Manila Standard is 33 years old today.
Some ride it has been. During those years, many things have happened to the Filipino people. We saw disasters natural and man-made, political scandals and upheavals, comeuppances and surprises. Many names came and went from the spotlight.
We’d like to think we have remained, steadfast, on the sidelines, watching what is happening and reporting it to the public to the best of our ability.
We’ve seen some shifts, ourselves. There have been changes in ownership, in management personalities and styles, in newsroom locations. We’ve seen dear colleagues and friends pass on. We’ve witnessed those whom we’ve worked with change careers or move to other offices. Along the way we’ve also met resilient colleagues and lifelong friends.
We’ve both benefited from technology and found our very existence questioned, even threatened, by it. We’ve seen prosperous times and many challenging ones. We’ve been awed by what true, excellent journalism can do for society, and been dismayed by the temptations and the compromises that swirl around our complicated profession.
We struggle every day, and we are still here. What a colorful 33 years it has been.
Today we look back and look forward at the same time. What will the next 33 years bring?
Certainly, we are no longer young. We remain idealistic, while keenly aware of realities that we must face and dilemmas we must resolve. We embrace the future with equanimity, expecting and preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.
Through all this, Manila Standard’s people have been the key. We have plodded along, working still despite personal difficulty. Asked why we stay on when there could be other lucrative opportunities outside the confines of our office, we say: We love our newspaper. We stand with our colleagues. We cherish our profession.
The Manila Standard family is committed to serve the public good amid adversity. Every day, we will make do with what we have and struggle to deliver ethical and top-quality journalism—whatever the weather, whatever the odds.