Corporate Governance
The Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
The following is a concise presentation of the Company’s policies on business conduct and ethics affecting its directors, senior management, and employees:
| business conduct & ethics | directors | senior management | employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Conflict of Interest | The Company requires disclosing any circumstance or situation that may later give rise to conflict of interest. | The Company requires disclosing any circumstance or situation that may later give rise to conflict of interest. | The Company requires disclosing any circumstance or situation that may later give rise to conflict of interest. |
| (b) Conduct of Business and Fair Dealings | The Company adheres to the principle of fairness in the conduct of its business and dealings. | The Company adheres to the principle of fairness in the conduct of its business and dealings. | The Company adheres to the principle of fairness in the conduct of its business and dealings. |
| (c) Receipt of gifts from third parties | The Company requires disclosure and regulates the receipt of gifts from third parties. | The Company requires disclosure and regulates the receipt of gifts from third parties. | The Company requires disclosure and regulates the receipt of gifts from third parties. |
| (d) Compliance with Laws & Regulations | The Company requires compliance with applicable laws and regulations. | The Company requires compliance with applicable laws and regulations. | The Company requires compliance with applicable laws and regulations. |
| (e) Respect for Trade Secrets/Use of Non-public Information | The Company treats as confidential trade secrets and regulates use of non-public information. | The Company treats as confidential trade secrets and regulates use of non-public information. | The Company treats as confidential trade secrets and regulates use of non-public information. |
| (f) Use of Company Funds, Assets and Information | The Company only allows the authorized use of its funds, assets and information. | The Company only allows the authorized use of its funds, assets and information. | The Company only allows the authorized use of its funds, assets and information. |
| (g) Employment & Labor Laws & Policies | The Company requires compliance with laws, rules and policies on employment and labor. | The Company requires compliance with laws, rules and policies on employment and labor. | The Company requires compliance with laws, rules and policies on employment and labor. |
| (h) Disciplinary action | The Company enforces its rules and regulations. | The Company enforces its rules and regulations. | The Company enforces its rules and regulations. |
| (i) Conflict Resolution | Undertaken by the Board of Directors. | Undertaken by the Administration Department. | Undertaken by the Administration Department. |
The Company’s code of conduct, which is embodied in the Company Rules and Regulations, is personally furnished to all directors, senior management and employees.
The Company acts immediately on all complaints for alleged violations of the Company Rules and Regulations and imposes the corresponding penalty after observance of due process.
Integrated Annual Corporate Governance Report
The Company's Board Committees
The Company has the following Board Committees:
Executive Committee;
Corporate Governance Committee;
Risk Oversight Committee;
Related Party Transactions Committee;
Audit Committee;
The respective members of the Company’s Board Committees are as follows:
Executive Committee
1. Mr. Basilio C. Yap – **Chairman** 2. Dr. Emilio C. Yap III – **Member** 3. Secretary Herminio B. Coloma, Jr.– **Member** 4. Mr. Anthony Joseph Y. Gaw. – **Member** 5. Dr. Enrique Y. Yap, Jr. – **Member**
Corporate Governance Committee
- Maria Georgina Perez-De Venecia – Chairman/Independent Director
- Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. – Member/Independent Director
- Secretary Alberto G. Romulo – Member/Independent Director
Risk Oversight Committee
- Atty. Juan D. De Zuniga, Jr. – Chairman/Independent Director
- Maria Georgina Perez-De Venecia – Member/Independent Director
- Mr. Anthony Joseph Y. Gaw – Member
Related Party Transactions Committee
- Secretary Alberto G. Romulo – Chairman/Independent Director
- Atty. Juan D. De Zuniga, Jr. – Member/Independent Director
- Benjamin C. Yap – Member
Audit Committee
- Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. – Chairman/Independent Director
- Maria Georgina Perez-De Venecia – Member/Independent Director
- Mr. Anthony Joseph Y. Gaw – Member
The respective charters of the Company's Board Committees are provided hereunder:
Executive Committee
The role and responsibilities of the Executive Committee are established by the Board of Directors. The executive committee constitutes the Company’s top management. The Executive Committee is authorized by the Board to dispose properties acquired through exchange deals and barter agreements.
Corporate Governance Committee
The Corporate Governance Committee assists the Board of Directors in ensuring the proper observance by the Company of the principles of fairness, accountability and transparency that constitute the pillars of best practices on good observance.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee Charter sets out the policies, responsibilities and authority of the Company’s Audit Committee and the procedures that shall guide its’ functions, including the rules governing the Committee.
Risk Oversight Committee
The Risk Oversight Committee assists the Board of Directors in ensuring that there is an effective and integrated risk management process in place.
Related Party Transactions Committee
The Related Party Transactions Committee sees to it that: Transactions between related parties are accounted for at arm’s length or on terms similar to those afforded to non-related entities in an economically comparable market; Advances to/from related parties are stated at fair market value; and, Related party transactions are evaluated by the Audit Committee (or any functional equivalent committee/department of the Company) and presented to the Board for approval.
The Company's Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives
Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation gives assistance to typhoon and other calamity victims with food and clothing through the Philippine Red Cross, as well as, conducts fund drives in cash, food, clothing etc., which are also turned over to the Philippine Red Cross.
The Company supports fun runs organized by different organizations including the National Fun Run of the Phil Health to promote well-being.
The Company continued with its involvement in inspiring the youth with its annual Christmas tree making competition. It also partnered with Komikan, Inc., a non-profit cultural organization to promote the awareness of reading of past and present Filipino Komiks in the Philippines. It continued with its Sketchfest project, an on-the-spot drawing competition for amateur artists. It also organized the MB Campus Journalism Forum to reacquaint the young generation with the importance of reading print media. All these projects are directed to promote creativity and artistic aptitude of the young and the not so young with hidden talents.
The Company's Risk Management System
The Board is responsible for the identification of key risk areas and performance indicators, monitoring these factors with due diligence to enable the Company to anticipate and prepare for possible threats to its operational and financial viability. These include:
| risk exposure | risk management policy | objective |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Risk | The Credit Committee has established a credit policy under which each new customer is analyzed individually for credit worthiness before the Company’s standard payment and conditions are offered. | Customers that fail to meet the Company’s benchmark creditworthiness may transact with the Company only on a prepayment basis. |
| Liquidity Risk | Typically, the Company ensures that it has sufficient cash on demand to meet expected operational expenses for a period of 30 days, including the servicing of financial obligations. This excludes the potential impact of extreme conditions that cannot be reasonably predicted, such as natural disasters. | To be able to meet the Company’s financial obligations as they fall due. |
| Market Risk | The Company’s exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to the Company’s short-term and long-term debt obligations. The Company’s policy is to manage its interest cost using a mix of fixed and variable rate debt. | To manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters, while optimizing the return on risk. |
The Company has set-up the following control systems to assess, manage and control the main issues affecting its operations:
| risk exposure | risk assessment (monitoring and measurement process) | risk management and control (structures, procedures, actions taken) |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Risk | Submission of monthly reports of credit sales and payments. | Establish credit limits and compliance for each customer. |
| Liquidity Risk | Preparation of daily cash position. | Purchase of foreign exchange for importation of materials and supplies covered by peso credit facilities from banks and with insurance coverage. |
| Market Risk | Regular monitoring of interest rates; range as established by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. | Management of interest cost as determined by the prevailing bank rates. |
The following Company committees are in charge of laying down and supervising the control mechanisms:
| committee/unit | control mechanism | details of its functions |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Committee | Compliance with established checks and controls. | Ensures compliance. |
| Audit Committee | Submits reports on compliance or deviations. | Ensures compliance. |
Company's Policies
- Whistle-blowing Policy – The Company will assist individual employees to disclose information relevant to suspected misconduct, malpractice or irregularity through a confidential reporting channel.
- Conflict of Interest Policy – It is the responsibility of each director and senior manager to promptly notify the Board, through the Company’s Corporate Secretary, of any actual or potential conflict of interest as soon as they become aware thereof.A transaction characterized by an actual or potential conflict of interest should be brought before the Audit Committee, which will determine if such transaction will benefit the Company. The Audit Committee shall then present the matter to the Board for discussion.
- Insider Trading Policy – The Company adheres to the rules and regulations governing insider trading.
- Related Party Transactions Policy – The Company regulates related party transactions. Prompt notice of related party transactions is required to be given to the Board, which in turn reviews and decides whether to approve, ratify, disapprove or reject the same.
- Policy and Data Relating to Health, Safety and Welfare of Employees – The Company requires compliance with laws, rules and policies on employment and labor. The Company sponsors trainings and seminars for its employees, thru the Human Resource Development Section of the Administration Department.
Our Company
VISION
The Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, a publicly held corporation in the Philippines which publishes in print and online a daily broadsheet, tabloid-sized newspapers and various magazines in English, Filipino and the vernaculars, sees journalism as an instrument for...
Company's Operations
The core competence of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation (the “Company”) is the business of proprietors and publishers of newspapers, journals, magazines, periodicals, books, pamphlets, literary and artworks of all kinds, and the business of proprietors and operators of ...
Company Disclosures
Investor Relations
Total Outstanding Shares as of December 31, 2023 – 3,466,139,072 shares All shares of stocks are Common shares and listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange