Market leader Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) appointed Alejandro Caeg as the new head of international and carrier business of the phone firm.

In a disclosure, the phone giant said its board approved Caeg's appointment, which took effect last March 1.

Caeg held various positions, including marketing head of international gateway facilities and local exchange carrier, in PLDT subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. He also previously worked as chief commercial strategy officer of Jakarta-based PT Smart Telecom,

He replaced Ramon Santiago.

Meanwhile, the country’s biggest phone company also disclosed to the stock exchange that its board declared a cash dividend of P1 per outstanding share of the company's series EE 10 percent cumulative convertible preferred stock for the period ending April 30, payable on May 29 to shareholders on record as of April 30.

"The cash dividend was declared out of the audited unrestricted retained earnings of the company as at December 31, 2008, which are sufficient to cover the total amount of dividends declared," said PLDT.

PLDT's reported net income last year declined by four percent from P34.6 billion in 2007 to P36 billion. The group's core profit in 2008 rose by eight percent to P38.1 billion from P35.2 billion in 2007. Core profit excludes currency and derivative gains.