MANILA, PHILIPPINES — GMA Network announces another set of newly promoted executives from various groups such as Human Resources Development, Radio Operations, and Finance and ICT.
Head of Human Resources Development Department (HRDD) Atty. Gerrome Y. Apolona has been appointed as First Vice President. Apolona’s group is responsible for the efficient management of the Kapuso workforce. Also through HRDD, the Network has instituted a training and development program anchored in valuing employees as the Network’s best asset.
Under his leadership, the HRDD played a vital role especially at the onset of the pandemic to enable the Network to quickly adapt into the new normal through different work arrangements and safety precautions to ensure the safety of all employees. Apolona has been a Kapuso since 2009.
Similarly, Glenn F. Allona is now the First Vice President for Radio Operations Group. As head of operations, Allona develops strategies, implements action plans and manages the day-to-day business of GMA Radio. With more than two decades of industry experience, he oversees the branding and nationwide programming of AM and FM radio stations resulting to higher ratings and profitability.
During his tenure as Vice President, his team launched the highly successful ‘Dobol B sa News TV’, now titled ‘Dobol B TV’, which provided radio news content to TV viewers through the simulcast of Super Radyo DZBB on GTV. Further, the Network’s flagship AM and FM stations Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 have been consistently No.1 in Mega Manila.
Meanwhile, GMA also appointed two new Vice Presidents in the Finance and ICT Group.
Mercedes Macy T. Sueña was promoted to Vice President and Head of the Financial Reporting and Services Department (FRASD). She is mainly responsible for ensuring the Network’s compliance with statutory financial reporting and providing timely and relevant information to management, as well as in creating synergies on the revenue and receivables cycle and related fund management.
Sueña, who has been a Kapuso for 18 years now, has given invaluable contribution in helping make GMA’s sound financial management one of its key strengths as a company. During her stint along with the Network’s launch of international operations, GMA was granted a non-pioneer status as a New Export Producer of Television and Motion Picture by the Board of Investments, and was qualified for an Income Tax Holiday (ITH) grant for four (4) years. While making sure that the Company was able to enjoy the full benefit of the grant for the given period, Sueña also facilitated the extension of an additional or bonus year of the ITH incentive. Because of this, the Company was likewise able to generate hundreds of millions in tax savings.
Lastly, Rolando G. Sanico, Jr. was appointed Vice President and Head of the Group Controllership and Tax Compliance Department. With over two decades of solid experience in GMA Finance, Sanico has headed four divisions of the department across the years where he helped innovate systems and institutionalized several practices that contributed to the Network’s more efficient processes.
He was the Project Manager in GMA’s transformation from manual to a computerized accounting system with the implementation of Oracle ERP system in 2011, which became the cornerstone of GMA’s financial information system for over 12 years. In 2014, he was designated again to lead the implementation of SAP ECC system currently being used by all companies of the GMA Group. Recently, he successfully directed the GMA Business Continuity Planning (GMA BCP) team that ensured that all systems were accessible for employees working from home for continuous business operations during the first lockdown in March 2020.
