Lizelle G. Maralag, chief marketing officer of GMA Network, has been named Media Icon 2025 by the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines (MSAP). The award was presented during Synergia: The 2025 Media Congress.
The honor recognizes individuals “who have laid the groundwork and continue to inspire the journey of the media industry,” MSAP said. The organization cited Maralag’s influence, leadership, and role in advancing Philippine media into a modern, insight-driven profession.
In her acceptance, Maralag thanked industry colleagues and emphasized the contributions of media professionals and young talents. “This award is not for me alone. It is for the media professionals who uphold integrity and excellence in their craft… for the young media talents who are not enticed by corrupt practices, whose thirst for continuous learning is strengthened by their own hard work, creativity, and refusal to settle for mediocre work,” she said.
Maralag, widely known as LGM, has nearly three decades of experience in Philippine media. She started in advertising and became CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group Philippines, leading the agency to multiple “Agency of the Year” recognitions and setting a record for Media Agency-of-Record pitch wins over a decade.
She joined GMA Network in 2010, where she now oversees marketing and commercial innovation across the network’s broadcast, international, and non-broadcast platforms. Under her leadership, GMA has won numerous local and global marketing awards.
A founding co-chair and past president of MSAP, Maralag has championed strong measurement frameworks, digital-forward planning, and branded content. She is also recognized for mentoring women in leadership, earning her the nickname “Mother of the Modern Media Industry” in the Philippines.
Her contributions extend beyond GMA. She received the 2019 Hildegard Award for Women in Media and Communication (Advertising) and has served as chairman of the Radio Research Council Adjudication & Review Board, director of the TV Research Council, and juror in major local and regional awards, including the APAC Effies.
