The awesomeness of ‘Garbage Made Awesome’
Somewhere in a storage room at the Production Engineering Department sits a stack of broadcast equipment, gutted circuit boards, and components everyone else had already written off.
To most, it’s junk waiting for disposal. To one team, it was the start of a question every Kapuso is encouraged to ask: what if there’s a better way?
That question is the heartbeat of GMA Network’s culture of continuous improvement — a mindset the company has nurtured for over two decades through the Continuous Improvement Awards Program (CIAP), a Human Resource Development Department initiative launched in 2004 to recognize employees whose ideas improve operations while generating real savings in time, money, workforce, and other company resources.
Since then, employee-driven initiatives have generated more than P80 million in savings for the company, while fostering a culture where looking for a smarter way of working is simply part of the job.
This year, that question found its most rewarded answer yet.
Source: GMA Human Resources Department
Engineering ingenuity at work
The Engineering Group — led by the Production Engineering Department’s Broadcast Equipment Maintenance Section (BEMS) — was named the 2025 CIAP 4th Quarter and Annual Winner for its project, “Garbage Made Awesome.”
At first glance, the title may sound unusual. But behind it lies a practical, resourceful idea: instead of discarding obsolete broadcast equipment, the team found ways to recover, reuse, and recycle valuable components to restore other units to working condition.
KALEIDO X16
Before: General Failure
After: replaced CF card from junk/obsolete unit.
SENNHEISER SK500
Before: Corrosion due to sweat damage
After: Replaced SMD devices
The result was more than just repaired equipment — it became a solution that significantly cut costs while keeping broadcast operations running without any interruption.
The project is the work of eight project owners: Angel Norlito H. Delos Santos, Jr., Michael Tomas M. Par, Hermogenes N. Ibarrola, Michael T. Parale, Apolinario S. San Mateo, Dennis B. Dalisay, Jonathan D. Calara, and Ronald J. Avila, with Eduardo L. De Guzman, Jr. as the project nominator.
Finding value in what others discard
According to project owner Michael Tomas M. Par, the initiative began the moment BEMS was formed, with a clear mission already in mind.
“Ang goal ay makatipid sa pamamagitan ng pag-reduce ng expenditure on spare parts and brand-new unit replacements, pag-eliminate ng rental costs, at pag-utilize ng existing resources. Bukod sa savings, nasisiguro rin ang sustainable operations and uninterrupted service ng kompanya.”
Michael Tomas M. Par
Rather than immediately purchasing replacement parts for obsolete equipment, the team first explores every possible alternative — a discipline that became a straightforward, three-step workflow.
Determine which equipment is already obsolete or whose replacement parts are no longer readily available.
Reach out to local and international partners to check if the needed components can still be sourced.
If parts are unavailable, salvage usable components from decommissioned equipment, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and donor units to restore defective broadcast equipment.
That process speed matters most in the moments the network can least afford downtime.
“Walang cost of implementation ang proseso dahil ang ginagamit ng storage facility ay ang EMS work area na rin mismo.”
Apolinario S. San Mateo
Faster repairs, uninterrupted operations
One of the project’s biggest wins is the dramatic drop in repair turnaround time — from two to six months down to an average of two to three days, once reusable parts are available.
“Dahil sa project na ‘to, napababa ang turnaround time for repairs from 2-6 months to an average of 2-3 days once na maging available ang unnecessary parts mula sa junk units.”
Dennis B. Dalisay
“Kaya naman siguradong mananatiling operational ang mga equipment especially during critical periods, gaya ng election coverage, studio or remote operations.”
Ronald J. Avila
Millions saved through innovation
The financial impact is just as striking. In 2024 alone, the initiative generated:
P2,041,024.81 — eliminated cost of purchasing new spare parts and equipmentP6,132,080.79 — value of spare parts and equipment verified through SAMD
That’s a combined P8,173,105.60 in total savings for the year.
“Noong 2024, mahigit P2 million ang na-eliminate na cost at mahigit P6.1 million naman ang natipid ng kompanya dahil hindi na kinailangan bumili ng bagong spare parts at equipment.”
Angel Norlito H. Delos Santos, Jr.
More than an awards program
The Engineering Group’s win is a vivid example of what CIAP is — but it’s one story among two decades of them. Since 2004, the program has encouraged employees to challenge existing practices, improve systems, and turn ideas into results the company can measure.
Beyond the P80 million-plus in accumulated savings, CIAP has helped build a culture where employees take pride in spotting opportunities for improvement — and take the initiative to act on them.
CIAP winners together with GMA First Vice President for Human Resources Development Department Atty. Gerrome Y. Apolona, Senior Vice President and Head for Engineering Group Engr. Elvis B. Ancheta and Vice President and Head for Production Engineering Department Engr. Reynaldo B. Reyes
Who can join?Regular employees up to Senior Assistant Vice President, individually or as a team, working to improve a process that generates savings for the company.
Quarterly Award Criteria
- Generates at least P300,000 in annual savings
- Continues generating no less than P300,000 in savings
- Applies to other sections, divisions, departments, or groups
- Demonstrates innovation, creativity, initiative, commitment, and/or risk taken
Annual Award winners are determined by:
- 50% — meeting all quarterly award criteria
- 25% — highest annual peso savings
- 25% — least company support required
Quarterly Award
P25,000 + Certificate of Appreciation (project owner/s and department/group)
Annual AwardP75,000 + Plaques of Recognition (project owner/s and department/group)
Nominators are rewarded with P5,000 for a Quarterly Award nomination and P10,000 for an Annual Award nomination.
To nominateCIAP forms are available at the HRDD-Compensation Section.
Nomination deadlines:1st Quarter — March 162nd Quarter — June 163rd Quarter — September 164th Quarter — December 16
Annual Award winners are determined by:
- 50% — meeting all quarterly award criteria
- 25% — highest annual peso savings
- 25% — least company support required
Annual Award
Human Resources Department, Compensation Section: 1st row (L-R) Flerry Cruz-Cordovez, Elan Israel B. Adao, and Ruth Ann H. Claudio | 2nd row: Wenylyn Nacino-Maglaya
Building a culture of continuous improvement
Innovation doesn’t always require new technology. Sometimes, it begins by looking at a familiar challenge from a different perspective. For the Engineering Group, a room full of discarded equipment became an opportunity to keep essential broadcast systems running while saving the company millions.
For GMA Network, their win is another reminder that continuous improvement isn’t measured by the size of an idea, but by the impact it creates — and that somewhere in the building, the next “what if” is probably already taking shape.
As project nominator Eduardo L. De Guzman, Jr. puts it, this is only the beginning.
“Siguradong mas malaki pa ang matitipid ng kompanya habang patuloy na ini-implement ang repurposing project na ito.”
Eduardo L. De Guzman, Jr.
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