Bautista joins SMFB board; Monica Ang named new treasurer
Monica L. Ang and Jaime J. Bautista
San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. appointed a former cabinet official to its board and elevated its finance chief to the role of treasurer, moves intended to fortify governance at the consumer giant following the departure of a longtime executive.
The company, which produces San Miguel Pale Pilsen and Purefoods meats, elected former Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista as an independent director during a special board meeting on Feb. 6.
Bautista fills the vacancy left by Ferdinand K. Constantino, who resigned as a director and treasurer on Jan. 31. The board also designated Monica L. Ang, the company’s chief finance officer and daughter of San Miguel Corp. Chairman Ramon S. Ang, to take on the additional role of treasurer.
The leadership shuffle comes as the food and beer conglomerate seeks to signal stability to investors amid broader push for continuity within the San Miguel group.
Bautista’s entry brings a veteran corporate hand back to the private sector. Before his stint in government from 2022 to 2025, Bautista served two terms as president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines, where he was credited with navigating complex labor and fleet modernization challenges.
Meanwhile, by tapping Monica Ang for the treasury post, the company is consolidating its financial oversight. Ang already serves as the firm’s chief risk officer, and her expanded portfolio suggests a tightening of internal controls as the company manages its diverse portfolio of spirits, beer, and food processing.
In tandem with the executive appointments, San Miguel Food and Beverage declared a regular cash dividend of ₱0.50 per common share. The payout is scheduled for March 6 for shareholders of record as of Feb. 20.
The transition is a pivotal moment for the firm’s governance structure. Constantino had been a fixture in the San Miguel ecosystem for decades, and the speed with which the board moved to replace him suggests a desire to avoid any perceived vacuum in oversight.
The company stated that these appointments are specifically designed to reinforce corporate governance and ensure that strategic leadership remains uninterrupted.