Roberto V. Ongpin was elected chairman of PhilWeb in January 2000, the year he founded the Company. He is chairman of ISM Communications Corporation, Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc., Alphaland Corporation, Developing Countries Investment Corporation, and La Flor de la Isabela, Inc., deputy chairman of the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), vice chairman of Philex Mining Corporation, director of Shangri-La Asia (Hong Kong), Petron Corporation and Araneta Properties, Inc. He was formerly managing partner of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. and served as Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines from 1979 to 1986. Mr. Ongpin is a certified public accountant and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Eric O. Recto was elected vice chairman on July 28, 2006 and director of the Company in March 2005. He previously served as president of the Company. He is vice chairman of alphaland Corporation, president of Petron Corporation, and president and chief executive officer of Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc. He is an independent director of the Philippine National Bank and the PNOC Energy Development Corporation and Metro Pacific Investment Corporation. He is also a director of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. Before that, he was Undersecretary of the Department of Finance of the Philippine Government in charge of handling both the International Finance Group and the Privatization Office. Before his work with the government, he was CFO of Alaska Milk Corporation and prior to that, Belle Corporation. Mr. Recto has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines as well as an MBA from the Johnson School, Cornell University.
Ray C. Espinosa was elected Vice Chairman of the Company on June 20, 2006. He is a director of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), vice-chairman of the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund, president and CEO of ePLDT, Inc., chairman of the various subsidiaries of ePLDT, Inc., director and corporate secretary of Cyber Bay Corp., and director and chairman of the Audit and Nomination Committee of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company. He was a partner of SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan from 1982 to 2000, foreign associate at Convington and Burling (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.) from 1987 to 1988, and law lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law from 1983 to 1985 and 1989. He is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and has a Master of Laws degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Dennis O. Valdes was elected a director of the Company in July 2006. He is the president of PhilWeb Corporation and a director of ISM Communications Corp. His previous work experience includes ten years with the Inquirer Group of Companies, as a director of the newspaper, and also expanding their Internet, printing and ink-making operations. Prior to that he spent six years with The NutraSweet Company developing their businesses in Asia. He is a certified public accountant, graduated magna cum laude in Business Administration and Accountancy from the University of the Philippines and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Tomas I. Alcantara was elected a director of the Company in May 2002. He is chairman and president of Aldevinco, Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc., Alto Power Management Corp., director of DBP-Daiwa Securities Corp., Manila Economic and Cultural Office, Petronas Energy (Phils.) Inc., and the Public Estates Authority, among others. He was formerly an Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Ramon S. Ang was elected a director of the Company in November 2001. He is currently vice chairman, president and COO of San Miguel Corporation, chairman and CEO of Petron Corporation and vice chairman of the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO). He holds the positions of chairman, president or director of over 35 companies related to or subsidiaries of San Miguel Corporation, and is also the chairman of Liberty Telecoms Holdings, The Purefoods-Hormel Company, Inc., Philippine Diamond Hotel & Resort, Inc., Magnolia, Inc. and Cyber Bay Corporation. He was previously CEO of Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) and executive managing director of Northern Cement Corporation, among others. He has a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Far Eastern University.
Benito R. Araneta was elected a director of the Company in March 2003. He is chairman and CEO of the Araneta Properties, Inc., chairman and president of Boie, Inc., Philippine-American Drug Co., chairman of Boie-Takeda Chemicals, Inc., and Philcomsat Holdings, director of Southeast Asia Cement Corp., Honda Philippines, Inc., and The Professional Group, among others.
Craig Ehrlich was elected director of the Company in May 2002. He is the former long-time chairman of the GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade association representing more than 700 2nd and 3rd generation network operators and over 180 manufacturers and suppliers, serving more than 3.5 billion customers across 218 countries and territories. He is a board member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Hutchison Telecommunication Group, Bharti Airtel, India’s largest (by market capitalization) company, chairman of Kbro, Taiwan’s largest cable TV company, and founding chairman of Novare Technologies Ltd., a Hong Kong software development company. He was former group managing director of Sunday Communications Limited, a Hong Kong mobile operator. In the Philippines, he is director and vice chairman of ISM Communications Corporation. Mr. Ehrlich, a Hong Kong resident since 1987, holds a B.A degree from the University of California Los Angeles, a master’s degree from Occidental College and a postgraduate fellowship with the Coro Foundation.
Mariano L. Galicia, Jr. was elected a director of the Company in December 2005. He is currently the group vice president of ePLDT, Inc. He was formerly a senior vice president of Fort Bonifacio Development Corp., group vice-president for corporate services of Metro Pacific Corp., human resources director of Johnson & Johnson (Phils.) Inc., Jansen Pharmaceuticals and J&J Medical Phils., Inc. and group manager of Del Monte Philippines, Inc. / Del Monte International Inc. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the Philippines.
Mario J. Locsin was elected director of the Company in January 2000. He is president and COO of Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc., president of Aeropartners, Inc., and Inpilcom, Inc., and treasurer of Hideco Sugar Milling Co., Inc. He is a director of ISM Communications Corporation. In the past, he served as a director of Belle Corporation, APC Group, Southwest Resources, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Pilipino Telephone Co., as well as director, executive vice president and COO of Philippine Airlines.
Mario A. Oreta was elected director of the Company in March 2005. He is president of alphaland Corporation and manages his own law firm, which he set up in 1978. He was previously a managing partner of Tanjuatco, Oreta, Factoran and Berenguer, and Oreta, Suarez and Narvasa. He is a member of the Philippine Bar.
Rafael B. Ortigas was elected director of the Company in April 2002. He is executive vice president of Sagitro, Inc. and Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc., vice president of Leafar Commercial Corporation, chairman, president and director of Rising Sons of 3K, Inc., chairman and director of CK3K, Inc. and GSC-3KCK, Inc. and director of Vinmer Realty, Inc., Concrete Aggregates Corp., director and treasurer of Creative Trade Center Services, Inc. and vice president and director of ISM Communications Corporation and delegate general partner of Ortigas and Company, Ltd. Partnership.
George Tan was elected director of the Company on June 20, 2006. He is senior vice president of ePLDT, Inc., and president and CEO of Digital Paradise, Inc., operator of Netopia, the largest chain of internet cafes in the Philippines. He was executive vice president and chief finance officer of William, Gothong and Aboitiz, Inc. from 1998 to 1999. He was an associate professor and held various key positions in the Asian Institute of Management from 1989 to 1997. He is a certified public accountant and has a Master’s degree with (Distinction) in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management.
Delfin J. Wenceslao, Jr. was elected a director of the Company in May, 2004. He is presently the chairman and president of D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc. and Fabricom Manufacturing Corporation, chairman of Philippine Ecopanel, Inc. and Mandaue Land Consortium, Inc., president and director of Bay Dredging, Inc. and Bay Resources and Development Corporation, managing director of R-I Consortium and director of Belle Bay City Corporation.
CORPORATE SECRETARIES
Roberto V. San Jose was elected Corporate Secretary of the Company in January 2000. He is a director of Mabuhay Holdings Corporation, ISM Communications Corporation, Interport Resources Corporation, and Corporate Secretary of Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc., Anglo-Philippine Holdings Corporation, Philcomsat Holdings Corporation, Premiere Entertainment Productions, Inc., and Solid Group, Inc. He is a director or Corporate Secretary of various companies which are clients of the law firm of Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose (CLTPSJ). He is a member of the Philippine Bar and a Senior Partner of CLTPSJ.
Ana Maria A. Katigbak Ms. Ana Maria A. Katigbak was elected Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company in February 2002. She is a partner in Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose Law Offices and assistant corporate secretary of Ajo.net Holdings, Inc. Boulevard Holdings, Inc., Mabuhay Holdings, Inc., Paxys Inc., PhilWeb Corporation, PNOC Energy Development Corporation, Premiere Entertainment Productions, Inc., The Metropolitan Club, Inc. and Together Ensemble Foundation, Inc. Ms. Katigbak was a elected a Director of Mabuhay Holdings, Inc. from 1999 to 2002 and in 2007.
Cliburn Anthony A. Orbe was elected Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company in June 2006. He has a Bachelor of Laws cum laude from Mindanao State University, where he graduated as the class valedictorian. He was formerly an associate of the Rodrigo Berenguer Guno law firm. He is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
