Roxy LiquiganRoxy Liquigan, head of the ABS-CBN Music ecosystem, is a homegrown Kapamilya just like the many Star Music talents he and his team are nurturing for greater things, such as the international stage.

Joining ABS-CBN Corporation straight out of school in 1991, Liquigan started his career as a researcher for “Tatak Pilipino,” a magazine show on Philippine culture and the arts under TV production. His boss at the time was Laurenti Dyogi and there were about 10 people in the team.

He then moved to become talent coordinator for “Teysi ng Tahanan,” costume coordinator of “Eh Kasi Bata,” segment producer and eventually executive producer of “Showbiz Lingo” and executive producer of “The Buzz” while concurrently assigned as advertising and promotions manager of Star Cinema. Since 2012, he became head of Star Music and more recently, the ABSCBN Music ecosystem that also includes MOR Philippines (the FM radio station of ABS-CBN), MYX (the music cable channel) and Star Events with a total team count just shy of 80. He continues to be ad and promo consultant of ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc.

Having been exposed to both TV production and cinema prior to going full time with Star Music, Liquigan  is able to draw the best out of existing systems and work with all kinds of people. He also appreciates the ecosystem structure in ABS-CBN, which he believes unlocks so much value for the network.

‘All about synergy’

“It’s all about synergy. For example, our (Star Music) artists are happy with the promotions they get for their songs on MYX and MOR. Another example is how we are working with ABS-CBN S+A (the sports channel) by bringing in our artists to perform during half-time or in between NCAA games.”

All at once the short performances draw in the crowds and provide broader exposure to Star Music artists. So to him, it is all a matter of knowing what other groups in the network are doing, and thinking of ways to help them.

Liquigan has experienced bumping into friends at the corridors and then instantly brainstorming about better or best approaches to current projects.

‘No ego, no silos’

“It all starts with‘anongginagawamo’ (what are you doing)? It’s so important to be able to work smoothly with everyone, (have) no ego, no silos, as was taught to us by Tita Cory (Vidanes, chief operating officer of Broadcast), TitaMalou (Santos, former head of ABSCBN Film Productions), TitaCharo (Santos-Concio, former chief executive officer) and now, CLK (Carlo L. Katigbak, current chief executive officer).”

His challenge now is to penetrate the international market. The team is taking small steps with the sub-label Tarsier, which carries all-English songs, whether electronic dance music or pop songs.

“I want ABS-CBN to be giving world-class music. I want us to be exporting Filipino talent, Filipino songs, Filipino artists, Filipino songwriters. I know that with the right content, the right song, we can hit it internationally. I want ABS-CBN to be a creative hub for music where international producers will come to the Philippines and want to collaborate with us, create music and record in the Philippines. I want us to have a world-class facility, a creative space for everyone to collaborate. We are developing everything, all kinds of music, because music will always have a platform—it could be radio, digital, live performances. Music is content for everyone, no matter how they access it,” Liquigan says.

Thriving on excellence

Part of the approach for sustainability is developing sub-labels. Aside from Tarsier, Star Music is simultaneously working on Lodi, for novelty or what is known as “jukebox” songs; Star Pop, for actors who can sing; DNA, for rock bands; Rap Star, for rap artists; and Star Kids, for children.

Liquigan says even if Star Music is anchored on a creative process, his team thrives on business excellence.

“I always tell them, ‘think outside the box.’ We have a limited budget, what can we do so that we can transform this work to 10 times its value? It’s so important for a big organization like ABS-CBN to really use the network, the connections, the synergies of different groups working together to create value.”

The Lopez way

Liquigan has this message for “LopezLink” readers: “The company has been very good to me, to everyone, although sometimes we don’t see it. I was given so many opportunities. ABS-CBN was my first 

job and I cannot imagine myself outside of ABS-CBN. I think it’s just the Lopez way to be good to their employees because it is the same experience of people I meet in Rockwell (Land Corporation) and FPH (First Philippine Holdings Corporation). Loyalty is important. Ibalik sa kumpanya ang pag-aalagang ibinigay nila; mas maganda kung doblehin mo pa dahil hindi sila nagkulang. Ikaw ang mahihiya kung hindi ka gumawa. (Return to the company the care they have given; even better, give two times the care you received because they did not hold back. You will be ashamed if you don’t work.)”