Philippine Global Media Group to Hold its Induction/Gala Night Aug. 8

LOS ANGELES, California- On its third year as an active press organization, the Philippine Global Media Group (PGMG) will hold its Induction of officers and Gala Night on Aug. 8 (Saturday) at 6 pm at the Crystal Ballroom of the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel at 12725 Center Court Drive, Cerritos.

This was announced by its incoming president Dan Estabillo Niño and Val G.
Abelgas, president and board chairman respectively of PGMG, a public benefit 501 C-3 nonprofit corporation.

Niño, a lifelong journalist will succeed Abelgas, also a seasoned journalist and editor, who will serve as chairman of the board.

Niño began his media career in Manila in 1973 as contributing writer for Sports
Weekly Magazine and Mod Magazine before becoming the managing editor of Car & Truck Magazine. He also worked with Landloil Resources Corporation as assistant for public relations and head of public affairs of Philippine Cellophane Film Corporation, an affiliate of Herdis Group where he was also the editor of its corporate newsletter, TINIG.

He is also a contributor for Cerritos-based Los Cerritos Community News and podcast co-host of Buhay Pinoy sa America on Orodeo YouTube Channel. He also freelances for Philippine News Today, Asian Journal, Balikbayan Magazine, Weekend Balita and Philippine Post.

Nino was also a past president of the now-defunct Filipino-American Press Club of Los Angeles. Recently, he was conferred The Outstanding Pilipino (TOP) for his achievement in the field of Journalism, along with other honorees from various disciplines.

Abelgas, who was the first president of PGMG, is the publisher and editor-in-
chief of Philippine Post, a digital weekly, He has been a professional journalist for 54 years starting as a sportswriter of Philippine Daily Express before becoming its managing editor.

Abelgas moved to Manila Standard in 1987 and later to Philippine Times
Journal, both as managing editor. In the U.S. he has edited several Fil-Am newspapers. He was also the first TOP awardee for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism in 2018 and the first FAPCCA Journalist of the Year in 2016.

Other officers to be sworn-in by Philippine Consul General to Los Angeles Adelio
Angelito S. Cruz include: vice presidents Lydia V. Solis, Nimfa U. Rueda, Jannelle So-Perkins; Donnabelle Gatdula-Arevalo (secretary); Meg Ilagan (treasurer); Ellen Rodriguez-Swing and Joe T. Cobilla, Jr. (public relations officers); along with board members: Marc Pijuan, Louinn Lota, Alfred G. Gabot, Meh M. Guevarra, Bobby Crisostomo, Julian Oriel, Vics Magsaysay, Joy Mariño, Doeleth Gatdula, Nemen Cabatuando, Benny Uy, Isidric M. Panganiban, Mylene K. Capati, Fernando Gonong, Jr., Eddie C. Ferrer, and Mel T. Velasco.

The Philippine Global Media Group was founded in November 2023 to serve as an entity to unite the various practitioners in print, broadcast and digital media with the mission of uplifting the journalistic and ethical standards among men and women initially Southern California, with an eye to expanding the group to include media practitioners in the global Filipino diaspora, and thereby be of better service to the information needs of overseas Filipinos in their respective communities.

Among its initial accomplishments were: spearheading the book launching of
“California: A Philippine Territory – Almost,” authored by one of its board members Alfred G. Gabot; supporting the efforts to rename the Echo Park Library in the heart of Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles to Carlos Bulusan Library; spearheading various press conferences and covering community events in Southern California; and awarding of a scholarship grant to a college-bound Fill-Am student. Gabot is also the editor-in-chief of Philippine News Today.

In a joint statement, Niño and Abelgas said: “We invite our various publics to share our mission of serving our community the way we know best – helping inform our readers and viewers of latest developments in the community and in the homeland, and serving as facilitators for organizations to disseminate their projects and goals to our readers.”

For sponsorship and Gala Night attendance, interested parties can reach out to the prime movers at 714-595-9891 or 310-295-7316 [email protected].