BOARD OF TRUSTEES

A successful entrepreneur, Consul General Philip Jean Chien was born in Taiwan, ROC and is a naturalized Filipino citizen. He started his journey as a businessman doing international trade, particularly on garments, furniture and electronics for export. He later engaged in the construction of high-rise buildings and expanded into banking and finance with Commonwealth Savings Bank that had several branches in Metro Manila.

In 1992, he entered the cable television business when he established Global Cable. It merged with Destiny Cable in 2004, giving birth to Global Destiny Cable that became, under his leadership, one of the leading cable TV companies in the country.

Expanding his foray into telecommunications, he launched in 2008 a high technology communication and satellite transmission service. As chairman, president and CEO of First Global Conglomerates, Inc. Consul General Chien oversees the operation of Global News Network (GNN, a UHF terrestrial channel), GSAT direct-to-home satellite TV with a congressional franchise and G. Telecoms satellite broadband service (IGSAT).

He is also active in social service. He was installed as Commodore of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, providing support for and service to marine environmental protection.

Consul General Chien was appointed by the Republic of Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama and confirmed by former President Benigno Aquino III as Consul General of the Republic of Botswana to the Philippines. He was also a former Senior Adviser of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, helping in economic and cultural relations between Taiwan and the Philippines. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of the Foreign Chamber Council of the Philippines Inc. and Taiwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

He earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of the East,

Philippines, in 1992, and completed a course on Senior Executive in National and InternationalSecurity at Harvard Kennedy School, USA, in 2013.

George S. Chua, an entrepreneur, has extensive knowledge of and experience in technology, finance, banking and operations. He was former EVP and COO of Arms Corporation of the Philippines, the leading firearms manufacturing and supplier in the country.

He is currently vice chairman of First Global Conglomerates Inc.,  the company behind Global News Network (GNN ), GSAT direct-to-home satellite TV, and G. Telecoms.

Mr. Chua also holds key positions in various industry groups and private companies.

He is president and CEO of Bayan Automotive Industries Corp. ; president, Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI); chairman, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines Foundation; chairman and president, Kimberly Realty Corp.; director, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturer’s Association Inc.; professorial lecturer 1, MBA Program, University of the Philippines; columnist for Manila Bulletin and Business Mirror; and TV host, ``Usapang Bayan’’ on GNN.

Mr. Chua also holds membership in different socio-civic groups. He is a commodore,

Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary; lieutenant colonel (Res) - Philippine Army; Media Affairs Group commander, Civil Military Brigade; and member, National Press Club of the Philippines.

He has a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering from De La

Salle University and a master’s in finance and management from Wharton University. Finally, he has Doctorate ( PhD ) in finance and management,

A lawyer, Jorge V. Sarmiento has had stints in the private and public sectors over the past decades. As a public servant, he served in all three branches of the Philippine government. In the judiciary, he was Special Assistant to Chief Justice Enrique M. Fernando, Jr.( 1979-1980 ) and in the legislature, he was a Legislative Director of Sen. Agapito ``Butz’’’ Aquino ( 1987-1989 ). In the executive branch, all the six previous Philippine Presidents appointed him to the following positions: Corazon C. Aquino as Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, under the Department of Justice; Fidel V. Ramos as Postmaster General of Philippine Postal Corp., under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC); 3. Joseph E. Estrada as Commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, under the Office of the President; Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Deputy Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), under DOTC; Benigno C. Aquino as President-COO of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.; and Rodrigo R. Duterte as Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology ( DICT ).

He held senior positions in the private sector and in government-owned-and-controlled corporations. He is also active in various nongovernment organizations. He parlayed his knowledge and experience in NTC into becoming a co-author of a telecoms/ICT book, “Regulation of the Telecommunications / ICT Sector, The Philippine Experience” (2008 ), two volumes, with then NTC Deputy Commissioner Kathleen G. Heceta.

Sharpening his leadership skills, he attended international and local management and executive certificate courses, such as the following :  27th Executive Program on International Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business and The National University of Singapore Business School, Singapore; 26th International Training Program on Utility Regulation and Strategy by University of Florida and World Bank, Gainesville, Florida, USA ; Senior Executive Fellows Program, John F. Kennedy  School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Boston, USA; Executive Development Program - “ Strategic Leadership in the Gaming Industry“ University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA; and Strategic Business Economics Program for Senior Executives, Business Economics School, University of Asia and Pacific.

He finished AB Political Science (Class 1973) at the University of  the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, and Bachelor of Laws (Class 1977) at the UP College of Law.

A career foreign service officer specializing in economic diplomacy and international trade issues, Tony served in London, Beijing, Geneva, Jeddah and Washington, D.C. (where he was Deputy Chief of Mission from 1992-1998). During this time, he also served as lead negotiator on market access issues for the Philippines during the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations (GATT/WTO) from 1989- 1990. He was Director of the Bureau of International Trade Relations (BITR) of the Department of Trade and Industry from 1989 to 1991.

Tony has had a long involvement in the APEC process from both the public and private sector side. It started when he was part of the Philippine delegation to the founding meeting of APEC in 1989. He subsequently attended the inaugural meeting in Canberra later that year. In 1996 during the Philippine chairmanship of APEC, he was deputy to the APEC SOM Chair tasked with coordinating substantive issues and as spokesperson. One of his specific responsibilities was to oversee the development of the Leaders’ Statement. The following APEC year under Canada, he was Senior Official for the Philippines representing the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Tony left public service and joined the private sector in 1998 as President of the Philippine Foundation for Global   Concerns Inc., a non-profit organization involved in regional economic issues. Concurrently, he was President of the Foundation for Information Technology and Education (FIT-Ed), Executive Director of the Philippine National Committee f the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PPECC), Director of the International Secretariat of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and Secretary General of the Philippine Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Tony was also Senior Adviser at the Asian Development Bank from 2001-2002 working on a project on sub-regional  economic integration in South Asia. He was an independent Director of the Board of Equitable Banking Corporation in 2006- 2007 and of Philratings.

From 2005 to 2016, he was Managing Director and Resident Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office which represents Philippine interests in Taiwan.

Tony is currently Chairman of PPECC, Director of the ABAC International Secretariat, Executive Director of the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development, Board Member of Stratbase Consulting and Senior Advisor to First Global.

Tony earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University. He took up postgraduate studies in international marketing at Brunel University (UK) and has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Elpidio M. Paras is a known businessman in Cagayan de Oro City being president and CEO of Parasat Cable TV Inc., UC-1 Corp. and Dahilayan Adventure Park, home of the longest dual zip line in the Philippines. In addition, he is the owner and developer of the biggest waterpark in the Philippines -- Seven Seas Waterpark & Resort.

He is also a board member of First Global Conglomerates, Inc. consisting of Global News Network ( GNN ), GSAT ( Direct to Home Satellite TV ), and G. Telecoms ( iGSAT Satellite Broadband Service ). He served as past president and chairman of the Philippine Cable TV Association.

Mr. Paras , a former chairman of Cagayan de Oro ICT Business Council, currently sits as independent director of A. Brown Inc. and Southbank Inc.

He is also a trustee of Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital Inc., Promote CDO Foundation Inc. and Tourism Congress of Philippines.

He is a former president of Cagayan de Oro Chamber and Industry Foundation Inc. and former chairman of the Xavier University Board of Trustees.

He is also a founding member of the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders and member of Philippine Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in BS Mechanical Engineering from De La

Salle University.

Allan P. Dungao, who belongs to a prominent family in Pampanga, is president of

Satellite Cable TV network, Golden Stonehills Properties Development Corp. and Infomax

in San Fernando, Pampanga.

He is executive vice president of First United Broadcasting Corp. (GSAT), executive vice president of G. Telecoms and executive vice president of GNN.

He was president and chairman of the Philippines Cable TV Association and was president of Members of Mimosa Golf and Country Club Association.

He is a strong advocate of corporate citizenship in welfare and growth of the Pampanga area, earning him numerous awards, such as being the Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee for 2016.

Mr. Dungao is a member of the National Press Club.

He earned a degree in BS Management from the University of the Assumption, San Fernando, Pampanga.

Jose L. Lobregat is instrumental in bringing in cable TV systems in the country and expanding them nationwide.  A president of Sun Cable Zamboanga since 1994 and a director of Pilipino Cable Corp. in 1998, he is currently on the board of the Philippine Cable TV Association.

He brings his experience in sales and business development to GSAT as its chairman, guiding the development and expansion of its business in the Philippines.

He is also president of Balabagan Agricultural Corp., representing the interests of agriculture industries as they expand in the country and overseas, and a former manager of CoCoFed Marketing Corp. He served as vice president of Telemondila Holdings Inc.

He graduated from Xavier University in 1980, with a degree in BS Agriculture.

She has been a broadcaster for more than 20 years, rising from the ranks. She started out as a field reporter for a local community channel in 1997 and transferred in 2004 to one of the channels on Global Destiny Cable (Global Kabayan) in Metro Manila.

Ms. Velarde is vice president for operations of Golden Nation Network ( GNN ) that is aired on free-to-air TV Channel 46 in Metro Manila and has regional stations nationwide. She is also head of programming of GSAT, direct-to-home satellite TV that covers the entire Philippines.

She entered public service in 2004 as councilor of Jaen Nueva Ecija and a director of Philippine Councilors League Nueva Ecija Chapter in 2007.

She served as a director of the Philippine Cable TV Association from 2011 to 2014 and is currently a director of the Standards Authority of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and a member of the National Press Club of the Philippines.

Ms. Velarde graduated from Ama Computer University with a degree in AB Communication Arts.