HISTORY OF PRINT MEDIA IN THE PHILIPPINES

In 1637, Successos Felices (Fortunate Events) was the 1st Philippine Newsletter
was launched by Tomas Pinpin known as “The Father of Filipino Printing”.

1.1 . Spanish Era

August 08, 1811 – Del Superior Govierno was the 1st newspaper launched by Gov.
Fernandez del Forgueras.
December 01, 1846 – La Esperanza, the first daily newspaper edited by Felipe
Lacorte and Evaristo Calderon.
1847 – La Estrella
1848 – Diario de Manila
1852 – Boletin Oficial de Filipinas
1862 – El Catolico Filipino was the 1st Philippine Religious Newspaper and published
by Mariano Sevilla.
1865 – El Porvenir Filipino
1884 – El Eco de Vigan was the 1st Provincial Newspaper in Ilocos.
April 01, 1887 – La Opinion was the First paper to defy the friars and campaigned for
the ouster of the religious. The 1st politics-oriented daily.
February 15, 1889 – La Solidaridad was published in Madrid Spain. Magazine of
Propaganda Movement. Financed by Dr. Pablo Riazares and edited by Graciano
Lopez-Jaena.
January 12, 1889 – La Asociacion Hispano-Filipino was established. It is a civic
society in Madrid of Propagandists and the Spanish Friends. Miguel Morayta was the
1st President.
July 03, 1892 – La Liga Filipina was a constitution founded by Jose Rizal in Hongkong
with the help of Jose Ma. Basa. “Unus instar Omnium” meaning “One like All”.
January 18, 1896 – Ang Kalayaan was the Revolutionary Newspaper of the Kataas-
taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan. Showed cruelties
by the civil guards and friars. It call for the revolt against Spain in the articles contained.
June 20, 1898 – La Libertad was published and edited by, an enterprising writer,
Clemente Jose Zulueta.
September 03, 1898 – La Independencia was founded by Gen. Antonio Luna and his
brother Joaquin.
September 29, 1898 -Periodical El Heraldo de la Revolicion Filipina was published in
Malolos, Bulacan. Founded by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
July 14, 1898 - Periodical El Heraldo de la Revolicion filipina became an Official
Publication of the Revolutionary Government founded by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

1.2 . American Era

October 1898 – The Manila Times was the 1st English language newspaper.
December 18, 1898 – La Revolution was focused on explaining that “our claims are
as great as our strength” and it aimed “to defend the rights that the Filipino have won.”
It was published in Jaro, Iloilo.
1898 – Official Gazette

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 March 24, 1899 - Columnas Volantes was published in Lipa, Batangas. It
contained articles about general politics and military movements. It was published by
young professionals, who belonged to the Club Democratico Independiente.
November 18, 1899 - Both newspapers, Filipinas Ante Europa and El Defensor de
Filipinas, were published in Barcelona, Spain. It was edited by Isabelo de los Reyes.
February 02, 1900 – The Manila Daily Bulletin was established by H.G. Harris and
Carson Taylor as a shipping journal.
August 1901 – The Philippine Digest’s Philippine Reports volume was officially
published by Supreme Court and printed by Bureau of Printing. It is the suitable book
and digest that locate the decisions and doctrines from the mass of cases decided by
Supreme Court.
1904 – Philippine Magazine was the 1st publication to be called a magazine in the
country established. The publication started as the Philippine Teacher, a semi-
government publication for public school teachers but was renamed Philippine
Magazine in 1905.
1907 – The Philippines Free Press was founded by Judge W.H. Kincaid, as a Bi-
lingual English and Spanish Newspaper. Eventually bought by Robert McCulloch Dick.
It was known for its smartly drawn editorial cartoons.
1920 – Philippine Herald was founded by Manuel L. Quezon. Presented viewpoint of
Filipinos to fight for independence. It was also on this year that the first English-
language women's magazine was published; Women's Outlook.
November 23, 1922 - Liwayway was a Tagalog publication founded in 1923 by
Ramon Roces, son of Alejandro Roces Sr., which he co-edited with the novelist
Severino Reyes. The Liwayway (Dawn: symbolize a new beginning) was actually an
offshoot of an earlier illustrated magazine called Photo News, containing news,
essays, and prose and poetry.
1930 – Sakdal paper with gusty proletarian ling emerged.
During American - Japanese War, Bulletin Plant and other newspapers and magazine
presses was destroyed. But Amado V. Hernandez, a writer, started out a course many
other writers followed – Journalism. He became the President of the Philippine
Newspaper Guild. He eventually became the labor leader of Congress of Labor
Organizations.

1.3 . Japanese Era

January 03, 1942 – Lico-Chronicle was established by Manuel Abad Gaerlan. It is a
typewritten news gathered from broadcasts via an underground radio.
1942 – New Era established by Manuel Buenafe. A mimeographed newspaper. But
forced to close by Japanese. Ateneo War News was established by Father Edward
Haggerry in Cagayan de Oro. Kalibo War Bulletin was circulated in Aklan.
June 1942 – Matang Lawin was established by Col. Guillermo Nakar in Northern
Luzon. It served as a watch over collaborators and the civilian population in general.
It was ceased when Nakar was captured.
The Huks had The Aspirant, Hukbalahaps, Katubusan ang Ing Masala to express their
desire for freedom and deliverance. Underground papers served as morale boosters and

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as a voice of the guerillas, some of the published short stories and poems that were light
and humorous to help ease the tension of guerilla life.
1944 – Ang Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino of 1943 came out. Stories and
verses were in form of Japanese Haiku.
1952 – National Press Club was organized to promote cooperation among journalists
and uphold press freedom and dignity of journalists.
1964 – Philippine Press Institute was organized to foster the development and
improvement of journalism in the country.
June 19, 1965 - The first Press Council to be established in the Philippines was
enacted by Republic Act Number 4363. The law states that newspapermen should
elect members of a Press Council, which would promote a Code of Ethics for the
Philippine press and the Council, and investigate any violation of the said Code.
1967 – The book Manlilikha: Mga Piling Tula 1961-1967 was published. It was an
anthology that led to a new direction in Tagalog Poetry.

1.4 . Martial Law Era

President Ferdinand Marcos issued Letter of Instruction No. 1, instructing the Press
Secretary and Defense Secretary to take over the privately-owned media facilities to
prevent them from aggravating the national emergency and influence the public to
undermine the administration’s competency in addressing social dilemmas.
September 25, 1972 - the Department of Public Information (DPI) issued Order No.1
and Order No.2, which requires the acquisition of clearance from PDI and prohibits
printers from producing any form of publication for mass dissemination without permit
from DPI. Presidential Decree No. 33, which penalizes the printing, ownership, and
distribution of printed materials which ‘undermine the integrity of the government’ was
put into law.
January 6, 1973 - Presidential Decree 90, which penalizes rumor mongering, was
passed into law. Rumors were considered as “false news and information”.
November 11, 1974 - Marcos authorized the another organization of regulatory
councils for print and broadcast media through PD 576-A. The Philippine Council for
Print Media and the Broadcast Media Council was then formed this year.

Presidential Issuances No. 1834 and No. 1835 served as media warnings to “self-
censorship” and “responsible reporting.” Newspaper publications were closed down by
the government. Journalists who had published anti-Marcos articles went under military
interrogation. Some of them were jailed and killed.

September 12, 1980 - Presidential Decree 1737, also known as Public Order Act,
was made into law. This decree empowered Marcos to issue orders as he may deem
necessary.
October 08, 1980 - Marcos also issued Presidential Decree 727 which made the
dissemination of false information unlawful.
August 25, 1983 – Benigno Simeon “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was assassinated on Manila
International Airport.

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 December 9, 1985 - the Philippine Inquirer (now Philippine Daily Inquirer) was
founded by Eugenia Apostol and Letty Magsanoc-Jimenez. The Inquirer
enthusiastically documented the presidential campaign of Corazon Aquino and openly
attacked the Marcos dictatorship.
February 5, 1986 - The Manila Times was reopened. Veteran journalist Amando
Doronila resurfaced as a columnist of the Times during those years and wrote hard-
hitting commentaries that contributed to the fail of the dictatorial government.
February 25, 1986 - the first People Power in the Philippines happened in EDSA. The
peaceful march ended the Martial Law.

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REFERENCES

Gregorio, F. S. (4 September 2012). In Defense of Freedom: Philippine Press

through Ages. Retrieved from: http://nhcp.gov.ph/in-defense-of-freedom-philippine-
press-through-the-ages/
Maglaqui, R. (19 January 2015). History of Print Media in the Philippines. Retrieved
from: https://prezi.com/2edbov31nspx/print-media-in-the-philippines/
Philippine Press History (n.d.) An online Museum of the Country’s Storied Press
Past. Retrieved from: https://philippinepresshistory.wordpress.com/tag/marcos/
Philippine Reference (2019). Philippines Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers.
Retrieved from: http://www.pressreference.com/No-Sa/Philippines.html
University of The Philippines open University (n.d.). History of Newspaper in the
Philippines. Retrieved from: https://sites.google.com/a/upou.edu.ph/mms-100-final-
project-topic-2-old-news-new-news/home-page-1/Newspaper-in-the-
Philippines/History-of-newspaper-in-the-Philippines

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