NOW Corporation is a publicly listed firm in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE Ticker: NOW). It has investments in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) industries and engages in providing broadband connectivity via its premiere brand NOW Fiber Air, a CIR-based Internet service catering primarily to enterprises and high-rise buildings. NOW Corp also delivers high-value information technology products and services including cybersecurity, I.T. Manpower Resource Augmentation, and systems integrator services.

NOW Telecom Company, Inc. (“NOW Telecom”), formerly Nextel Communications Philippines Inc. (NCPI), is a telecommunications service license holder in the Philippines, with nationwide congressional franchise (RA 10972), valid until 2043. Mel, with his multinational team, negotiated with Nextel International Inc. (NII), based in Virginia, USA, and engineered the buy-out of Nextel Communications Philippines, Inc., a USD250M investment of NII. NOW Tel is one of the four Mobile Telephony System License holders apart from SMART-PLDT, Globe Telecom, and Dito Telecommunity. The Company has the license to construct, establish, operate, and maintain Mobile Telecommunications System, Fixed Wireless Telecommunications System, International and Domestic Gateway, Fiber Optic Systems, Satellite System, Electronic Communications Network, Electronic Communications Services.

In a significant development in November 2022, the U.S. Government recognized NOW Telecom, an affiliate of NOW Corp, as its partner in deploying 5G technologies and establishing a secure nationwide broadband network across the Philippines. It is the prime mover of the Trusted Network Alliance for the Indo-Pacific region.

Established in 1980, AIJC offers graduate programs in communication and journalism, conducts professional training in communication and leadership, and implements advocacy-driven projects.

The AIJC Graduate School, utilizing technology and industry partnerships, offers master’s degrees in Communication and Journalism, including a new master’s program in Public Relations and Corporate Communication in collaboration with the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP).

The Professional Development Program delivers short-term, non-degree courses for journalists, communicators, and development managers, focusing on interactive training methods. The AIJC Research, Policy, and Advocacy (RPA) Unit works with institutions, government agencies, and civil society to promote freedom of expression, journalist safety, labor migration rights, inclusive education, media literacy, and other key national issues.

In 1999, he established his own holdings company, Velarde Inc. VI, which engaged in acquiring, transforming and expanding Telecom, Media and Technology businesses. Its investment in Altimax turned the company into high-value potential asset for Broadband Internet Business, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) and Multi-point Microwave Distribution Service (MMDS). In 2008, 86% of Altimax was acquired by Globe Telecom, with the remaining 14% acquired in 2021.

In 2012, Mel launched a new digital brand under NOW named NowPlanet.TV, a new media service platform that delivers digitized content in the enterprise, education, and entertainment, across all devices and around the world to vast and targeted audiences.

Early in his career, he headed and reorganized the News and Public Affairs Department of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ largest broadcasting network, and had also worked as News Director – Trainee at KTLA Channel 5 News in Los Angeles, California.

From 1991 to 1997, he co-founded Sky Cable and led the day-to-day business execution and operations of Sky Cable, which became the largest cable TV company in the Philippines. He co-founded Sky News (which became ANC), Sky Movies, Sky Sports, Sky iChannel, Sky Knowledge Channel, and expanded Sky Cable nationwide. He also co-founded and launched Sky Internet in the early 90s a pioneer of broadband internet in the Philippines.

In 2003, the President of the Philippines appointed him as Philippine Commissioner to the UNESCO, where he served as Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee. UNESCO, which stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Established in 1945, its primary objective is to promote international collaboration in education, science, culture, and communication to contribute to peace and security. UNESCO’s work is guided by the belief that peace and prosperity can only be achieved through the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity.

In 2009, he received the Top Taxpayer Award from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) after Velarde Inc. was recognized by the BIR as Top ONETT Taxpayer for Revenue Region No. 8, having made the highest tax payment for 2009.

The Top ONETT Taxpayer Award is given to an entity that paid the highest amount of tax for a “one-time transaction.” BIR Revenue Region 8 covers the Philippine cities of includes Pasay, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Taguig, Pateros, and Makati, the country’s financial capital.

In 2014, Mel acquired the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map from a Sotheby’s auction in London. Referred to as the “Mother of all Philippine Maps,” the first scientific map of the country, it was prepared by Spanish Jesuit Friar Pedro Murillo Velarde together with two Filipinos—Francisco Suarez, who drew the map, and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, who engraved it.

The map was a crucial piece of evidence in the Philippines’ landmark victory at the South China Sea Arbitration in 2016. The map provided historical proof of Philippine sovereignty over contested areas, strengthening the country’s case against China’s claims.

The journey of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to the Philippines is a story of dedication and cultural pride. The map was discovered to be among the 80 heirlooms owned by the Duke of Northumberland, Ralph George Algernon Percy, which were scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s London on November 4, 2014. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Tirol Carpio shared this information with various public and private museums and individuals, including Mel Velasco Velarde, a Filipino technology entrepreneur and educator who sits as Chairman of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and the NOW Group.

Recognizing the historical value of the map—which also notably shared his last name—Velarde outbid other contenders with a winning offer of £170,500.00 (approximately PHP12 million at the time). Velarde convinced the British government that the map was not part of British patrimony, allowing him to bring it home in 2016. On April 21, 2017, Velarde donated the map as a gift to the Filipino people through a deed of donation signed with the Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippine Government, represented by Hon. Jose C. Calida.

The Murillo Velarde 1734 Map has found its home in the Permanent Gallery of the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), which was inaugurated on August 9, 2024.

Believing that he, his countrymen, and other formerly colonized peoples require radical epistemic and theological liberation, he has undertaken graduate-level theological studies at: Columbia International University (Evangelical), Jerusalem University College (Ancient Near Eastern Literature), and Vancouver School of Theology.

In addition to his formal education, Mel has participated in numerous Executive Education Programs and Professional Certified Training Programs at prestigious institutions.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Social Media Strategy, Digital Learning Strategy, and Communicating Through Data Story-telling.

Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania – Wealth Management

University of Michigan – Strategic Finance

Tsinghua University & Harvard Business School – Managing Businesses in China

American Society of Cinematographers – Master Cinematographer Course

United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) – Broadcasting, Satellite Communications, Data & Internet Communications, Washington D.C.

Critical Communication and Infrastructure, Cologne, Germany

Cable TV and Satellite Communication – Tel Aviv, Israel

Data Communication – Amman, Jordan

SANS Institute, Washington, D.C. – Cybersecurity: Planning, Implementing & Auditing Critical Security Controls

Swain Sailing School, British Virgin Islands – Advanced & Competitive Sailing Certifications

Nature and Forest Therapy Guide Certification, New Hampshire

Multimedia Authoring, Des Moines, Iowa

CDi Development and Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands

Broadcasting and Cable Television, Satellite Communications, Data, and Internet Communications at the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI)

Mel’s comprehensive education and training underscore his commitment to excelling across various fields, demonstrating a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise.

Mel Velarde resides in Manila. He is a dedicated father to his four-year-old son, Victor Chriscien S. Velarde. His commitment to education and historical preservation is evident through his initiative VelardePrize.com, where he awards commemorative 1734 Murillo Velarde Maps to distinguished individuals in public service.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mel.velarde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melvelarde/
Email: mel.velarde@now-corp.com