Gilberto "Jimmy" Roy Duavit Jr. (born October 16, 1963)
is a Filipino businessman, philanthropist, producer, and writer. He is the president and
chief operating officer
A chief operating officer or chief operations officer, also called a COO, is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, composing part of the " C-suite". The COO is usually the second-in-command at the firm, especially if ...
of
GMA Network Inc.
GMA Network, Inc., commonly known as GMA, is a Philippine media company based in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. It is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting, with subsidiaries dealing in various media related businesses. ...
, one of the largest media networks in the Philippines. Duavit inherited the position from his father,
Gilberto "Bibit" Duavit Sr., who was the network's founding chairman. Duavit first became involved with GMA in 1993 as a film producer for the network's production company,
GMA Pictures
GMA Pictures, formerly Cinemax Studios and GMA Films, is a film and television production company in the Philippines, established by GMA Network in 1995. Its films include ''Jose Rizal'', '' Muro Ami'', and '' Deathrow''.
Filmography
Histor ...
, which was then named Cinemax Studios and later GMA Films. He produced some of the company's most successful films, including ''
José Rizal'' (1998) and ''
Muro-Ami
Muro-ami or muroami is a fishing technique employed on coral reefs in Southeast Asia. It uses an encircling net together with pounding devices. These devices usually comprise large stones fitted on ropes that are pounded into the coral reefs. They ...
'' (1999), both of which won the
Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture
The Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture is an award presented annually by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It was first awarded at the 1st Metro Manila Film Festival ceremony, held in 1975; the film ''Diligin M ...
successively. After his promotion as the network's vice president in 2000, Duavit became involved in the network's television production, having created the shows ''
Liwanag ng Hatinggabi
''Liwanag ng Hatinggabi'' (International title: ''Light of Midnight'') is a Philippine television drama horror series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is the first installment of ''GMA Mini-Series''. Directed by Joel Lamangan, it stars Lorn ...
'' (1999–2000), ''
Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw'' (2002–03), and ''
Hanggang Kailan
''Hanggang Kailan'' (International title: ''Circle of Hearts'' / ) is a 2004 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Jose Javier Reyes and Mark A. Reyes, it stars Lorna Tolentino, Christopher de Leon and ...
'' (2004).
Since Duavit assumed the presidency from the network's longtime chairman
Felipe Gozon, who was appointed CEO, he and Gozon have been attributed for the network's rise as one of the country's leading media networks.
The network had won several
Peabody Awards,
Asian Television Awards
The Asian Television Awards (launched in 1996), is an appreciation to recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, the Awards comprises 56 categories across news, documentarie ...
, and the
New York Television Festival
The New York Television Festival (NYTVF) is a yearly festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often mark ...
awards during Duavit's presidency.
Duavit is the thirty-third-wealthiest person in the Philippines, with a net worth of $440 million, according to ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
''.
Early life
Duavit was born on October 16, 1963 as the second eldest child of GMA Network chairman
Gilberto Duavit Sr. (1934–2018) and Vilma
Roy Duavit, the daughter of former Philippine Senator
Jose Roy
Jose J. Roy (July 19, 1904 – March 14, 1986) was a Filipino lawyer, economist, and politician who served for 25 consecutive years as a congressman and senator in the Congress of the Philippines. Known as the "poor man's economist", he drafted, ...
(1904–1986). His older sister, Judith Duavit Vasquez, previously served as a GMA board member. His youngest brother,
Michael John Duavit, currently serves as a
representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
for
Rizal's
1st district, which he has served for five terms since 2001, a position that his father and second youngest brother, Joel Roy Duavit, also served; Duavit Sr. served as the district's congressman from 1994 to 2001, while Joel served the position for two consecutive terms from 2010 to 2016. Duavit graduated from the
University of the Philippines Diliman
, image = University of The Philippines seal.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman
, motto = Honor and Excellence
, established = February 12, 194 ...
with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree in
philosophy.
Career
Film and television producer (1991–2000)
Since 1991, Duavit has served as the president and
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especial ...
(CEO) of Film Experts Inc., a
magnetic storage
Magnetic storage or magnetic recording is the storage of data on a magnetized medium. Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetisation in a magnetizable material to store data and is a form of non-volatile memory. The information is ac ...
and
optical disc
In computing and optical disc recording technologies, an optical disc (OD) is a flat, usually circular disc that encodes binary data (bits) in the form of pits and lands on a special material, often aluminum, on one of its flat surfaces. ...
manufacturer based in
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
.
In 1995, the GMA Network launched Cinemax Studios with Duavit as one of the supervisors. In 1998, Cinemax Studios was renamed to
GMA Films
GMA Pictures, formerly Cinemax Studios and GMA Films, is a film and television production company in the Philippines, established by GMA Network in 1995. Its films include ''Jose Rizal'', '' Muro Ami'', and '' Deathrow''.
Filmography
Histor ...
in order to avoid confusion with
HBO's sister channel
Cinemax
Cinemax is an American pay television, cable, and satellite television network owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Developed as a companion "maxi-pay" service complementing the offerings shown on parent ...
, which had then recently entered into the Southeast Asian market. Duavit was involved in the production of the studio's first films following the move, ''
Sa Pusod ng Dagat
''Sa Pusod ng Dagat'' () is a 1998 Filipino film produced and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya. It stars Jomari Yllana with Chin Chin Gutierrez and Elizabeth Oropesa. The film was critically acclaimed in local and international film festivals.
...
'' and ''
José Rizal'', serving as the two films' producer. Both films were directed by
Marilou Diaz-Abaya
Marilou Correa Diaz-Abaya (March 30, 1955 – October 8, 2012) was a Filipina multi-award winning film director. She was conferred the Order of National Artists of the Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022, she was the founder and pres ...
and were critical and commercial successes. ''José Rizal'' won all the 17 awards it was nominated for at the
1998 Metro Manila Film Festival
The 24th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in 1998.
It was a clean sweep for '' José Rizal'' in the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival. The movie won all but one of the eighteen awards at stake, which is the Best Actress given to Alice Dixson
...
, including
Best Picture
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
. The following year, Duavit produced another of Diaz-Abaya's films, ''
Muro-Ami
Muro-ami or muroami is a fishing technique employed on coral reefs in Southeast Asia. It uses an encircling net together with pounding devices. These devices usually comprise large stones fitted on ropes that are pounded into the coral reefs. They ...
''. ''Muro-Ami'' grossed at the box office and won 13 awards at the
1999 Metro Manila Film Festival
The 25th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in Manila, Philippines starting December 25.
Once again, GMA Films received most of the awards for the film '' Muro-Ami'', which won thirteen awards in the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival including the ...
, including Best Picture.
In 1999, Duavit was elected to the GMA Network's
board of directors.
After the success of GMA Films in the late 1990s, Duavit ventured into television production at
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...
. He conceptualized the
horror drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
series ''
Liwanag ng Hatinggabi
''Liwanag ng Hatinggabi'' (International title: ''Light of Midnight'') is a Philippine television drama horror series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is the first installment of ''GMA Mini-Series''. Directed by Joel Lamangan, it stars Lorn ...
'', which premiered on December 6, 1999. Duavit was inspired by the concept of
magic realism, a style of fiction often associated with
Latin American literature
Latin American literature consists of the oral and written literature of Latin America in several languages, particularly in Spanish, Portuguese, and the indigenous languages of the Americas. It rose to particular prominence globally during the ...
. The series was directed by
Joel Lamangan
Joel Lamangan (born September 21, 1952) is a Filipino film director, television director and actor. His award-winning films includes '' The Flor Contemplacion Story'', '' Sidhi'', '' Deathrow'', ''Hubog'', '' Aishte Imasu 1941'', '' Blue Moon'' ...
and starred
Lorna Tolentino
Victoria Lorna Perez Aluquin-Fernandez (born December 23, 1961), better known by her stage name Lorna Tolentino, sometimes known as ''L.T.'', an abbreviation of her screen name, is a Filipino actress, host and executive producer. Regarded as ...
,
Angelika Dela Cruz, and
Victor Neri
Victor Luis Juan Hilado Neri (born February 19, 1976) is a Filipino actor, singer and chef.
Personal life
Neri is also a chef and owns a restaurant named ''Saute''. In 2007, Neri took a break from the entertainment industry and spent three ...
in the lead roles. It ran for a total of 17 episodes until March 27, 2000.
In 2000, Duavit collaborated again with Lamangan for the melodrama film ''
Deathrow''; Lamangan directed, while Duavit served as one of the film's producers. The film was shown at the
Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year si ...
in Egypt, the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
in Canada, and the
Busan International Film Festival
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festiv ...
in South Korea. It was awarded the ''Prix Du Meilleur Film Engage au Service d’une Cause'' (Prize for the Best Committed Film Championing a Cause) at the
Brussels Independent Film Festival
The Brussels Independent Film Festival, previously known as the Brussels International Independent Film Festival, or le Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bruxelles, has taken place since 1974. It originally focused on Super 8 films ...
in Belgium for its depiction of
capital punishment
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
on juvenile offenders.
GMA Network vice presidency and COO (2000–2010)
On December 31, 2000, Duavit became the network's executive vice president and
chief operating officer
A chief operating officer or chief operations officer, also called a COO, is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, composing part of the " C-suite". The COO is usually the second-in-command at the firm, especially if ...
(COO).
As COO, Duavit continued his work on writing television shows for the network. In 2002, he created the drama romance series ''
Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw'', starring
Christopher de Leon
Christopher Strauss de León (born October 31, 1956) is a Philippine film actor and politician. He is recognized as the “''King of Philippine Drama''” has appeared in over 120 films since the early 1970s.
Regarded as an "acting genius" and ...
,
Alice Dixson
Alice Dixson (born Jessie Alice Dixson; ; July 28, 1969) or often misspelled Alice Dixon, is a Filipino American actress, commercial model, and former beauty queen.
Biography
Born to an American father and a Filipino mother, she was the Philipp ...
, and
Richard Gomez
Richard Frank Icasiano Gomez (; born April 7, 1966) is a Filipino actor, television presenter and director, politician, and épée fencer. He has been serving as the Representative of Leyte's 4th district since 2022, and was mayor of Orm ...
. The series ran for a total of 200 episodes between July 8, 2002 and April 11, 2003. It was commercially successful through its run, resulting in GMA Network producing a sequel series, ''
Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw Pa Rin''. It replaced the timeslot of ''Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw'' and ran for a total of 93 episodes, concluding on August 22, 2003. Duavit served as producer for the sequel series.
In 2004, Duavit created another drama romance series, ''
Hanggang Kailan
''Hanggang Kailan'' (International title: ''Circle of Hearts'' / ) is a 2004 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Jose Javier Reyes and Mark A. Reyes, it stars Lorna Tolentino, Christopher de Leon and ...
''. Duavit collaborated with writers
Jose Javier Reyes
Jose "Joey" Javier Reyes (born October 21, 1954) is a Filipino professor, writer, director, miscellaneous crew and actor. He has won awards at the Gawad Urian, Metro Manila Film Festival and Filipino Star Awards for Movies for his films, whi ...
and
Mark A. Reyes
Marciano Antonio "Mark" Reyes V is a Filipino film director, television director, music video director and film writer known for his multi-stranded storylines. He is a resident director and writer of GMA Network.
His work include the film ''Mome ...
. The series reunited him with Tolentino since ''Liwanag Ng Hatinggabi'' and de Leon and Dixson since ''Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw''. It premiered on March 8, 2004 and concluded on August 13, commissioning a total of 95 episodes.
In 2007, the GMA Network announced it would offer its shares to the public from an initial
public offering
A public offering is the offering of securities of a company or a similar corporation to the public. Generally, the securities are to be listed on a stock exchange. In most jurisdictions, a public offering requires the issuing company to publish a ...
between to . On June 28, the
Philippine Stock Exchange
The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. ( fil, Pamilihang Sapi ng Pilipinas; ) is the national stock exchange of the Philippines. The exchange was created in 1992 from the merger of the Manila Stock Exchange and the Makati Stock Exchange. Includin ...
approved the network's offering. On July 23, former
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner ...
representative
Imee Marcos
Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipina politician and former actress serving as a Senator since 2019. She is the daughter of Ferdinand Marcos and former first lady Imelda Marcos and the o ...
sent a letter to the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) contesting her claim of ownership to 28.35 percent of the network's shares held by the Duavit family. The shares were entrusted to Duavit's father, Gilberto Duavit Sr., by Marcos' father, former President
Ferdinand Marcos, to whom the senior Duavit served as Assistant Executive Secretary for Social, Political, Legal, and Economic Affairs (1966–1970), Acting Executive Secretary (1969), and Senior Deputy Minister of the
Ministry of Youth and Sports Development under. The junior Duavit's lawyer responded to Marcos' claims, saying that Duavit acquired the shares "on his own." Imee Marcos, citing a handwritten note given to her from the senior Duavit in 1983, stated that "Duavit did not own the shares but was merely the representative of a 'silent partner.'" Thereafter, GMA counsel Atty. Gener Asuncion stated that the junior Duavit and his family "are the real and actual owners" and "have concrete proof of their ownership" of the network's shares. According to an official statement by the network, its owner in 1986 (when it was then called the Republic Broadcasting System), Loreto Feliciano Stewart (the wife of its co-founder,
Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart), "sought to recover the shares of the Duavits and asked for an injunction to prevent the registration of the shares in their favor but was rejected by the court. Stewart then gave a notice of dismissal of her complaint and the court dismissed it on November 28, 1986." Asuncion also stated that GMA Network would push through with its scheduled release of listed shares on July 30, following the SEC's approval of the network's registration statement and issuance of a "Securities for Sale" permit.
Under Duavit's leadership as COO in the late 2000s, GMA began securing the
media franchise of foreign shows in order for the network to adapt Philippine versions. In August 2007, GMA produced ''
Celebrity Duets
''Celebrity Duets'' was an American reality television show, of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition.
History
The show was a take-off of ...
'', which was the Philippine edition of the British reality singing contest ''
Just the Two of Us
Just or JUST may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Just (surname)
* Just (given name)
Arts and entertainment
* ''Just'', a 1998 album by Dave Lindholm
* "Just" (song), a song by Radiohead
* "Just", a song from the album ''Lost and Found'' by Mudvayne ...
'', through a
licensing agreement
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
with
FremantleMedia
Fremantle (; formerly FremantleMedia) is a British multinational television production and distribution company based in London. Fremantle takes its name from Fremantle International, acquired by predecessor company All American Television i ...
. GMA purchased the rights to the
''Idol'' franchise from FremantleMedia to produce ''
Pinoy Idol
''Pinoy'' ( ) is a common informal self-reference used by Filipinos to refer to citizens of the Philippines and their culture as well as to overseas Filipinos in the Filipino diaspora. A Pinoy who has any non-Filipino foreign ancestry is often ...
'', which premiered in September. The franchising rights were previously used by the Associated Broadcasting Company (now the
TV5 Network
TV5 Network Inc., commonly known as TV5, is a Philippine media company based in Mandaluyong, with its alternate studios located in Novaliches, Quezon City. It is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting, with subsidiaries an ...
) to produce ''
Philippine Idol''. The network also produced Philippine versions of
telenovelas
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include ''teleserye'' (P ...
that year, most popularly ''
Marimar'' starring
Marian Rivera
Marian Rivera Gracia-Dantes (; born 12 August 1984) is a Filipino recording artist, actress, and commercial model. She gained prominence as a widely-acclaimed actress for her roles in '' MariMar'', ''Dyesebel'', '' Amaya'', '' Darna'' and '' T ...
and
Dingdong Dantes
Jose Sixto Raphael Gonzalez Dantes III (born August 2, 1980), professionally known as Dingdong Dantes (), is a Filipino actor, television presenter, dancer, commercial model and film producer who is currently working as an employment contract, ...
, which was based on the
1994 Mexican series of the same name. That year, the network also produced Philippine versions of ''
Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan'' (based on the Japanese
tokusatsu
is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is som ...
''
Space Sheriff Shaider
is a tokusatsu television show that aired from March 2, 1984 to March 8, 1985. It is the last of the "Space Sheriff Series" of the broader Metal Hero Series franchise, the previous two being '' Space Sheriff Gavan'' and ''Space Sheriff Sharivan ...
'') and the game shows ''
Kakasa Ka Ba sa Grade 5?'' (based on the American game show ''
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?'') and ''
Whammy! Push Your Luck
''Whammy! Push Your Luck'' is a Philippine television game show broadcast by GMA Network. The show is based on American game shows '' Second Chance'' and ''Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck''. Hosted by Paolo Bediones and Rufa Mae Quinto, it ...
'' (based on the American game show ''
Second Chance'').
GMA Network presidency (2010–present)
In October 2010, Duavit was elected president of the GMA Network by the network's board of directors.
Duavit served the role alongside his concurrent role as the company's COO.
Under Duavit's presidency, the network produced the country's first
historical drama series, ''
Amaya'' (2011–12), set during
the pre-colonial period of the Philippines.
In February 2012, Duavit led the signing of the network's three-year deal with
Fox International Channels
Fox Networks Group (FNG) is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company that oversees international television assets that were acquired from 21st Century Fox. It produces and distributes more than 300 entertainment, film, sports and factual channe ...
. The deal allowed Fox cable channels in the Asia Pacific to air GMA media across the region. GMA media that Fox has re-aired since the deal was signed include the shows ''
Wish Ko Lang!
''Wish Ko Lang!'' () is a Philippine television public service drama anthology show broadcast by GMA Network. Originally hosted by Bernadette Sembrano, it premiered on June 29, 2002 on the network's Saturday afternoon line up. The show conclude ...
'' (2002–2020), ''
Pinoy Abroad
''Pinoy Abroad'' is a Philippine television travel documentary show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Ivan Mayrina and Rhea Santos
Rhea Santos-de Guzman (born June 1, 1979) is a Filipino broadcast journalist, television host, and newscas ...
'' (2005–06), ''
Encantadia
''Encantadia'' is a Philippines, Filipino fantasy franchise produced and published by GMA Network. It consists of four television series that have run from 2005 to present and a single film. The first was shown in 2005 carrying the title alone ...
'' (2005–06), ''
Pinoy Meets World'' (2006–2009), ''
Super Twins
''Super Twins'' is a 2007 Philippine television drama fantasy series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Dominic Zapata, it stars Jennylyn Mercado, Nadine Samonte, Ella Cruz, Nicole Dulalia and Dennis Trillo. It premiered on February 12, 20 ...
'' (2007), ''
Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita'' (2008), ''
Dyesebel
''Dyesebel'' () is a Filipino comic book character, conceived by Mars Ravelo and drawn by Elpidio Torres. Dyesebel is a mermaid, who eventually gains full human form through a deal with a sea-witch.
Aside appearing in Pilipino Komiks, Dyesebe ...
'' (2008), ''
Darna
Darna () is a Filipina superheroine created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. The character's first appearance was in ''Pilipino Komiks'' (Ace Publications, Inc.) #77 on May 13, 1950. Darna is a retooling of Ravelo's earlier cha ...
'' (2009–10), ''
Stairway to Heaven'' (2009), ''
Kaya Kong Abutin ang Langit'' (2009), and ''
Trudis Liit'' (2010); and the films ''José Rizal'' (1998), ''
My Best Friend's Girlfriend
''My Best Friend's Girlfriend '' is a 2008 Filipino romantic comedy film, released in 2008 under Regal Films and GMA Pictures.
The movie opened in the Philippines on February 13, 2008, starring Richard Gutierrez and Marian Rivera.
Synopsis
A ...
'' (2008), ''
When I Met U'' (2009), ''
Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie'' (2009), and ''
Temptation Island'' (2011).
In February 2012, amid reports that business tycoon and TV5 Network chairman
Manuel V. Pangilinan had announced a possible merger deal between the two networks, Duavit initially stated that the GMA Network would not be offered to any party with interest in
acquiring it.
However, he later clarified that the network is sellable but only if the offer price would interest the network's shareholders. He also disclosed that, in 2001, GMA and TV5 (then the Associated Broadcasting Company) had reached a
memorandum of understanding for the latter to acquire the former, with a price and sale of the majority having already been reached. However, the agreement was never finalized because of issues encountered by
MediaQuest Holdings
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. is a Philippine-based media conglomerate that provides radio and television broadcasting, as well as direct-to-home satellite services and print media. Though an affiliate of telecommunications company PLDT, MediaQ ...
, the parent company of TV5.
In April 2012, Duavit reported that the network had reached a consolidated revenue of in 2011, despite the loss of worth of revenues from
campaign advertising
In politics, campaign advertising is the use of an advertising campaign through the media to influence a political debate, and ultimately, voters. These ads are designed by political consultants and political campaign staff. Many countries re ...
for the
2010 Philippine general election
Elections for all positions in the Philippines above the barangay (except for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional level) were held on May 10, 2010. The elected president is Benigno Aquino III, the 15th President of the Philippines, ...
, the
European debt crisis
The European debt crisis, often also referred to as the eurozone crisis or the European sovereign debt crisis, is a multi-year debt crisis that took place in the European Union (EU) from 2009 until the mid to late 2010s. Several eurozone membe ...
, and the "slow"
economic recovery
An economic recovery is the phase of the business cycle following a recession. The overall business outlook for an industry looks optimistic during the economic recovery phase.
During the recovery period, the economy goes through a process of e ...
of the U.S. from the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
. He described the network's performance as "fairly competitive", noting a "significant, single-digit increase" in the first quarter of that year than the previous year.
In March 2013, Duavit announced that the GMA Network would depend on
internal financing In the theory of capital structure, internal financing is the process of a firm using its profits or assets as a source of capital to fund a new project or investment. Internal sources of finance contrast with external sources of finance. The m ...
for its estimated
capital expenditure
Capital expenditure or capital expense (capex or CAPEX) is the money an organization or corporate entity spends to buy, maintain, or improve its fixed assets, such as buildings, vehicles, equipment, or land. It is considered a capital expenditure ...
program for the year as per tradition, dispelling appeals that the network should utilize
external financing
In the theory of capital structure, external financing is the phrase used to describe funds that firms obtain from outside of the firm. It is contrasted to internal financing which consists mainly of profits retained by the firm for investment. T ...
such as fundraisers to source its program. He stated that the network would utilize its program mainly for the establishment of additional
stations in rural areas "where close to half of all television viewers reside." He also added that over of the program would be used to fund equipment for the network's coverage of the
2013 Philippine general election
A general election was held in the Philippines on May 13, 2013. It was a midterm election—the officials elected will be sworn in on June 30, 2013, midway through President Benigno Aquino III's term of office.
Being elected are 12 senators ( ...
.
In August 2015,
San Miguel Corporation
San Miguel Corporation, abbreviated as SMC, is a Philippine multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The company is one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Originally founded i ...
CEO
Ramon S. Ang alleged that GMA executives embezzled his corporation's
down payment
Down payment (also called a deposit in British English), is an initial up-front partial payment for the purchase of expensive items/services such as a car or a house. It is usually paid in cash or equivalent at the time of finalizing the transactio ...
for its acquisition of 34 percent of the network's stakes that failed. While Ang filed charges against Gozon and several other GMA executives for syndicated ''
estafa'', Duavit was excluded from the charges as he pledged to return his portion of the .
In July 2016, Duavit's father, Gilberto Duavit Sr., was elected to the board of directors of the GMA Network, serving alongside him. The senior Duavit served as member until his death in December 2018.
In January 2019, it was reported that 88.4 percent of GMA's sales in 2018 were sourced from advertising. As such, GMA fell behind its main competitor in the media industry,
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...
, which generated a total of that year. ABS-CBN had extended its
revenue model A revenue model is a framework for generating financial income. It identifies which revenue source to pursue, what value to offer, how to price the value, and who pays for the value.Afuah, A. 2004. ''Business Models: A Strategic Management Approach ...
to other business segments that counterbalanced decreasing advertising revenues, resulting in a large percentage of ABS-CBN's revenue to be attributed to its involvement in the
customer experience
Customer experience (CX) is a totality of cognitive, affective, sensory, and behavioral consumer responses during all stages of the consumption process including pre-purchase, consumption, and post-purchase stages. Pine and Gilmore described th ...
sector. GMA generated a total revenue of , which was behind ABS-CBN. In response, Duavit and other GMA executives partnered with Pangilinan's
PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
to shift to
digital broadcasting
Digital broadcasting is the practice of using digital signals rather than analogue signals for broadcasting over radio frequency bands. Digital television broadcasting (especially satellite television) is widespread. Digital audio broadcasting i ...
. On January 9, GMA and PLDT executives signed a "technology, content, and distribution" agreement for PLDT to assist in the enhancement and innovation of the media network's digital transition.
According to the general information sheet the GMA Network submitted to the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2019, Duavit owns 0.08 percent of the total 4,007,017 shares that the network listed. His shareholdings comprise 4,007,006
common stock
Common stock is a form of corporate equity ownership, a type of security. The terms voting share and ordinary share are also used frequently outside of the United States. They are known as equity shares or ordinary shares in the UK and other Comm ...
s and 12
preferred stock
Preferred stock (also called preferred shares, preference shares, or simply preferreds) is a component of share capital that may have any combination of features not possessed by common stock, including properties of both an equity and a debt inst ...
s. The network listed 12.5 billion
authorized capital stocks, which is divided into 5 billion common stocks with par value of each and 7.5 billion preferred stocks with par value of each.
Under GMA Network Inc., Duavit also serves as the chairman of
GMA Pictures
GMA Pictures, formerly Cinemax Studios and GMA Films, is a film and television production company in the Philippines, established by GMA Network in 1995. Its films include ''Jose Rizal'', '' Muro Ami'', and '' Deathrow''.
Filmography
Histor ...
and GMA Worldwide (the network's trans-Pacific broadcaster targeted for
Overseas Filipinos
An overseas Filipino ( fil, Pilipino sa ibayong-dagat) is a person of full or partial Filipino origin—i.e., people who trace back their ancestry to the Philippines but living or residing outside the country. This term generally applies to ...
); president and CEO of Scenarios Inc. (set production and design), Script2010 Inc. (events management), and
RGMA Marketing and Productions Inc. (music production); and president of Citynet Inc. (television production) and
MediaMerge Corporation.
In July 2021, GMA Network launched GMA Ventures, which focuses on investing in startups, and named Duavit as the vice chairman of the firm.
Philanthropy
Duavit is the president and a trustee of the
GMA Kapuso Foundation
GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc. (formerly Bisig Bayan Foundation and GMA Foundation) is a socio-civic organization organized by GMA Network Inc.
GMA Network, Inc., commonly known as GMA, is a Philippine media company based in Diliman, Quezon Cit ...
, the network's
civic engagement arm.
He is a trustee of the Guronasyon Foundation Inc., an organization based in
Binangonan
Binangonan, officially the Municipality of Binangonan ( tgl, Bayan ng Binangonan) is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 313,631 people.
A thriving fish port an ...
, Rizal to support teachers from the province.
Personal life
Duavit married Rosanna Lopez, daughter of former
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
mayor
Mel Lopez
Gemiliano "Mel" Campos Lopez Jr. (September 1, 1935 – January 1, 2017) was a Filipino politician who served as the Mayor of Manila from 1986 to 1987 and 1988 to 1992 and an assemblyman of the Batasang Pambansa of the Philippines from 1984 to 1 ...
, on November 19, 1994. They currently reside in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was fou ...
with their twin sons, born in 2001.
Through his mother's side, he is cousins with singer Kevin Roy, lead singer of the rock band
Razorback
The feral pig is a domestic pig which has gone feral, meaning it lives in the wild. They are found mostly in the Americas and Australia. Razorback and wild hog are Americanisms applied to feral pigs or boar-pig hybrids.
Definition
A feral p ...
, as well as
Karl Roy, lead singer of the bands
P.O.T. and
Kapatid, who died on March 13, 2012 from
pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema, also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive liquid accumulation in the tissue and air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause hypoxemia and respiratory failure. It is due t ...
.
Filmography
Awards and recognitions
Duavit has won the
Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture
The Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture is an award presented annually by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It was first awarded at the 1st Metro Manila Film Festival ceremony, held in 1975; the film ''Diligin M ...
twice consecutively for ''José Rizal'' (1998) and ''Muro-Ami'' (1999), as producer of both films.
See also
*
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...
*
Carlo Katigbak
Carlo Joaquin Tadeo Lopez Katigbak (born April 24, 1970) is a Filipino executive and the current president and CEO of Philippine entertainment and giant media conglomerate, ABS-CBN Corporation.
Education
Katigbak attended Ateneo de Manila U ...
– president of
ABS-CBN Corporation
ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned b ...
, GMA Network's main competitor
*
Cory Vidanes
María Socorro Valenzuela-Vidanes, popularly known as Cory Vidanes (born May 15, 1962), is a Filipina executive and Chief Operating Officer for Broadcast of ABS-CBN Corporation, the largest media conglomerate in the Philippines.
Personal life ...
– COO of ABS-CBN
References
External links
*
*
Board of Directors profile on GMANetwork.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duavit, Gilberto Jr.
1963 births
Living people
Businesspeople from Metro Manila
Chief operating officers
Filipino film producers
Filipino philanthropists
Filipino television writers
GMA Network (company) executives
Male television writers
People from Quezon City
People from Rizal
Showrunners
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni