Delgado dreams big for Verizon Micronesia

Pacific Telecom Inc. president and chief executive officer Jose Ricardo P.R. Delgado officially announced his company’s takeover of the CNMI’s biggest telecom firm amid a packed crowd of employees at the lobby of Verizon’s Susupe offices yesterday morning.

Delgado’s announcement effectively confirmed news reports that PTI would take over Verizon’s operations from Micronesian Telecommunications Corp. effective yesterday. Delgado said the transfer of shares between the two companies transpired on Tuesday.

Before the announcement, employees filled the lobby all the way to the second floor, with some lining up on the staircase as they waited for Delgado and Verizon general manager Tony Mosley.

Delgado and Mosley walked together from the executive offices to the lobby and made the announcement, which was met with jubilant claps by the employees.

“Never give up on your dreams, no matter [if] they thought it won’t happen. After four long years, we’ve made it together,” Delgado said. “We can have the largest telecom company per square meter covered.”

Delgado said he began to set his sights on Verizon about four years ago, saying that the company is a good one with great people behind it.

He said PTI’s long wait strongly demonstrated its commitment to Verizon since the first day it wanted to acquire the telecom firm, but his takeover would just be the beginning of a difficult task to manage the company amid tough economic times.

He called on employees to focus on improved customer service and efficiency to help the company increase its savings and cut costs. He reminded employees that the CNMI population depends on their service, saying that PTI and the employees are accountable to the Commonwealth’s people, financial institutions and businesses.

“It’s not easy,” Delgado said.

Occasionally, he would ask the employees: “Can I count on you on that?” The employees would give a resounding “yes” each time. “You can count on me,” Delgado answered back, eliciting another round of applause.

Delgado also thanked the people who have assisted PTI in some ways since it planned to acquire Verizon, particularly Commonwealth Telecommunications Commission executive director Adam Turner and the media.

“I’m counting on all of you to help me,” Delgado said. “If we work together, we can make it.”

Mosley said that there is a lot of hard work ahead and assured that the Verizon management and staff would do their work to the best of their abilities.

Mike Ngirbabal, Verizon’s business service supervisor who has been with the company for almost 17 years, said he is happy with PTI’s takeover of Verizon. “He [Delgado] can count on us.”

Another employee, technician Noel Reyes, said PTI’s acquisition of Verizon is a reaffirmation of faith in the CNMI’s economy. An employee of Verizon for about nine years, Reyes said the government and the community should welcome PTI as a company that wants to revive the economy.

“We have a lot of companies and PTI has a lot of faith to stand out and fight it out. It shows that, inspite of the economy and government, there are still a lot of companies who want to do business here,” Reyes said.

There would be no change in Verizon’s management and staff. Delgado said he would expand opportunities available to Verizon’s employees.

Delgado also disclosed that former CNMI magistrate Jose Dela Cruz will be joining the PTI team, saying that the latter would participate in ongoing negotiations with the Marianas Public Lands Authority.

The company served snacks and refreshments to employees and guests in yesterday’s takeover ceremony.