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By Ron Lim
Photos by Cyrus Panganiban and Gerlyn Mae Mariano
When your job comes with titles like GMA Films and GMA Worldwide president and senior vice president for GMA Network, people wouldn’t be surprised if you’re a bit more prim and strait-laced when it comes to interacting with people who technically work under you. It comes with the territory, after all.
That’s definitely the first impression that Annette Gozon-Valdes gave off before the interview started, especially with her black suit and firmly clasped hands in her lap. However, that impression is immediately dispelled the moment that she talks about the work that she does for GMA, such as her recent stint in front of the camera as one of the titular judges in the recently-aired talent competition Battle of the Judges.
What happened, as she tells it, is that the idea of GMA being represented in the show was floated during discussions about the show’s concept and the production conspired to put her in it.
“It’s a talent show and to show that GMA knows how to spot talent, tapos nag-kuntsaba din sila na ako. Actually, napilitan lang talaga ako, wala naman akong balak. Hindi ‘yun long term!” she explained with a laugh. “Wala akong choice! Napilitan ako! Tapos nung nandon na ako sa show, parang pinag-piyestan na nila ako pati production number pinapagawa nila sa akin!”
She even gamely responds with a joke about the possibility of being cast in a possible second season of the show.
“Minsan wala akong choice talaga kapag inutusan, parang alangan naman mag-no ako baka matanggal ako sa trabaho! Let’s see!” she quipped.
This moment, more than any other during the interview, best showed the kind of leadership style that she is bringing to the Kapuso Network – one that is collaborative, open to new experiences, and willing to try anything. And in an uncertain time in Philippine broadcasting, when external factors like the global coronavirus pandemic, streaming platforms, and social media are changing the landscape, this attitude is definitely going to be needed.
The global coronavirus pandemic, along with the lockdowns it brought with it, have definitely impacted the film and broadcasting industries. With people locked in their homes for close to a year, people turned to streaming services for their entertainment. One great example is Disney+, which was launched in November of 2019 and saw its subscribers balloon to 60 million subscribers during the height of the pandemic in August 2020, as reported by CNBC.
Even as restrictions were eased and eventually lifted, audiences have stuck to looking for entertainment on their phones, with TikTok and its short-form videos gaining prominence and even dictating the trends that broadcast media then reproduce.
Annette is keenly aware of this and true to her collaborative nature, sees both streaming services and TikTok as potential partners with which to further expand the reach of the Kapuso Network.
“We view TikTok as our competitor but also our partner. We also have presence on TikTok. We made it a point to really try to strengthen our presence on various platforms,” she explained. “What we realized, whereas TV has long-form content, on TikTok it’s really short form. We’re also developing our capacity to create short-form content that will appeal to viewers on various platforms.”
With Talent Management Development under her purview as senior vice president for GMA Network, Annette shared that the network is helping its talents bridge those platforms so that they become true multimedia stars.
“We encourage our stars, especially those that we manage and are exclusive stars, to really be active on TikTok. Marian, she’s a GMA exclusive star but she has launched her TikTok account,” she explained. “Sparkle as the management arm of GMA, has slowly been signing up artists who are strong on other platforms. We realized that our presence, our artists’ presence, should not be strong only on TV but other platforms as well.”
She also sees streaming services as collaborators as well, especially since audiences have still not fully returned to theaters to watch movies.
“Thankfully because of other platforms that partner with movie producers, for example Netflix and Amazon, they help in terms of being able to produce. They also give some funding to the movie productions. Kung nawala man sa theaters, nag-add naman itong streaming platforms as a support to the industry,” she said.
Of course, one cannot talk about GMA and collaboration without bringing up the historic collaboration that happened last year with the airing of Unbreak My Heart, a drama that featured Kapuso and Kapamilya stars and aired not just on GMA and the digital channels of ABS-CBN but on streaming service Viu, as well. Unbreak My Heart would go on to air for two seasons with a total of 100 episodes.
“Since it was a first, our collaborations with ABS-CBN really stood out. In the past, we’ve had a lot of collaborations with the others like Regal or Viva. But it was the first time that we had a collaboration with ABS where we combined our exclusive artists to be seen in one show,” she recalled.
That collaboration would eventually lead to ABS-CBN’s flagship noontime program It’s Showtime to air on GTV after it was unceremoniously dumped from the schedule of a different network. While her father, GMA Network chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon, announced that the collaborations signaled the end of the “TV war” during the It’s Showtime contract signing back in June 2023, Annette views the collaboration between the two industry pillars as a jumping off point to a bigger international audience.
“We are looking at the collaboration between GMA and ABS as a collaboration that will penetrate the international market because we’ve seen how Korean content is making waves and now Thailand is making waves around the globe,” she said. “Maybe if we band together and produce a really good show, because GMA and ABS have the best creatives, best producers, we can create something together that can propel Philippine entertainment as one of the movers and shakers in the international scene. That’s our dream.”
“Filipino creativity is at par with other countries like Korea. I think the sensitivity of Korean dramas, ‘yung mga emotions nila, is the same as the sensitivities of the Filipino creators and the Filipino audience. Kaya nga pumapatok ‘yung Korean dramas here. If we are given enough resources, we can also produce dramas equivalent to the Korean dramas,” she continued.
However, Annette admits that the resources needed to produce dramas of that caliber would require another collaborator. It’s a pretty well-known fact that the South Korean Hallyu has been as successful as it has been because of the support that the country’s government has thrown behind it and that is something that the Philippine broadcasting scene could use as well.
“We’re hoping that our current government is supportive of various areas that can promote tourism in the Philippines. We’re hoping that if we have a closer dialogue with the government, eventually we can have the same support given to the industry,” she shared. “Admittedly, there are more important areas where they have to put their budget. We can try to do an experiment like Filipino content to promote tourism. If it has results, even if the government leaders change eventually, basta may result naman from our country they would continue.”
While collaborations have been a big part of the Kapuso Network’s story in the past year, the network’s “homegrown” products have also consistently made its way into the hearts and minds of the Filipino people. Foremost among them was the “portal” drama Maria Clara at Ibarra, which ended its run early this year after airing 105 episodes.
Maria Clara at Ibarra, according to Annette, is emblematic of GMA’s mission to deliver Filipino audiences with new experiences every time.
“Maria Clara at Ibarra was another groundbreaking soap kasi the concept was we wanted to retell Noli and El Fili to a younger audience kasi baka nakakalimutan na nila what those important novels are all about. Para mas maka-relate sila, why not show it through their eyes that is why we added the character of Klay played by Barbie Forteza who is a Gen Z student na paggising niya nandon siya sa libro,” she explained. “It turns out hindi niya binasa ‘yung libro so she has to navigate the story of Noli and El Fili through her eyes, living the whole experience. I think that’s why the audience liked it because it was a retelling na talagang na-feel nila. We told the story in a way that they understand the story.”
Maria Clara at Ibarra, she explained, is just the latest in a long line of GMA programs that have told classic stories to Filipino audiences in new and exciting ways.
“I still believe that there are still a few basic soap opera formulas. For example, Cinderella story, Romeo and Juliet, love triangle. But you need to give something new,” she said. “For example, love triangle. Palaging may love triangle pero magsasama ‘yung mga taong hindi mo ini-expect. My Husband’s Lover was groundbreaking because it was the first time that we had a love triangle breaking gender boundaries.”
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“We’re hoping that our current government is supportive of various areas that can promote tourism in the Philippines. We’re hoping that if we have a closer dialogue with the government, eventually we can have the same support given to the industry.”
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Encantadia is another GMA program that Annette holds up as an example of successfully telling a well-worn story in a new way. She described Encantadia as a story of women empowerment enveloped in a fantasy world and an example of the challenge that GMA seeks to overcome with each new program.
“Since sa dami-dami na ng content na nagawa na namin at nagawa ng iba, worldwide content that is available on all platforms, yun yung nagiging challenge,” she said. “How do we show again something new to the audience. Hindi puwedeng magsawa sila by showing the same thing over and over again.”
In the coming year, Annette is counting on two new programs that will once again entertain the Filipino audience – Sang’gre and Pulang Araw.
“Encantadia has been such a big franchise for us. Hindi naman namin ini-intend na maging franchise drama siya but until now ‘yung followers niya are still there,” she admits. “They’re active every day. They’re there and we wanted to give them a new story. It’s not a remake of the old Encantadia dramas. It’s a continuation.”
Just like GMA’s other high-budget series Voltes V Legacy, Annette shared that they are taking their time with Sang’gre to ensure that the Encantadiks’ long wait is worth it.
“We’re taking our time producing it because after Voltes V gusto namin ipakita na kayang i-level up even sa Encantadia franchise ang special effects,” she shared. “It’s going to be done over a long period of time para ibang level ang makikita nila, ibang quality of special effects, ibang quality of production design, ibang quality of action ang makikita nila. Our stars have been training already for that.”
With Pulang Araw, Annette is hoping to fill the same historical void that was left behind by the ending of Maria Clara at Ibarra.
“We’re going to go through the pre-Japanese occupation, Japanese occupation, the Liberation. We want it also to be educational to the younger audience para maiintindihan nila kung paano natin pinaglaban yung freedom natin,” she explained. “Aabangan naman nila doon ‘yung actual historical events like the Death March para ma-experience nila more intimately and emotionally ‘yung history natin.”
With so many successes under her belt, it may seem like working in broadcasting was something that Annette has been working towards all along. However, becoming a part of the Kapuso Network wasn’t in the plans of a young Annette.
“Bata palang ako, seven years old palang ako, sa mga slum book parang lawyer palagi nilalagay ko,” she recalled with a laugh. “Naka brainwash na ako bata pa lang. Never ako nag explore. I never thought about doing anything other than law.”
For the most part, it looked like Annette was indeed going to be a lawyer. After graduating cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering, she would go on to earn her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines, graduating valedictorian with cum laude honors. She would then earn her Master of Laws degree in Harvard University. (“Ang tagal ko nag-aral!” she would quip while recalling her academic career.)
However, she would get to practice law for a year before she would find herself joining the Kapuso Network to work alongside her father.
“Hindi siya fun! Style kasi ng dad ko is very strict boss siya and he demands excellence. Siya talagang push, push, push. I’m doing this kasi I want na gumaling kayo. Very strict,” she shared. “Malakas ‘yung personality niya. Pero after he can separate personal relationships with work areas very well. For example may nagkamali, talagang ipo-point out niya, pero kukumustahin ka niya after.”
While she may not have worked towards gaining a position within the Kapuso Network, Annette says her academic training as a lawyer has worked exceptionally well for her in her roles in GMA.
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“While you’re in school, you have to understand that knowledge is all in books, but what school is really teaching you is the discipline of continuous learning because learning never ends. It doesn’t end when you graduate from college or your masters,”
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“Law is creative. I used to teach taxation. To be able to really minimize your taxes, you need to be very creative and work within the bounds of laws. There are very creative ways to do that. Creative din ang law,” she explained.
In a more nuts and bolts kind of way, Annette’s legal training has been a big help in legal matters at the Kapuso Network, whether onscreen or off.
“Sa mga soap operas, kapag may legal na pinapasok, sinasabi ko na mali ‘yan. Ito yung law. They ask for my advice. Human resources, labor, I also can help with that. HR was recently also placed under me,” she said. “Sa law kasi when there’s a problem, kailangan the solution kasi is also very creative. Kapag may problem, nagagamit ko ‘yung skills ko that I developed as a lawyer into finding solutions.”
It’s certainly been a long and unexpected road to get to where she is now, but it’s a journey that Annette Gozon-Valdes doesn’t regret one bit. And for students looking to find their own paths in life, this is what she has to say.
“My advice is while you’re in school, you have to understand that knowledge is all in books, but what school is really teaching you is the discipline of continuous learning because learning never ends. It doesn’t end when you graduate from college or your masters,” she advised. “Even while you’re working, every day you’re learning. If you want to do something, even if your course is very different from your eventual passion, you can still learn it. You can learn anything once you understand that discipline is what you need.”
Shoot producer: Angelo Garcia | Layout design: Kaye Castillo | Hair and makeup: Julio Gomez |
Shot on location at Sheraton Manila Hotel | Special thanks to Joee Guilas, Joy Andrade, and Belle Cahulogan
