Nazareno, PLDT-Smart chief during DSL, unli text days, 77

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March 25, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Napoleon Nazareno, the man who kept telco leaders PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. at the top of the game during the DSL and unli text era, has died. He was 77.

Remember the days when Filipinos had to rely on telephone lines to connect to the web on their personal computers? How about the heyday of group messages, known as GM, made possible by prepaid products that offer unlimited messaging?

Nazareno made sure PLDT and Smart were at the top of that game in the mid- to late-2000s, as the world then was preparing to shift from analog to digital.

Known to his family and friends as Polly, he led PLDT and Smart as president and CEO from 2004 to 2015, the period when telcos were scrambling for leadership in the texting era.

In 2015, Nazareno retired from the telco and turned over his roles to Manuel V. Pangilinan. Later on, he would join various companies as board member, sharing with them insights that could be valuable to survive drastic changes and tight industries.

In 2023, after the pandemic, Nazareno would dip his toes in the growing e-payment space, as he joined PayMongo Philippines as independent director.

In a social media post, Nazareno’s daughter Apple said her father passed away in a hospital in Toronto, after suffering from spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage, a type of stroke.

Apple described Polly as a “loving husband, father, grandfather, friend and man whose life was marked by purpose, faith and love.”

“Polly will be remembered for his kind heart, quiet strength and remarkable vision. He devoted much of his life to helping shape the future of Philippine telecommunications, believing deeply in innovation, excellence and making technology serve more people,” Apple said.

The Asian Institute of Management recognized Nazareno for his excellence, having been named the school’s Triple A Awardee in 1992. Nazareno earned his master’s degree in business management from AIM, where he later on became its chairman.

Nazareno is survived by his wife, Cecile; his daughter, Apple; daughter-in-law, Karrots and grandchildren, Gabby, Santino, Luca, Mio and Taia.

His wake will be held at Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park until March 27, and his inurnment is scheduled on March 28 following a morning mass.