GEEC 114: Philippine Popular Culture LDBuyan

LESSON 2

PHILIPPINE NEWSPAPERS

Newspapers play an important part in the lives of the Filipino people.

Aside from its function to give everyday information, it has specifically played a
critical role in the nation’s quest for freedom and independence.

Throughout the history of the Philippine press system, we have seen the
evolution of newspapers from the Spanish colonization up to the Computer Age
that we are currently living in. In its longtime of existence, it has continuously
reinvented itself to conform or attack socio-political conditions in the country in
the attempt to continue providing relevant information to the Filipino masses.

This lesson intends to equip students with significant data concerning the
development of Philippine press, particularly the newspaper industry, by taking
a historical approach to highlight how newspaper contents were framed by
different time periods in the country. The author of the module summarized
Doreen G. Fernandez’s The Philippine Press System: 1811-1989 and Ramon R.
Tuazon’s The Print Media: A Tradition of Freedom in creating a historical
narrative of Philippine newspapers.

The Initial Pages of the Philippine Press

• The Spanish Colonial Era

In the history of the

Philippine press, what might be
considered as the first newspaper
would be Sucesos Felices
(Fortunate Events), a fourteen-
page Spanish newsletter devoted
to the destruction committed by
Muslim pirates written in a
modern anecdotal style and
printed by Tomas Pinpin who was
known as the “The Father of
Filipino Printing” in 1637
(Fernandez 1989, 318).

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In 1809, Aviso Al Publico (Notices

to the Public), an eleven-page Spanish
newsletter with a blank back page, was
first issued by Governor General Mariano
Fernandez de Folgueras (Medina 1985 in
Fernandez 1989, 318). As compared to the
Sucesos Felices, this was a more formal
publication informing the local people
about the Franco-Hispanic troubles in
Europe. In a way, this also was an
ideological strategy to counter the “lies”
of the French papers and to publicize the
events in 1808 when a French ship was
captured in Batangas.

Poema en verso heroic (Poem in heroic verse) by Franciso Abaurre

was the second paper issued. It was a compilation of news taken from
English gazettes to still counter false information about Spain from France
and to discuss in verses the wars that they won in Europe and the heroism
of “our” Spanish counterparts (Ibid., 318-319).

Although there were

magazines released by the
Spaniards, the first formal
Philippine newspaper was the Del
Superior Gobierno because it
already had serial numbers, an
editor, a variety of news content,
and a sense of the urgency of news
in its weekly issues. In the first
issue of Del Superior Gobierno,
Governor General Fernadez de
Folgueras reiterated the purpose
of the said newspaper to inform
the inhabitants of the Philippines
about “the enthusiasm and
unalterable resistance of the
Spaniards in the metropolis, the
inexhaustible fidelity of the
British allies, the victories over

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French arms, and most especially, the opening of the Spanish Cortes
(Medina 1985 in Fernandez 1989, 319).” Although it was dubbed as the
first regularly issued publication that reported developments about Spain
and the situation in Europe, it only had a brief stint with only 15 issues
over a six-month period because its news sources such as foreign gazettes
and the Spanish Cortes had dried up.

It was only in the period of the

Propaganda Movement led by the
nationalistic organization in Spain
called La Solidaridad that the native
or vernacular press began with the
publication of papers such as
Diariong Tagalog in 1882, El Ilocano
in 1889 and Kalayaan in 1896. It can
be noted that these publications saw
the significant role of the native
press to incite deviance and
revolution against Spain as a
manifestation of the reform
movement, in which Filipinos sought
representation in the Spanish Cortes,
equality with Spaniards, the secularization of parishes and the expulsion
of friars, and greater freedom, including freedom of speech and the press.

1. Diariong Tagalog, the first daily Tagalog newspaper, was

founded by Marcelo H. del Pilar in 1882 to further ideas that
instigated reforms in the Spanish-led government in the
Philippines and pointed out the abuses committed by the friars.

2. Isabelo de los Reyes with the participation of Filipino writers

founded the El Ilocano, a bilingual – Spanish and Ilocano –
newspaper regularly published every 15 days with parallel
columns. Although printed in Sta. Cruz, Manila, it had most of
its subscribers in the northern provinces due to its use of a
language that even the peasants understood, the easy science-
based lessons it provided about agriculture for farmers,
recommendations on basic hygiene, some short stories and
poetry, and news on recent discoveries, inventions, and

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intriguing phenomena. De los Reyes asserted that it was the first

newspaper that was genuinely native because the writers’
collective aspirations were directed toward aggrandizement of
the intellectual, moral, and material life of the Philippines in
general, and the Ilocanos in particular.

3. Kalayaan was established in 1896 when the Filipinos back home

came to realize that it was the Philippines that was the
Motherland and nation of their concerns, but the betrayal of the
Katipunan caused the destruction of the second issue.
Nonetheless, after the sole issue of Kalayaan, it was said that
number of Katipunan grew by 30,000.

Other newspapers which advocated for political reforms included La

Independencia (1898), the most widely read newspaper of the revolution,
La Libertad (1898), and El Heraldo de Iloilo (1898). It can be noted from
these publications the use of non-violent strategies for social and political
reforms, a lesson well imbibed by Filipino journalists even today.

• The American Regime

It can be noted that the

American regime established a
different style of journalism as
compared to the journalism in the
Spanish colonial period that was
more focused in literary even in
narrating news stories (Fernandez
1989, 325). The American regime
saw the introduction of new
newspapers published mostly by
American journalists: The Manila
Times (1898), The Bounding Billow
and Official Gazette (1898), and
Manila Daily Bulletin (1900):

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1. The Manila Times – published in 1898 to meet the demand of an

American paper in Manila, demand mainly from men of the
United States Army who had occupied Manila
2. The Bounding Billow – a sailor-written newspaper published
aboard the USS Olympia from 1897 to 1898 documenting the key
historical events in the Spanish American War as well as the
cultural aspects of life in the U.S. Navy
3. Official Gazette – published in 1898 to inform the 8,000
American soldiers of military orders
4. The Manila Daily Bulletin – a business-related newspaper first
aimed to supply shipping and commercial information

The newspapers of this period were completely transformed to conform to

the American style in their physical formats, the style of newswriting, and
the attitude towards the gathering and reporting of news. At this time as
well, newspaper publishing became less of a government concern nor a
platform to further the reformatory aims of propagandists and local leaders;
it was becoming more of an American business (Ibid., 326-327).

• The Japanese Occupation

The Japanese occupation imposed the strictest systematic censorship

on the press during foreign intervention in the country resulting to the closure
of many newspaper publications. Those allowed to function such as the
Manila Tribune, Taliba, and La Vanguardia were under censorship by the
Propaganda Corps of the Army (Ibid., 327-328). Although strong opposition
against the Japanese rule existed, these sentiments were not popularized
because anyone wishing to publish a paper had to first secure a permit from
the military.

In the meantime, Filipinos during this period were not left without an
“alternative” media with the spread of underground newspapers, mostly
typewritten or mimeographed, to provide people with counter information.
An example of local deviance was the proliferation of the guerilla press,
which aimed to boost morale, to warn against Japanese collaboration, and to
fight the Japanese in any way possible (Ibid., 328). However, people who
were allegedly were and involved with journalist-guerrillas were severely
punished.

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The Post-War Period: The Golden Age of Philippine Journalism

The post-war era to pre-martial law period (1945-1972) called the golden
age of Philippine journalism because it was in this duration that the Philippine
press began to be known as “the freest in Asia” (Tuazon 1999). It was freest in a
sense that the press functioned as a real watchdog of the government, highly
sensitive to its critical issues and past mistakes. Teodoro Locsin, editor of the
Philippines Free Press, describes the postwar press thus:

“Never had the press been so free, never had it wielded such power and
influence. The government was but recently established and uncertain of
its strength. It was extremely sensitive to public opinion and the press
took advantage of this healthy state, pouncing on the government’s least
mistakes and making national issues of them… The power of the press was
utterly out of proportion to the circulations of the various papers. None
could claim a sale of more than a few thousand copies… There was
censorship by the U.S. Army… But military censorship was soon erased and
finally lifted, them it was open season and good hunting for politicians
(Lent 1971 in Fernandez 1989, 328-329).”

Another notable characteristic of the press during this period was the
involvement of large business groups and political organizations to ensure the
place of free press in the media industry (Tuazon 1999). As a result, such
marriage of convenience resulted to the control and interest of some newspapers
in other media outlets like radio and television. Furthermore, organizations were
institutionalized to uphold press freedom, such as the National Press Club in 1952
which aimed “to promote cooperation among journalists and uphold press
freedom and the dignity of journalists” and the Philippine Press Institute in 1964
which intended “to foster the development and improvement of journalism in
the country (Ibid.).”

National Press Club, Intramuros, Manila

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Some of the newspapers that proliferated in this period were Manila Free
Philippines, Philippine Liberty News, Manila Post, Manila Tribune, Morning Sun,
The Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times, Evening News, and Manila Chronicle.
Based on the events that happened soon after the war, what can be a general
characteristic of this period was the reentry of the big publishing companies in
the newspaper scene while small “militant, frequently dissenting newspapers”
perished (Fernandez 1989, 332).

The Marcos Years: Controlled and Alternative Press

During the time of the martial

law, the Marcos government focused
on the censorship of the activities of
opposition in mass media. According to
Tillman Durdin, media repression was
manifested in the declaration of
Proclamation 1081, where only one
newspaper, one television station, and
the government-owned radio were
allowed to continue operations in
broadcasting (Durdin 1975). Although
it was perceived that media had a
considerable leeway on free speech,
the editors and journalists who went
beyond the limits set by the
government were mass arrested,
framing them to be participating in the
goal of the Communist Party to overthrow the republic. The actions posed by the
Marcos government did not only curb press freedom in the country as it also
destroyed the oligarchic structure of the old media and transformed it into a
government-supervised “New Society” media.

Nonetheless, the so-called alternative press emerged in the 1980s to

counter the propaganda created by the pro-government private media and the
government’s own media infrastructure. These were tabloid newspapers which
defined government instructions on how to handle news stories. Despite constant
threats of harassment and intimidations, these newspapers were still in
operation, such as the WE Forum and its broadsheet affiliate, Pahayagang
Malaya, run by the father and son team of Jose Burgos, Business Day (now
Business World) published by Raul and Leticia Locsion, and Inquirer and Mr. and

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Ms. Magazine published and edited by Eugenia D. Apostol and Leticia J. Magsanoc
(Tuazon 1999).

While private-owned newspapers were suppressed, the nationalistic

fervor was also strongly manifested in samizdat or xerox journalism, pioneered
and written by Filipinos working for the foreign news services to expose in the
international platform the human rights violations committed although censored
for mass dissemination, as well as the political and socio-economic developments
in the country (Ibid.).

Another notable alternative to the controlled situation of the press were

the university publications that had chosen to take a critical stance on national
issues. Among them were the Philippine Collegian of the University of the
Philippines – Diliman, Ang Malaya of the Philippine College of Commerce (now
Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Pandayan of Ateneo de Manila
University, Ang Hasik of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Balawis of

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Mapua Institute of Technology (Ibid.). This move in some colleges and

universities threatened the government resulting for them to find and arrest
students who were involved in student demonstrations and publications by
recruiting military intelligence (Durdin 1975). Still, some newspapers continued
to publicize the accurate situation of the country despite the controlled
structure imposed by the Marcos regime.

Newspapers Today: A Press in Transition

In the present context, there are a total of 14 “national” daily broadsheets

and 19 tabloids published in Metro Manila being distributed to its 7 million
readers (Tuazon 1999). Of the 14 broadsheets, three are regularly considered to
have a big daily circulation:

1. Manila Bulletin – “a publicly held corporation in the Philippines which

publishes in print and online a daily broadsheet, tabloid-sized newspapers
and various magazines in English, Filipino and the vernaculars”
2. Philippine Daily Inquirer – “a daily newspaper founded on the 9th of
December 1985 that is fearless in the face of repression, unflinching in its
commitment to the truth for the Filipino people”
3. The Philippine STAR – “owned and published by Philstar Daily Inc., it is a
vaunted pillar of Philippine journalism whose integrity is anchored on the
Biblical motto, ‘Truth Shall Prevail’”

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In terms of tabloids, Abante (a daily Filipino tabloid publication owned by

veteran journalists Rey Marfil and Gil Cabacungan) and People’s Journal (an
English language daily tabloid newspaper published by the Philippine Journalists
Incorporated) are most popular enjoying higher circulation than the broadsheets
and seem to be preferred by readers in low-and-middle income brackets. These
are newspapers that are smaller than broadsheets written in Taglish and have an
entertainment gossip slant.

As seen from previous discussions, the lesson only situated the press in
Metro Manila where nationally-circulated newspapers are based (Fernandez
1989, 317). In this day, there is the emergence of a chain of provincial
newspapers owned by a single corporation. An example of this is Sun Star, which
operates in Baguio, Angeles, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro and Davao. This
is a good development in the newspaper industry because millions of Filipinos
are now reached by provincial dailies and the quality of such dailies can now
compete with the so-called national (Metro Manila-based) dailies in terms of
editorial quality (Tuazon 1999).

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Ramon Tuazon (1999) identified key points concerning the general content
of newspapers today:

1. NEWSPAPERS FULFILLL THEIR ROLE AS THE WATCHDOG OF THE

GOVERNMENT. To fulfill its role as a watchdog of the government,
newspaper content tends to be dominated by government issues and
events highlighting the projects of the government as well as the alleged
corruption of politicians. This is the reason why government officials often
criticize newspapers for being biased and for having a “hidden agenda”
which lead them to file libel cases against editors and journalists.
Nonetheless, the press claims that negative coverage is still part of their
watchdog function.

2. NEWSPAPERS SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE FORUM FOR DIALOGUE ON

NATIONAL AND LOCAL ISSUES. In turning several pages of a newspaper,
you will be equipped with appropriate information concerning pressing
issues in the country such as constitutional amendments or cha cha,
Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), police brutality, death penalty, lgbt
rights, among others. Moreover, there is also an increasing number of
investigative stories or cases focusing on diverse issues related to the
government, the environment, and the everyday life of people which
reveal the reality experienced from the grassroots.

3. NEWSPAPERS CONTAIN ADEQUATE CONVERAGE ON BUSINESS AND

ECONOMICS. Many major business stories are given front page treatment
especially in cases when they affect the economic development of the
country. In terms of business sections, most newspapers have been
expanded both in terms of additional pages and topics to feature not just
business stories but also intriguing and inspiring personalities and
corporate gossips.

4. NEWSPAPERS NOW COVER TOPICS RELATING TO SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH. The major
dailies ensure that there are pages allotted to the enrichment of people
in important topics that can have massive impacts in their lives.

5. NEWSPAPERS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO SENSATIONALIZE CONFLICT

SITUATIONS. Sensationalism is defined as exaggerating a minor issue so as
to create a scandalous effect. In order to increase circulation and attract
more advertisers, press people usually frame stories to trigger strong
emotions from their readers. Although it is commendable that issues of

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specific sectors of society like women, children, and cultural communities

are being included in the narrative coverage of newspapers, there is still
a tendency for these papers to prefer stories which easily lend to a
sensational and controversial slant, such as child abuse, prostitution, child
labor, and the like. The focus on these issues neglect equally important
but less controversial stories on malnutrition, lack of sanitation and
healthcare facilities, and absence of educational institutions in far flung
areas. Furthermore, the advocacy to include such issues into the
mainstream media is often negated by the portrayal of women as sex
objects in provocative poses as a marketing strategy of a tabloid.

6. NEWSPAPERS HAVE INTEGRATED COMPUTERS IN THEIR OPERATIONS. To

be in sync with the Computer Age which poses a challenge for the print
media industry, some of the national dailies such as Business World,
Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Manila Bulletin, become highly automated
from news sourcing and gathering, editing, layout and design up to
production. Although newspapers have already used online services, it can
be said that they only serve as a supplement to newspapers due to the
small population of Internet users in the Philippines that read news
articles online.

For the newspaper industry to continue competing with other media platforms
for people’s taste and for advertising revenue, it is vital that they become more
creative in packaging and presenting their news stories especially now with the
threats of declining readers due to the convenience offered by visual media.

LEARNING ACTIVITY (45/45)

Identification. Identify what is described for each number. (15 points)

____________1. The organization formed in Spain by the Ilustrado class that

pushed forward reformatory and even revolutionary stances against the Spanish
led-government in the Philippines

____________2. The kind of press that proliferated among the local people to
boost morale, to warn against Japanese collaboration, and to fight the Japanese
in any way possible

____________3. a sailor-written newspaper published aboard the USS Olympia

from 1897 to 1898 documenting the key historical events in the Spanish American
War as well as the cultural aspects of life in the U.S. Navy

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____________4. An eleven-page Spanish newsletter informing the local people

about the Franco-Hispanic troubles in Europe

____________5. the suppression of words, images, or ideas that are deemed as

“offensive”; happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their personal
political or moral values on others.

____________6. The period in the history of Philippine free press where the press
functioned as a real watchdog of the government

____________7. Founded by Marcelo H del Pilar and known as the first daily
Tagalog newspaper

____________8. The organization established in 1952 which aimed to promote

cooperation among journalists and uphold press freedom and the dignity of
journalists

____________9. A fourteen-page Spanish newsletter printed by Tomas Pinpin

mainly to deliver news on the destructions committed by Muslim pirates

____________10. An example of a chain of provincial newspapers that operates

Baguio, Angeles, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro and Davao

____________11. The first formal Philippine newspaper with serial numbers, an

editor, a variety of news content, and a sense of the urgency of news in its
weekly issues

____________12. a daily Filipino tabloid publication owned by veteran

journalists Rey Marfil and Gil Cabacungan

____________13. The first newspaper to cater a particular region due to the use
of their local language

____________14. an English language daily tabloid newspaper published by the

Philippine Journalists Incorporated

____________15. The campus publication of University of the Philippines Diliman

that had taken a critical stance on the human rights violations committed by the
Marcos regime

The Good and The Bad. “Watchdog” and “Sensationalism” are two of the
catchphrases that we can attach to the general landscape of Philippine
newspapers. Essentially, newspapers can be considered as the “conscience” of
the people when they fulfill their watchdog function, but they can also trigger
unintentional and unnecessary emotions from their readers when they

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exaggerate a minor issue. In this activity, since newspapers have already

integrated computers in their operations, you will look for and take screenshots
of articles (the titles and the introductory passages only) from either of
broadsheets or tabloids publishing online. You must have 3 articles from
newspapers fulfilling their watchdog function and 3 articles from newspapers
sensationalizing a minor issue. After pasting the titles and the introductory
passages of your articles, you will explain briefly in no more than 5 sentences
how the particular articles serve their watchdog function or popularize an issue.
Follow the format below:

The Good – Newspapers as the “Conscience” of the People (15 points)

Article # 1

(paste your article screenshot here)

Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it serve its watchdog function?)

Article # 2

(paste your article screenshot here)

Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it serve its watchdog function?)

Article # 3

(paste your article screenshot here)

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Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it serve its watchdog function?)

The Bad – Newspapers Sensationalizing Minor Issues (15 points)

Article # 1

(paste your article screenshot here)

Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it sensationalize the issue?)

Article # 2

(paste your article screenshot here)

Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it sensationalize the issue?)

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Article # 3

(paste your article screenshot here)

Brief Summary (What was the issue? How did it sensationalize the issue?)

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