The Philippine Bank of Communications informed the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corporation that, at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors held on January 31, 2024, the Board unanimously elected Mr. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV as independent director of the Bank to serve the unexpired term of former Dir. Emmanuel Mendoza, effective 1 February 2024. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Filipino, 46 years old, is a former Senator of the Republic of the Philippines who served in the 16th-17th Congress from July 2013 to June 2019.

He is currently the Chairperson of Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership inc. Mr. Aquino also sits as board director of Pasajob Inc., MEE Games Inc. and At1ndahan Inc. Prior to being elected as Senator, Mr. Aquino served as the President of MicroVentures Inc., asocial enterprise company that manages the Hapinoy Program which provides micro-financing, training and access to new business opportunities for women micro-entrepreneurs. For their innovative work in micro-financing and enterprise development, Mr. Aquino received numerous awards, both locally and globally.

He was named a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum in 2006, one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in 2010, one of the Asian Social Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2011, and one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World in 2012. Mr. Aquino finished his Executive Education Program on Public Policy and Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He graduated class valedictorian summa cum laude from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering.

In the same meeting, the Board likewise confirmed the following recommendations of the Governance Committee: (1) Appointment of Mr. Aquino as a member of the Audit Committee, (2) Designation of Dir. Herbosa as chairperson of Audit Committee, and (3) Appointment of Ms. Jane K. Gocuan as Chief Strategy and Implementation Officer under the Office of the President, with the rank of Executive Vice President, effective 1 February 2024. Ms. Gocuan is a seasoned banking professional with over 30 years of experience in the areas of customer service, relationship management, branch and management, investments, treasury, loans, and brand recognition building honed by holding various roles in multinational, government and local banks.

She most recently served as the Deputy Retail Banking Segment Head of Robinsons Bank. Ms. Gocuan graduated with a Masters in Business Management and Bachelor of Science in Business Management, both at the University of the Philippines Cebu.