HONG KONG (Yosefardi) – Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co, where Salim Group’s First Pacific Ltd owns 25.6% shares, booked net profit of 19.7 billion pesos in the first half of 2013, grew slightly from 19.3 billion pesos in the same period of 2012.

PLDT reported revenues of 83.1 billion pesos in the period, increased from 81.2 billion pesos in the first half of 2012.

The company’s operating profit actually improved to 23.9 billion pesos from 22.36 billion pesos in the first half of 2012, but forex losses of 1.9 billion cut its profit to 19.7 billion pesos. In the same period of 2012, PLDT reported forex gain of 1.6 billion pesos.