 2009-Jan 2010 Jan. 2009-Sept. 2009 financial results Net income/ (loss) attributable to Benpres benefits from lower debt TOTAL REVENUES equity holders of the parent FPHC grants call on half its Meralco stake BENPRES Holdings Corpora- debt from Avenue Capital gurs well for the publicly listed 2008 2009 % change 2008 2009 % change FIRST Philippine Holdings FPHC chairman and chief In the meantime, MPIC maining 13.4% has been valued tion benefited from lower debt Group, in the principal amount conglomerate, which controls Corporation (FPHC) in No- executive officer Oscar M. gave First Philippine Utilities at P300 per share or P44B. So levels, posting a net income at- of US$252M and P467M, re- ABS-CBN Corporation and ABS-CBN P16.5B P18.3B +11 P1.2B P1.3B +12 vember agreed to grant a call Lopez (OML) said, “We are Corp., a wholly owned FPHC FPHC remains a significant tributable to equity holders of spectively, at an overall price of First Philippine Holdings Cor- Benpres P16.7B P25.9B +55 (P841M) P11.0B +1,398 option on half (6.7%) of its very happy with the agreement subsidiary, an P11.2 billion minority in Meralco,” Waga the parent of P10.9 billion in 65% of face value. The purchase poration (FPHC). P15.0B P16.0B +6 P2.7B P1.4B -48 Meralco stake to partner Metro reached with Mr. Pangilinan’s short-term loan covered by a said. the first three quarters of 2009. price was settled in full. “Lower debt levels mean the EDC -23 US$45.8M US$7.0M -85 Pacific Investments Corpora- group. It reflects a valuation promissory note which matures If the call option is exercised, This is a reversal of the P841 Thus, as of Sept. 30, 2009, Ben- company is now poised to shift First Gen US$999.0M US$772.0M +4,931 tion (MPIC). that shows the strong growth on June 30, 2010. The loan FPHC will continue to be en- million net loss attributable to pres’ outstanding debt was down from a defensive position to a FPHC P46.0B P43.5B -6 P156.0M P7.9B The exercise price will be prospects of Meralco. The bears an interest rate of 5% titled to one seat in Meralco’s equity holders of the parent to P3B from P16B as of Dec. 31, growth-oriented mode in sup- Meralco P144.7B P143.0B -1 P3.8B P5.3B +42 P300 per share after MPIC ex- proceeds, no doubt, will al- per annum and is secured by 11-member board of directors. posted in 9M08. 2008. With the debt buyback, in- port of the power group’s focus on ercised its right of first refusal low FPHC to pursue its new Meralco and First Gen Corpo- The investment and coopera- The net income is largely due terest and other expenses-net was developing clean and renewable and matched the offer of Tri- directions and further estab- ration shares held. tion agreement with MPIC to the one-time gain of P7.5B 16% lower for 9M09. energy sources, and ABS-CBN’s First Gen 9-month net income at $7M Ratna Holdings Corporation lish itself in the country as the In a briefing, FPHC vice in March 2009 will bind both from the extinguishment of Benpres president Angel S. direction to expand its services FIRST Gen Corporation re- variance between the 2009 and health also continued to stabilize (TriRatna) headed by Henry premier renewable energy pro- president, assistant corporate parties to exercise voting rights debt. On Aug. 21, 2009 the Ong said the significant reduc- and reach more Filipinos global- ported a net income attributable 2008 results. as it pursued a strong financing Sy Jr. TriRatna had offered to vider.” secretary and assistant infor- as a block to give full effect to company bought back its own tion of the company’s debt au- ly,” Ong said. (Carla Paras-Sison) to equity holders of the parent In 2008, the company enjoyed program aimed at moving a sig- EDC assumes operations of Tongonan, Palinpi- buy the entire block of Meralco FPHC granted a call op- mation officer Rodolfo Waga the cooperation arrangement of $7.0 million for the nine- unrealized gains of $22.2M from nificant portion of the company’s non plants ENERGY Development Corporation (EDC) assumed shares held by FPHC. How- tion to MPIC on 74.7 million Jr. said the Meralco shares re- in all matters brought to the month period ending Sept. 30, foreign exchange movements. loan obligations to operating operations of the 112.5-MW Tongonan 1 and 192.5-MW Palinpinon ever, FPHC has decided to Meralco shares, or approxi- maining with the company are shareholders. 2009. This is 85% lower than These were, however, offset by subsidiaries and striking a rea- One time gain, continued geothermal power plants on Oct. 23 after paying Power Sector Assets and Li- maintain a strategic presence in mately 6.7% of the outstanding of strategic value. FPHC will FPHC intends to pay down the $45.8M in net income for savings in interest expense from sonable balance between debt abilities Management Corporation (Psalm) P3.9 billion representing 40% of the Meralco. common shares of the electric continue to have representation a portion of its debt with the the same period in 2008. the company’s refinancing activi- and equity. The company’s suc- purchase price and $7 million for the purchase orders, rental, option price, per- MPIC is led by Manuel V. utility. The call option shall be on the board of Meralco. proceeds of the loan, as well The decline in net income ties and benefits from its gas proj- cessful financing programs has formance security deposit on land lease, and industrial all-risks insurance policy Pangilinan, also the chairman issued in due course and shall “In March (2009), the com- as fund investments in indig- recovery for FPHC was principally attributable to ects’ lower deferred income tax. brought down interest expense and comprehensive general liability. EDC, through Green Core Geothermal Inc. of Philippine Long Distance be exercisable at any time from pany sold 20% of Meralco at enous and renewable energy BOLSTERED by one-time gains March 12, 2009 wherein both prices and reduced dispatch of a one-time, non-cash write- During the nine-month pe- at the parent company level from (GCGI), acquired the plants in an auction conducted by Psalm on Sept. 2. Photo Telephone (PLDT) Compa- Jan. 15, 2010 until March 31, P90 per share or P20.7B. To- through First Gen. (Carla Pa- from the sale of its 20% stake in parties also agreed on certain the power plants owned by First down of the deferred tax assets riod in 2009, First Gen’s main a high of $74.5M in 2008 to shows EDC chairman Oscar M.