The Freeman (newspaper)

Last updated

The Freeman
The Freeman of Cebu logo.jpg
The Freeman of Cebu.jpg
The front page of the newspaper
on June 25, 2015
Type Daily newspaper
Format Broadsheet and News website
Owner(s) Philstar Daily Inc.
MediaQuest Holdings (51%)
Belmonte Family (21%)
Private stock (28%) [1]
Founder(s)Paulino Gullas
PublisherJose "Dodong" Gullas
Editor-in-chiefAchilles Modequillo
Managing editorLucky Malicay
FoundedMay 10, 1919;104 years ago (1919-05-10)
(38,265 issues)
Political alignmentIndependent
Language English, Cebuano
HeadquartersPhilippine STAR Building
V. Gullas Street corner D. Jakosalem Street,
Cebu City, Philippines [2]
City Cebu City
Country Philippines
Sister newspapersBanat, The Philippine Star , BusinessWorld , Pilipino Star Ngayon , Pang-Masa, Starweek
Website www.philstar.com/the-freeman/

The Freeman is a daily English-language newspaper published in Cebu, Philippines. It is the longest-running newspaper in Cebu, first published on May 10, 1919. Since 2004, the newspaper has been published by the Philstar Media Group, publisher of the Manila-based newspaper, The Philippine STAR , with former owner Jose "Dodong" Gullas retaining editorial control over the newspaper. [1] The motto of the newspaper is "Fair and fearless".

Contents

History

Background

The Freeman's beginnings can be traced back to the American colonial era in the Philippines from 1898 to 1946. At the time, the Americans had just granted the Filipino people several civil and political rights, including freedom of the press, which encourage several enterprising individuals to establish various newspapers in English and the local languages. [3]

In Cebu, several local newspapers emerged, such as the first Cebuano-owned newspapers La Justicia (1899) and El Nacional (1899), owned by politician, lawyer and journalist Vicente Sotto. He and his brother Filemon went on to establish other newspapers such as El Pueblo (1900), Ang Suga (1901–12), Ang Kaluwasan (1902–10), and La Revolucion (1910–41). [4] [5]

Other scions of political families also followed suit and published their own newspapers, such as Sergio Osmeña’s El Nuevo Dia (1900–03), Mariano Cuenco's El Precursor (1907–41) and El Boletin Catolico (1915–30), and Vicente Rama's La Nueva Fuerza/Bag-ong Kusog (1915–40). Other newspapers include La Epoca (1922), owned by Jewish entrepreneur Leopoldo Falek, and the Catholic newspapers Ang Camatuoran (1902–11) and Atong Kabilin (1916). [4] [5]

Early years

Inspired by the success of earlier newspapers and the increasing popularity of the English language among locals, lawyer, journalist and scion of the Gullas political family, Paulino Gullas, decided to establish his own newspaper. A former correspondent for the Manila-based newspaper The Cablenews-American, Paulino published the first issue of the English-language newspaper The Freeman on May 10, 1919. [1] [4] [5]

The newspaper was first published at its office along P. Lopez Street corner Colon Street in Cebu City, before moving to an office at the corner of Juan Luna and Colon Streets later on. The maiden issue consisted of 16 pages: 12 in English and four in Visayan. The next six issues equally divided its pages between English and Visayan sections. Over the years, the number of pages varied from 18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 40 and 32. [6]

The release of The Freeman soon gave rise to other English-language newspapers in Cebu, namely Jose Avila's The Advertiser (1922), Mariano Cuenco's Cebu Daily News , Leopoldo Falek's Star (1927), Vicente Rama's Progress (1928), Cesar Mercader's The Cebu Herald (1938), Cornelio Faigao's The Challenger (1940), Pete Calomarde's Morning Times (1943), and Alfredo Cruz and Angel Anden's The Pioneer Press (1945). [5] [7]

The Freeman became an important mouthpiece for the Gullas political family and was essential in Paulino's election as representative of Cebu City's Second District in the House of Representatives from 1925 to 1927. However, the newspaper temporarily ceased publication in 1934 after Paulino was elected as Cebu's delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Convention from July 30, 1934, to February 8, 1935, that created the Commonwealth of the Philippines. [8] [9] [10]

The newspaper wasn't able to return to publication with the outbreak of World War II and the Japanese bombardment of Cebu in 1941. [7] [11] Paulino later joined the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI), the only Filipino political party recognized by the Japanese Military Administration and became commissioner of its Visayas chapter. This led to his appointment as member of the National Assembly from 1943 to 1944 during the Second Philippine Republic. [7]

Post-war revival

With Paulino's death during the American bombardment of Cebu in 1945, The Freeman would not return to newsstands until 1965 when his nephew Jose "Dodong'" Gullas revived the periodical as a weekly magazine, and then as a daily English newspaper in 1969. [9] [12] Dodong sought the advice of his father Vicente Gullas and Paulino's widow Hilda in reviving the paper. He also hired journalists Balt Quinain and Juanito Jabat to manage the paper, with Dodong serving as publisher, Quinain as editor-in-chief, and Jabat as associate editor. [6] [13]

Martial Law

After dictator Ferdinand Marcos placed the entire Philippines under Martial Law in 1972, The Freeman and its printing press were shut down for a month, and one of its columnists, Resil Mojares (who would eventually be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines for Literature) was jailed for several months because he had published columns which criticized the administration of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. [14] [15]

The Freeman was able to return to publication after a month, [14] and was among the few Philippine community newspapers that remained in circulation and dared to publish news and accounts about the excesses and abuses of the regime. [6]

Establishment of Banat

On August 23, 1994, The Freeman began publishing the Cebuano-language tabloid Banat as demand for printed news and content in the local language surged. In 2019, Banat celebrated 25 years in circulation as Cebu's leading tabloid newspaper in the vernacular language. [6] [13]

Acquisition by the Philstar Media Group and by Mediaquest Holdings

The Freeman is currently owned and operated by the Philstar Media Group, publisher of the Manila-based, nationally circulated broadsheet The Philippine STAR. The media company, which is owned by the Belmonte family, acquired the newspaper along with its sister publication Banat on August 24, 2004, as part of its strategy of acquiring community newspapers to expand its reach and influence throughout the Philippines. [1] [6] [8]

In 2014, Philstar Media Group was acquired by Mediaquest Holdings Inc., the media conglomerate of PLDT chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, making The Freeman and Banat part of the MVP Group of Companies along with other publications such as The Philippine STAR, Pilipino Star Ngayon , Pang-Masa, Starweek and BusinessWorld . [16]

Aside from print, The Freeman also has an online presence via The Philippine STAR's website, as well as in social media. In January 2011, the newspaper opened its official Facebook page, [17] followed by a Twitter page in March. [18] On May 10, 2019, The Freeman celebrated its 100th founding anniversary. [6] [8] [13]

Awards

In its more than a century of operation, The Freeman has received several accolades from different award-bodies due to its excellent reportage. The newspaper is a consistent award winner in various categories of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Civil Journalism Community Press Awards since its inception in 1996. The newspaper has won Best in Business and Economic Reporting (1996), Best in Photojournalism (1996, 1998, 2009), Best in Newspaper Design (1996, 1998), Best in Science and Technology Reporting (1996), Best Edited Newspaper (1998), Best in Environmental Reporting (1997, 2015), Best in Fisheries Reporting (2015), Best in Cultural-Historical Reporting (1998) and Best Editorial Page (1998, 2016). In 1999, PPI placed The Freeman in the awards' Hall of Fame for raking in numerous awards for three consecutive years. [6] [19]

The Freeman was also named by the Rotary Club of Manila as the Best Regional Newspaper in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018. [6] [20] It has also received accolades from the Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards for Photojournalism (2017) and Column Writing (2011, 2015). [6] [21] [22]

In 2018, it received three Gawad Tugas awards—Environmental Story of the Year, Environmental Journalist of the Year, and Environmental Publisher of the Year—from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 7. [6] [23]

Notable columnists

See also

Related Research Articles

Resil Buagas Mojares is a Filipino historian and critic of Philippine literature best known as for his books on Philippine history. He is acclaimed by various writers and critics as the Visayan Titan of Letters, due to his immense contribution to Visayan literature. He was recognized in 2018 as a National Artist of the Philippines for Literature - a conferment which represents the Philippine state's highest recognition for artists.

Leo Andanar Lastimosa is a veteran tri-media journalist based in Cebu City, Philippines. He was formerly an anchorman for ABS-CBN's regional news program, TV Patrol Central Visayas, the host of the current affairs program Arangkada on radio station DYAB, and a columnist for Cebu's newspaper, The Freeman.

<i>The Philippine Star</i> Daily newspaper in the Philippines

The Philippine Star is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, Max Soliven and Art Borjal, it is one of several Philippine newspapers founded after the 1986 People Power Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emilio Villareal</span> Musical artist

Emilio Villareal, also called Maestro Mil, was a Filipino composer and musician. Born in Boljoon, Cebu in 1920, Mil was from a Chinese-Spanish family of musicians.

Vicente Hermosa Garces, also known as Vicente Garces and Nyor Inting, was a Filipino Visayan politician, writer, and poet. His famous written works in Cebuano were published in Visayan newspaper, Bag-ong Kusog. He also served as mayor in the then municipality of Talisay, Cebu, Philippines from 1925 to 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vicente Rama</span> Filipino legislator, publisher, and writer from Cebu, Philippines

Vicente Rama was a Filipino Visayan legislator, publisher, and writer from Cebu, Philippines. Recognized as the Father of Cebu City, he authored the bill for its cityhood which was approved into law by October 20, 1936. He also founded the leading pre-war Cebuano periodical, Bag-ong Kusog.

Nicolas Rafols y Mercado was a Filipino Visayan legislator, journalist, businessman, lawyer, and agriculturalist from Cebu, Philippines. He was a member of the House of Representatives for Cebu's 6th District for multiple terms.

Vicente Ranudo was a Filipino Visayan writer, poet laureate, and Cebu provincial civil servant. He wrote for various pre-war periodicals, including the first Cebuano newspaper Ang Suga, and was considered the father of Cebuano poetry.

Amando Navarette Osório (1890–1946) was a Filipino Visayan poet, playwright, novelist, and Cebu deputy governor. His novel Daylinda, Ang Walay Palad was the first historical fiction in Cebuano literature and the third novel written in Cebuano language.

Florentino Suico was a Filipino Visayan public school teacher and prolific writer, fictionist, poet, and journalist from Cebu, Philippines. He was known for his historical fiction written in Cebuano language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuel Briones</span> Filipino lawyer, legislator, and Supreme Court Associate Justice

Manuel Cabahug Briones was Filipino Visayan lawyer, judge, and politician from Cebu, Philippines. He was the first Supreme Court Associate Justice from Cebu, and he was a former Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, two-term Senator, Member of the House of Representative for four consecutive terms, and editor from Cebu, Philippines.

Hilario "Dodong" Abellana y Hermosa was Filipino Visayan lawyer, politician and legislator from Cebu, Philippines. He was the municipal president of Cebu (1922–1931), a member of the House of Representatives (1934–1935), a two-term member of the National Assembly (1935–1941), and provincial governor of Cebu during World War II (1941–1943). After his escape and eventual captivity, he was executed by the Japanese Imperial Army and the resting place of his remains is still unknown.

Buenaventura Perez Rodriguez was a playwright, the governor of Cebu, Philippines from 1937 until 1940, and a member of the House of Representatives for two terms. He was the first Cebu governor of the Philippine Commonwealth.

José S. Leyson y Floreta was a Filipino Visayan lawyer and politician from Cebu, Philippines. He was appointed by the Japanese forces to serve as governor of the province of Cebu during World War II. He died before World War II ended, and the whereabouts of his remains are unknown.

Paulino Arandia Gullas was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, newspaper publisher, and legislator from Cebu, Philippines. He was the founder of The Freeman, Cebu's longest-running newspaper, served as member of the 7th Philippine Legislature for Cebu's 2nd district (1925–1927), Delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Convention, and member of the National Assembly during World War II.

Pedro T. Lopez was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, writer, and legislator from Cebu, Philippines. He founded the Cebuano periodical Nasud (Nation), elected as Congressman during the 1st Congress of the Commonwealth in 1945, and member of the 3rd Congress of the Republic for Cebu's 2nd district. In 1946, he was appointed to the Philippine Rehabilitation Commission, delegate to the first United Nations General Assembly, and associate prosecutor International Military Tribunal for the Far East.

Juan Fuentes Alcazaren was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, legislator, and politician. He was Member of the House of Representatives for the old 4th legislative district of Cebu (1925–1934), Director of Bureau of Lands (1945), and Undersecretary of Department of Foreign Affairs (1958–1959).

Florentino D. Tecson was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, politician, editor, writer, and labor leader from Cebu, Philippines. He edited pre-war Cebuano periodicals such as Bag-ong Kusog and published his own newspaper, Ang Mamumuo, and a book of fiction, Lingawon Ko Ikaw. A known labor leader, he was the president of Federacion Obrero de Filipinas. He served as councilor of Naga and Cebu City and was appointed as Vice Mayor of Cebu City (1954–1955).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Cebu</span>

The governor of Cebu is the chief executive of the provincial government of Cebu, Philippines. The first governor appointed by the Spanish Crown was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and during the American Era, Julio Llorente became governor on April 16, 1899, although Luis Flores and Arcadio Maxilom served in the same position in 1898 and 1899, respectively.

Vicente Arandia Gullas was a Filipino writer, lawyer, and educator from Cebu, Philippines. Founder of the Visayan Institute, he introduced innovation in educational system through the establishment of working student and study-now-pay-later schemes and of satellite schools to allow students from locations outside Cebu City. In 2019, he was hailed as one of the top 100 Cebuano personalities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Vanzi, Sol Jose (2004). "Cebu's Freeman now a Philippine Star paper". Philippine Headline News Online. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Contact Us". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ "The Turn of the Century Media". Cebu Media History. Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Cebu's American Colonial Media". Cebu Media History. Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Bias and the future of journalism". Cebu Journalism and Journalists. September 24, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Demecillo, Jean Marvette (July 22, 2019). "The FREEMAN: A century of fair and fearless journalism". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "The Commonwealth Period". Cebu Media History. Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Jarque-Loop, Honey (August 2, 2012). "'Freeman' celebrates its 93rd anniversary". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Top 100 Cebuano Personalities: Paulino Gullas". The Freeman. June 8, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  10. ↑ Mojares, Resil B. (1975). Cebuano Literature: A Survey and Bio-Bibliography with Finding List. San Carlos Publication Series A: Humanities Number Ten. Cebu City Public Library: University of San Carlos. p. 147.
  11. ↑ Mojares, Resil B. "Today in the History of Cebu" (PDF). www.library.usc.edu.ph. University of San Carlos. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  12. ↑ Mojares, Resil B. (2015). The war in Cebu. Bersales, Jose Eleazar R. (Jose Eleazar Reynes). Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines. ISBN   9789715390705. OCLC   945648989.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. 1 2 3 Lacamiento, Grace Melanie (February 22, 2019). "The Freeman celebrates 100th year". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Maslog, Crispin C. (1993). The rise and fall of Philippine community newspapers. Intramuros, Manila: Published by the Philippine Press Institute with funding from Konrad Adenauer Foundation. ISBN   971-8703-09-8. OCLC   29830136.
  15. ↑ Mongaya, Karlo Mikhail I. (2019). "Militant Struggles and Anti-Imperialism in Resil Mojares's The Freeman Columns during the Early 1970s". Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints. 67 (3–4): 557–594. doi:10.1353/phs.2019.0026. ISSN   2244-1638. S2CID   213742855.
  16. ↑ Agcaoili, Lawrence (April 1, 2014). "MVP gets 51% of Star". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  17. ↑ "The Freeman". Facebook. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  18. ↑ "The Freeman". Twitter. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Annual Civic Journalism Community Press Awards Winners". Philippine Press Institute. June 7, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  20. ↑ Quintas, Kristine (June 22, 2017). "The FREEMAN bags Rotary's regional newspaper award". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  21. ↑ "FREEMAN's Fr. Roy wins CAMMA award". The Freeman. August 29, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  22. ↑ Basilan, Rebelander (September 13, 2015). "8 of 11 Cammas for SunStar Cebu, SuperBalita". SunStar Philippines. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  23. ↑ Miasco, May (June 29, 2018). "Resort recognized for environmental practices". The Freeman. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.