MANILA, Philippines – GMA Network chairman and chief executive officer Felipe Gozon, announces his retirement as the GMA CEO on his 84th birthday.
“When I took the helm of the GMA in 2000 we were a far second among the Philippine TV stations. So I dreamed of making GMA number one and rallied my team to work harder than ever before. The rest is history,” Gozon said in a speech last year.
As the country’s top TV station, Gozon said the challenge is to keep doing better than before.
“That is to provide the kind of superior, responsible entertainment that we have to, to the public, and more importantly… to provide objective, unbiased, walang pinoprotektahan, walang kinikilingang pagbabalita sa buong bansa,” he said.
“Integrity and truth are what we live for in the media industry,” he added. “We are committed to truth above all else.”
On his retirement, he will be replaced by GMA president and chief operating officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr..
Duavit Jr., the eldest son of Gilberto M. Duavit Sr., one of the founders of GMA, became a member of the network’s Board of Directors in 1999. Since August 2000, he has served as the chairman of GMA’s Executive Committee.
In November 2000, Duavit Jr. assumed the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer. In 2010, he was elected as the president of the company.
Together with Duavit Sr. and Menardo R. Jimenez, Gozon played a pivotal role in revitalizing Republic Broadcasting System Inc. (RBS), the forerunner of GMA, in 1975.
Gozon expressed his appreciation to God and the individuals involved in GMA Network, attributing the success to their collective efforts.
“I have always said that our people are our best assets,” he said. “The equipment we buy will depreciate the moment we use them, but the stories we create live in the hearts of our viewers and appreciate over time.”
Under his leadership, GMA Network generated the most significant and top-rated programs in Philippine television, along with award winning newscasts and public affairs shows.
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