3 key appointments at PDI announced

The Philippine Daily Inquirer recently announced three key appointments in the Advertising Division, to help steer the country’s No. 1 newspaper toward achieving new milestones amid an increasingly challenging print media landscape.

Buenaventura “Jong” R. Arcano Jr. was appointed officer in charge (OIC) of the Advertising Division and will oversee the sales programs and operations of the group. Arcano will remain the editor of the Motoring and PEP sections and will soon be spearheading the creation of a new social media team.

Now heading the Special Projects Section is Theresa “Tek” S. Samaniego, who was appointed as the OIC of the group. Concurrent to her position as the Property Section editor, Samaniego will be responsible for the creation and roll out of special editorial and creative projects.

The Inquirer also confirmed the official appointment of Sunshine Irabon-Velasco as Group Sales head who manages a team of all account executives, sales assistants and graphic artists.
Homegrown talents

The Inquirer is placing its confidence on homegrown talents to lead the Advertising Division amid these challenging times.

Inquirer chief operating officer Rene R. Reinoso believes the company’s move to empower its employees and give them ample opportunities to grow will certainly serve as a powerful “inspiration and motivating factor” not only for the new appointees, but for the whole Inquirer group as well.

“These people are very qualified. They know the business, they know their product by heart, and they’re highly experienced in crafting the appropriate creative solutions and packages for our clients. I’m confident of their capabilities as they have been in this industry for at least more than a decade,” Reinoso said.

“With them on board, I believe that we will have a highly dynamic Inquirer,” he said.

Bullish outlook

Arcano, Samaniego and Velasco waxed optimistic of their recent appointments, as they look forward to charting a more dynamic future for the Inquirer advertising team.

“Being the most senior employee in the group, I am here to lend my experience and guide them, as a father does to his children,” Arcano said.

“I think, we are facing a big challenge today, and it will take a lot of creativity for us to move forward. But we continue to look at the future with much optimism given the talents we have on board,” he added.

Samaniego similarly noted the challenging times ahead.

“This is what makes our job now more exciting. We are looking forward to ensuring an even more dynamic Inquirer but without losing its legacy of delivering balanced news and fearless views. Our readers can look forward to a more engaging Inquirer,” Samaniego said.

“I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity to be new Group Sales head. It is my honor and privilege to serve in this capacity. I look forward to all the excitement, a future full of possibilities, and the challenges that lie ahead,” Velasco said.