HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINE PRESS

THE EARLY YEARS

Time Name Feature/Description
Of
Publication
1637 • Successos Felices -a 14 page newsletter in Spanish was
the first officially known newsletter in
Philippines by Tomas Pinpin, who was
also officially known as the “Father of
Filipino Printing”
Feb. 27, 1799 • Aviso Al Publico -known as hojas volantes were
distributed. Its contents were mostly
about the campaign of the Spanish
government against the Muslim pirates
in the Philippines.
Aug. 8,1811 • Del Superior Governo -it came out of the printing pres with
Governor Manuel Fernandez del
Folgueras as its editor-in-chief. The
newspaper published the activities of
the Spanish cortes including the
atrocities of Spanish and French War.

March 25, • El Ramillete Patriotico -it was a liberal and audacious

1821 newspaper in which contents were
sarcastic and sometimes unbridled in
its speech of degenerating
personalities.
Sep. 1, 1821 • La Filantrapia -a weekly newspaper, dealt with the
current issues from Europe and the
arrivals and departures of vessels in
Manila.
1824 • El Filantropo -a short-lived newspaper came out.
This was followed by Registro
Mercantil de Manila, a monthly
newspaper that work for economics
prosperity and political independence,
edited by Louis Barreto, Jose
Azcarraga, Manuel Azcarraga,
Marcelo Azcarraga and Jose Nicolas
Iratorza.
1843 • El Amigo del Pais -it published business news from Asia,
Europe and Philippine Archipelago.

Oct. 4, 1846 •La Estrella -it was established by Agustin de la

Cavadaz Mendez de Vigo as a weekly
newspaper. It became a daily
newspaper on Feb.1, 1847.
Dec 1, 1846 • La Ezperanza -was put up by Felipe Lacorte and
Evaresto Calderon. It was the first
daily newspaper.
1848 •Diario de Manila -it sent its correspondent to Spain and
its production became so expensive
because of the stiff completion with El
 Comerao.
1862 • El Catolico Filipino -the first Philippine religious
newspaper was established in 1862.
1869 • El Comercio -was an afternoon newspaper devoted
on commerce industry and agriculture.
1882 • Diariong Tgalog -its contents were on nationalism and
the worsening condition of the country.
April 1, 1887 • La Opinion -marked the era of political journalism
in the Philippines. The newspaper was
managed by Julian de Poso and Jesus
Polanco, it was the first newspaper to
go against the friars, exposed their
abuses and campaigned for the ouster
of the religious order, including the
archbishop.
July 1, 1890 • El Reunion -established by Pascual Poblete, a
Filipino with the help of his Spanish
friend Hazanas.

Time Name Feature/Description

 THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD

Of
Publication
Feb.15, 1889 • La Solidaridad -it was first edited by Graciano Lopez
Jaena and financed by Dr. Pablo
Rianzares. Marcelo H. Del Pilar
succeded Jaena as its editor on Oct.
31, 1889.
Jan.18, 1896 • Ang Kalayaan -in an effort to mislead the Spanish
authorities, the paper under the
editorship of Jacinto was made to
appear as published in Yokohama,
Japan.
Jan.1, 1898 • El Heraldo de Ilo -Ilo -was followed by La Libertad edited by
Clemente Jose Zulueta, which first
issue came out on June 20, 1898.
Sep.3, 1898 • La Independencia -founded by Antonio Luna and
Fernando Ma. Guerrero. It published
the articles of Leon Ma. Guerrero,
Rafael Palma, Epifanio de Los Santos
and Cecilio Apostol.
Sep. 15, 1898 • La Republica Pilipina -was first published in Mandaluyong,
Rizal with militant lawyer Pedro
Paterno as the editor.
Sept 29, 1898 • El Heraldo de la -to boost the morale of
Revolution Filipinorevolutionaries and upon
learning that hisarmies suffered
defeats everywhere in their bouts with
the American forces.
1899 • La Federacion and -were also published in 1899,
Patria and Ang Kaibigan respectively, in Kabatuan, Ilo-Ilo and
ng Bayan Jaro, Ilo-Ilo.
 THE AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD
Time Name Feature/Description
Of
Publication
Aug. 13, 1898 • Bounding Bellow -the first American Newspaper, was
published on board by Commodore
George Dewey’s flagship.
Oct. 11, 1898 • Manila Times -it was founded by Thomas Gowan, an
English-man. It was the first English
newspaper. Manuel L. Luzon bought it
when he became President of the
Philippines in 1917.
1901 • El Renadmiento -it was one of the newspapers which
sustain the nationalistic fervor of the
Filipino. Like Muling Pagsilang, its
tagalog counterpart, El Penacimiento
was very popular of its campaign
against dishonest and corrupt
government officials.
Aug 8, 1920 • Philippine Herald -it became the outlet of the Senate
President Manuel L. Quezon for the
Filipino viewpoint, which he thought
could not be made possible through
the American-owned newspapers.
July 1927 • Weekly Graphic -joined the magazine bandwagon with
Ramon Roces as its founder. The
magazine folded shortly before the
Japanese Imperial.
Outside Manila • The Freeman -Natalio Bcalso also founded the
Lamdag, a weekly magazine.
 JAPANESE OCCUPATION
Time Name Feature/Description
Of
Publication
During the Outbreak • Herald Tribune and -the Japanese Imperial forces
Bulletin destroyed the Heralds plant while the
office of the Bulletin was padocked.
 POST-LIBERATION PERIOD

Time Name Feature/Description

Of
Publication
Feb. 9 1945 • Manila Free Times -which was by the US Army Office of
War Information. It was edited by Frits
Marquardt, former editor of Philippine
Press.
April 1945 • People’s Newspaper -renamed Manila Chronicle, a
hardhitting and politically conscious
newspaper published by Manuel
Villanueva and edited by Anacleto
Benavides and Ernesto del Rosario.
Sep. 23, 1945 • Daily Mirror -was formed by Manila Times
Publishing Co., Inc.
 MARTIAL LAW PERIOD
Time Name Feature/Description
Of
Publication
During this peiod • Focus -a safe but interesting magazine was
put up by Kerima Polotan-Turia.

Toward the end of • Mataya -it was originally a Tgalog newspaper

Martial Law Years formed by Jose Burgos Jr.

Dec.9, 1985 • Philippine Daily Inquirer -was put up by veteran journalist Max
Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art
Borjal.
 POST MARTIAL LAW YEARS

Time Name Feature/Description

Of
Publication
July 28, 1986 • Philipppine Star -was put up by publisher Eugenia
Apostol, columnist Max Soliven and
Betty Go-Belmonte.

Feb.11, 1987 • Manila Standard -informed by Manuel Elizalde

MARTIAL LAW PERIOD