BW FILE PHOTO

Manuel V. Pangilinan, colloquially known as MVP, is renowned in the Philippines as a well-respected businessman who has impacted several industries in the technology, finance, food and beverage, manufacturing, and energy sectors. He is concurrently chairman, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC); chairman and CEO of Manila Electric Company (Meralco); and chairman of PLDT, Inc., along with many other business ventures nationwide.

While his brilliant business acumen and never-ending love for the game of basketball are what most Filipinos know him for, Mr. Pangilinan has been a constant and transformative presence in the Philippine media industry. MVP serves as the chairman of MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. (MediaQuest), one of the largest media conglomerates in the country with stakes in print, radio, broadcast, and other content- and talent-related ventures.

Established in the 1990s through PLDT’s Beneficial Trust Fund, MediaQuest is the parent company of some of the most influential media outlets in the country such as The Philippine STAR, BusinessWorld, TV5, Radyo5, and Cignal TV.

MediaQuest started building its media empire in 1998 with the acquisition of the Nation Broadcasting Corp. (NBC) from the consortium of the Yabut family and then-House Speaker Manny Villar. NBC was the first network outside of Metro Manila to broadcast on a 24-hour basis and the first company to launch FM stations in Visayas and Mindanao.

Another significant milestone for the media conglomerate is the founding of Cignal TV in 2009. Today, Cignal is the Philippines’ premier direct-to-home satellite provider using broadcast satellite technology, which delivers premium TV content to households and establishments nationwide. With more than 2 million subscribers in 2018, it became the most subscribed pay-TV provider in the Philippines.

Then, in 2010, MVP’s media conglomerate acquired the ABC Development Corp., more commonly known as TV5. The “Kapatid” network is currently the second most-watched TV channel in the country, providing quality entertainment, news, and sports to its viewers locally and internationally.

While it has changed owners and names over the years, TV5 had its beginnings as the Associated Broadcasting Company, which was founded in 1960 by renowned newspaper publisher Joaquin “Chino” Roces. However, its rise in a once young TV landscape would be short-lived due to the censorship of the Marcos administration at the time. In a remarkable comeback, the network was able to resume operations in 1992 and was dubbed the “fastest-growing network” during the decade.

BW FILE PHOTO

In the same year, MediaQuest, through its subsidiaries NBC and TV5, took over the airwaves of 92.3 News FM and rebranded it to Radyo 5. Recently, the station changed its name once again into 92.3 Radyo5 TRUE FM, further marrying FM and AM radio together through a diverse set of programs which includes Ted Failon DJ Chaha sa Radyo5 and Wanted sa Radyo.

Although the company did already have 30% ownership before it acquired the country’s first business daily, MediaQuest was able to formalize its acquisition of a majority stake in BusinessWorld Publishing Corp. in 2013. This acquisition strengthened MediaQuest’s foothold in the business news domain, and it also facilitated the conglomerate’s entry into print media.

Subsequently, MVP’s multimedia service company was able to gain a majority stake in the Philippines’ most widely circulated broadsheet, The Philippine STAR. The newspaper was founded just a few months after the People Power Revolution in 1986 by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, Max Soliven, and Art Borjal, who were involved in the “Mosquito Press,” a moniker for publications that were critical of the first Marcos administration.

Presently, The Philippine STAR has grown into the country’s leading and most recognized brand in journalism not only in print but also digitally. Cebu-based, English-language broadsheet The Freeman; Filipino-language tabloids Pilipino Star Ngayon and Pang-Masa; and Cebuano-language tabloid Banat all operate under the umbrella of the PhilSTAR Media Group as well.

Compelled by the need for media entities to be vigilant in guarding the truth and the need to protect press freedom, Mr. Pangilinan launched Cignal TV’s original satellite TV channel One News in 2019. By combining the expertise and personalities of MediaQuest’s most trusted brands in The Philippine STAR, BusinessWorld, News5, and Bloomberg TV Philippines, One News has sought to present all sides, contexts, and backgrounds of current issues and complement the reportage of other media outlets.

Another channel launched under the “One” brand in 2019 is One Sports, a free-to-air television network dedicated to sports. Formerly known as “5 Plus,” the sports channel has provided extensive coverage of athletes and teams from the biggest sports leagues in the Philippines and in the world, including the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippine Volleyball League (PVL), and International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The free-to-air channel is operated by NBC.

To complete the “One” brand’s network offerings, MediaQuest, through Cignal TV, aired One PH a 24/7 Filipino-language television and radio news channel. Similarly launched in 2019, One PH has programs categorized into three blocks: newscasts and talk shows; public service and infotainment; and showbiz and sports.

After the National Basketball Association (NBA) ceased airing its games on free TV in 2019, MVP’s media conglomerate became the catalyst that brought the game back to the screen of Filipinos in 2020. Just in time for the NBA’s restart, TV5 and One Sports aired select “seeding” and playoff games that gave Filipinos something to cheer for during the pandemic.

Eventually, MediaQuest launched a localized version of NBA TV, NBA TV Philippines. Through a partnership with the NBA and the NBA 2K League, the sports channel has had live simulcasts of the leagues’ games as well as locally produced programming featuring local sports personalities.

A collegiate sports channel called the “UAAP Varsity Channel” has also been launched by the MVP media conglomerate in partnership with the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Available on Cignal TV, the network broadcasts basketball, volleyball, and other sporting events from the said league.

Building on the success and influence in various media sectors, Mr. Pangilinan has ventured other facets of media with the launch of MediaQuest Ventures, described as the “content creation hub” of MediaQuest, in 2023. The newly founded subsidiary combines film and TV production, talent management, and live events endeavors of the media conglomerate.

Under MQuest Ventures is MQ Artist Agency (MQAA), which recently announced its “first marquee signing” Cedrick G. Juan. Mr. Juan starred in the historical film GomBurZa and won the Best Actor award at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival for his portrayal of Fr. Jose Burgos in the movie. The GomBurZa star signed an Exclusive Talent Management Agreement with the MQAA in May along with 13 other artists.

MVP has been a fixture in the Philippine media and a key contributor to the industry by bringing various innovations in the TV, digital, and print media markets. As the chairman of MediaQuest, he has set the gold standard in producing and distributing media content on all mediums, focused on delivering news, sports, and entertainment to Filipinos and global audiences. Despite media being one of his lesser-known endeavors, Mr. Pangilinan has proven to be the most valuable person in advancing the Philippine media industry today. — Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR