MANILA, Philippines - Philippine STAR columnist Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez was elected Chairman of the Board of the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) during the organizational meeting held at the InterContinental Hotel in Makati recently. Romualdez is also the CEO and publisher of People Asia Magazine, an affiliate publication of The Philippine STAR. He started as a news reporter for RPN 9 during the ‘70s and subsequently became an anchor for Newswatch, the same channel’s primetime news program.
The MOPC Board of Governors also elected Philippine Daily Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot as president while BizNews Asia publisher Tony Lopez is Chairman of the Board of Trustees, with Manila Standard Today columnist Emil Jurado as Chairman Emeritus. Other members of the Board of Governors are Bong Osorio of ABS-CBN; Biznews TV host and businesswoman Elizabeth Lee; Manila Bulletin columnist Hector Villanueva; former Press undersecretary Tony Seva; San Miguel Corp. consultant Elpi Cuna (Vice President), RMN Broadcasting president Eric Canoy (Secretary); Asiaworld president Nelia Gonzales (Treasurer); Manila Standard Today editor-in-chief Rolando Estabillo; Maloli Espinosa of Masbate Community Broadcasting Corp.; GMA 7 Corporate Communications head Butch Raquel; former PAGCOR vice president Dodie King and former Press Secretary Ricardo “Dong” Puno Jr.
The Manila Overseas Press Club was founded in 1945 and is recognized as the country’s oldest and premier press club with members composed of a unique mix of people from the media as well as various sectors such as business, government and the diplomatic circle.