Billboard Philippines names key executives, ahead of its debut

"Billboard Philippines" is coming to the Philippines and it's just named some of its primary key players ahead of its public debut.

At a press conference on Thursday, Billboard announced the onboarding of Bret Jackson as its editor-in-chief, Francis Reyes as its editor-at-large, Paolo Valenciano as its executive producer, and Anton Molina as its podcast producer.

Bret is a co-founder of music label Paraisla and the production house 7640. From the US, he relocated to Dumaguete at age 13 and explored OPM through the different regions of the country. 

“Hearing their stories really instilled in me a relentless feeling to want to do more for the people and places I loved. This led to becoming a full-time student of the Filipino music industry,” he narrates.

Meanwhile, Francis is a mainstay in the music industry, having been writer and a long-time DJ at NU 107. He is, however, best known the guitarist of legendary Pinoy band The Dawn. 

"The Philippine music landscape is healthy and diverse, encompassing countless scenes, communities, tastes, and perspectives. Billboard Philippines will hopefully be able to reflect, report, and create a roadmap of sorts for all audiences — local and international — as a resource. It won't be easy, but we are excited to take on the challenges and help celebrate the triumphs of Philippine music," he said.

For Paolo, the son of Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, being an executive producer of Billboard Philippines will give him the platform to put local talents at the forefront.

"I've always believed that our local acts deserve to be on a global stage, and this new era of Billboard Philippines will give our artists even more opportunities to be seen and heard," he said.

Finally, Anton, a veteran radio DJ, says he envisions "the brand to be a home for the latest in the local music stage and to be a place wherein a lot of fans discover artists or rediscover their love for other artists.”  

Billboard Philippines is set to have its formal launch in October 2023. It will operate in the Philippines under Modern Media Group Inc. and AGC Power Holdings.

— Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News