TELLING THE

FILIPINO STORY TO
THE WORLD
Editors’ Note: For 15 days, we will be telling stories about the Global Destiny
Cable to mark the cable company’s 15th anniversary on Dec. 9, 2010. Some are
little inside stories but impacting on how we cover unfolding events; some are
mark-the-day stories that become talk-of-the-town types; others are turning-
point stories that have changed the landscape of history; still others, big or
small, seize the heart and never let go. But whatever, the Inquirer will tell
you the story.

A
nd so it came to pass that the new kid on the block issued an
announcement that sounded like a portent of things to come: “A new
event is crying for our attention: possible snap elections. When and if
that happens the Philippine Inquirer may respond with a snap daily. This new
broadsheet size is in preparation for that eventuality” (Nov. 11-17, 1985).
The weekly tabloid-size Philippine Inquirer was born on Feb. 4, 1985, in
response to a need to watch closely the Sandiganbayan trial of the 26 men
accused in the assassination of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. on Aug.
21, 1983. With the trial over except for the verdict, the Inquirer prepared for a
“snap eventuality.”
The women in charge: publisher and editor in Chief Eugenia D. Apostol and
Editor Leticia J. Magsanoc.
On Dec. 9, 1985, a Monday, the Philippine Inquirer became the Philippine Daily
Inquirer, ISSN 0116-0443, a broadsheet eager to participate in and report daily
on the nation’s unfolding history.
That day, fair weather, with light and variable winds, prevailed in Metro
Manila. Other parts of the country had fair weather with isolated rain showers.
The first banner headline: “Cory rebuffs Doy demands.” Above it, “I am against
communism, says Cory.” Below the fold: “Marcos claims God ordered him to
lead Filipinos.”
Above the masthead of the “unmade bed” (referring to how the paper’s layout
looked) was the come-on: “A slogan? Help us write one and win a prize.”
Weeks later, “Balanced News, Fearless Views” was chosen from more than
27,000 entries. Proof that people out there were reading the Inquirer and
eager to participate in its becoming.
Defining moments
But it was during the days ahead that the rhyming catch phrase would be put to
the test. The Feb. 7, 1986, snap election that pitted Ferdinand Marcos against
Cory Aquino and its aftermath became defining moments that would create a
ground swell of protest and catalyze a powerful people power movement never
seen before in the world. The Inquirer was in the midst of it all.
But this is getting ahead of the story.
That February of 1986, the Inquirer continued to report on the fraudulent
election and the protests in many parts of the country that began to shake the
dictatorship in a major way. As the powerful Catholic Church hierarchy
breathed down on Marcos and called down on him the wrath of God, it was
clear that his days were numbered.
“FM next Duvalier-Cory” the Feb. 20 headline said. Marcos ignored the
gathering storm.
In editorial after editorial, in its reports, the Inquirer exposed a regime that
was falling apart and yet continued to show brute force.
The Inquirer prominently reported the slaying of former Antique governor and
Cory supporter Evelio Javier after the snap election. It was like Ninoy’s
assassination all over again, with the bloodied Javier looking like his slain idol
at the then Manila International Airport.
The wide spectrum that was the protest movement was not wanting of martyrs,
media persons among them.

Major unraveling
The Inquirer reported on governments taking Marcos to task for clinging to
power by foul means. His regime was crumbling and his health was failing.
Didn’t he see the end was near?
“15 nations snub FM/won’t attend inaugural” the Feb. 21 headline of a banner
story said. As the Inquirer editorial of Feb. 22 stressed, “When diplomats do
this openly and in full view, then it is time for Mr. Marcos to consider the
meaninglessness of his election victory and the prospects of his country’s being
unwelcome in the family of nations while he leads it.”
That night of Feb. 22, the major unraveling began. Military officers and soldiers
announced their breakaway from Marcos. A yellow throng of Cory supporters
began to surround and protect these men who were once the protector of the
enemy.
But Cory’s poll victory would not be jeopardized by this surprising turn of
events.
And so the four-day (Feb. 22-25) bloodless People Power Revolution began. The
Inquirer headlines were harbingers of more surprising things to come,
announcing the beginning of the end.
“Officials quit gov’t” (Feb. 22). “Enrile, Ramos lead ‘revolt’ against FM” (Feb.
23). “I’ll never surrender-Enrile” (Feb. 24). “We won-Enrile; I’m in charge-FM”
(Extra edition, Feb. 24). “Cory takes oath?” (Feb. 25), “Her Excellency,
Cory! /Takes oath as 7th President” (Extra edition, Feb. 25).

Model for oppressed

The world watched things unfold, tantalized by the Filipinos’ unique way of
claiming their freedom.
An Inquirer editorial described the phenomenon: “People all over the world
then saw the unbelievable. Filipinos charging at giant tanks with Volkswagens.
Nuns and priests meeting armored cars with rosaries and prayers. Little
children giving grim soldiers flowers and urging them not to fight for Marcos.
People linking arms and blocking tanks, daring them to crush their fellow
Filipinos …
“It was a lesson in passive resistance that will be the model for all oppressed
people of the world, and it was uniquely Filipino.”
The Inquirer’s part in People Power was not an accidental, incidental one. The
people behind the Inquirer in its previous forms and incarnations, working in
the shadows and in the light, had done groundwork that inexorably led up to a
certain level of preparedness. They had long harkened to the sound of distant
drums, and when the time came, they heeded the call to arms.
“It’s all over; Marcos flees!” the Inquirer headline (Feb. 26) screamed.
But not quite over. For the People Power child, this little newspaper that
could, the work was not over. The next chapter of its long, colorful and
meaningful life had really just begun.

Present at creation: Hysterical, historical

By Eugenia Duran-Apostol
DID YOU SAY historical or hysterical?
Both describe the beginning of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
It dates back to President Ferdinand Marcos’ declaration of martial law in
September 1972.
He enjoyed being President in 1965 and being reelected in 1969, and on the
pretext that the country needed to become a New Society under his guidance,
he all but made himself President for life.
He arrested all the dissenters, especially influential media owners and writers,
and his most vocal oppositionist, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Marcos closed all the newspapers and magazines not partial to him and allowed
his friendly Times Journal, Daily Express and later Bulletin Today to continue to
sing his praises.
Women’s magazines he allowed to open upon application to the secretary of
national defense, Juan Ponce Enrile.
My husband being the favorite civil engineer builder of Mrs. Cristina Ponce
Enrile, was my route to the approval of the very first martial law women’s
magazine: Woman’s Home Companion.
This was requested through me by several of the Manila Chronicle’s top
executives who had found themselves jobless: Rod Reyes, Choy Escano, Johnny
Ordoveza and Vergel Santos.
And they asked me to be editor.

Cristina Ponce Enrile

Being the first, we flourished—so well that the initial capitalization needed to
be upped in two years. The money of the Chronicle executives was not enough
—so we sold to the printer, the Guerreros, for three times the original
investments.
The Chronicle guys went their individual ways, leaving me to continue as
editor.
But the artistic Morita Guerrero and daughter had their own ideas about how to
handle the magazine. And I had mine.
So I quit, but without warning, the whole staff quit, too!
What to do? Start a new one called Mr. & Ms. This was in 1975 and same friends
volunteered to join as stockholders.
When Cristina Ponce Enrile heard about it she said: I want 20 percent, too.
The women’s magazine market now being crowded, it took some doing to break
even. And this we accomplished by special publications for United Coconut
Planters Bank’s annual giveaways: Menu guide for the year 1977 and 1978 with
Nick Joaquin’s 10 children’s stories for 1979. The Coconut Cookbook etcetera.
We were on our eighth year of Mr & Ms in 1983 when Ninoy Aquino was shot to
death while in the hands of the military.

Outrage in the streets

Immediately we planned a report on Ninoy’s life and work. That it sold very
well is an understatement. The outrage of the Filipinos was concretized in the
2 million people who showed up at his 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. funeral.
The next day, hardly a word about the funeral was in the Marcos newspapers.
This made me mad—and, gathering the Mr. & Ms staff, I announced a special
funeral issue the very next day.
It was a 16-page, black and white P2-edition which sold 150,000 copies in the
first run, then another 150,000 copies and with the clamor of the news dealers
—460,000 more!
And the demonstrations continued. How to document all these? I ran to the
house of Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc who was jobless since Hans Menzi fired her
from the Bulletin because of an unsympathetic (to Marcos) story she wrote in
Philippine Panorama (Bulletin’s Sunday magazine) two years earlier.
I asked her to edit a Mr. & Ms Special Edition to record the daily
demonstrations. (“But you can’t use my name,” she admonished, or we ran the
risk of being closed down.)
We didn’t until 1986. But that’s getting ahead of the story.

Fear of whitewash
For three straight years, the Filipinos—not only in Metro Manila—but in other
provincial capitals—kept up their daily protests.
Late 1984 the Sandiganbayan ruled that Gen. Fabian Ver and 26 others would
be tried for the Ninoy murder. Suspecting this would be a whitewash, we
nevertheless deemed it necessary to follow the trial for the record.
We decided to set up another weekly to record the trial. Letty suggested the
name “Philippine Inquirer” (after the Philadelphia Inquirer, her favored paper
while she lived there for six years.) So we used that name, and she edited that,
too.
Aside from the detailed reports on the trial, we asked the big but silenced guns
of Philippine journalism at that time—Max Soliven and Louie Beltran—to write
columns for it. Art Borjal was also a columnist.
Soliven and Beltran had been thrown into jail by Marcos at the outset of
martial law. After their release, no one dared hire them until the Philippine
Inquirer did.

Birth of weekly Inquirer

The weekly Inquirer was launched in February 1985 with a monthly P100,000
investment. When the trial ended in October, we had lost P900,000. I thought
we should stop the Inquirer.
But Marcos announced a snap election for the presidency (to prove to the world
the Filipinos still loved him).
And our reaction was: The poor opposition had only Malaya to depend on for
support. Didn’t they need another daily?

Breakfast with history

Right after Ninoy was shot, I was in a position to do something about public
events. Mr & Ms had enough funds and the right staff to be able to react
instantly in a way that met the needs of the readers.
When no Malacañang reprisal came, we became bolder. I even had the nerve to
ask the alternative media owners to react to my idea of a cooperative
newspaper.
I called to breakfast one morning Chino Roces, the Locsins father and son, Joe
Burgos of Malaya, Raul Locsin of BusinessDay, and Betty Go-Belmonte of the
Fookien Times (Geny Lopez of the Manila Chronicle had escaped from Marcos’
prison and was then in the United States).
I asked them if it would be a good idea to start a newspaper, all of us together.
With the strength of numbers, hopefully, we could do something about what
was done to Ninoy and what was being done to our country.
All of them said no, no way. They said they all had suffered from the Marcos
dictatorship. They were not about to start any newspaper at that time.
Although Raul Locsin had his business paper with news, real news about what
was going on in the country was not emphasized. Joe Burgos had Malaya but
had just suffered from the closure of We Forum. So they were not about to
start another newspaper.
Later, the new Philippine Daily Inquirer held office for the first five months in
the Port Area building which the family of Betty owned. I held office in her
office, so I asked her to be vice chair to me. She had accepted my proposal for
a co-op newspaper.

‘Noble idea’
So, we regrouped for a daily, organizing a cooperative newspaper so that all
those working for it could share the responsibility and hopefully, the rewards.
I told Cristina and Johnny Ponce Enrile, who had shares in Mr & Ms, about the
plan. Johnny said it was a “noble idea.” I emphasized to them that no
politician could be part of the new paper.
When the weekly Inquirer became a daily, I formed a separate corporation.
The new group bought the name The Philippine Inquirer from Mr. & Ms, and
paid P900, 000 for it. The group also borrowed a million pesos in cash, paper
and equipment from Mr. & Ms and paid it back (with interest) in two months.
In three months, the Philippine Daily Inquirer had not only helped oust Marcos,
it was also making money!

Standing by Cory, Doy

In several coup attempts inspired by Enrile, the Inquirer stood firmly by the
duly elected President Corazon “Cory” Aquino and Vice President Salvador
“Doy” Laurel.
Enrile must have felt betrayed because in 1989, he (through his accountant
Nora Bitong) filed a suit against Apostol, Magsanoc and Doris Nuyda (of Mr &
Ms) for “breach of fiduciary duty, mismanagement,” etc.
For five years we went up and down the elevators of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) to attend hearing after hearing. In August 1993,
the lower court ruled in our favor and lifted the injunction on our PDI shares.
Keeping pols out
I decided to sell my shares immediately so that Enrile would not be able to
touch them in the future. My lawyer, the late Enrique Bello, was not in favor of
the sale, knowing we had a good chance of winning the case. But I was not
willing to take the chance with the unpredictable judiciary.
If Enrile or any other politician were to end up owning even a single share in
the Inquirer, I would never forgive myself. I had a ready buyer, Edgardo
Espiritu. I quickly negotiated the sale before the Enrile group could file an
appeal with the SEC.

Prietos come in
At the first board meeting in January 1994, I resigned as chair because I had no
more shares. In the meantime, the Prietos had come in and Espiritu gave them
his vote. Marixi Rufino-Prieto became the new board chair.
Sure enough, Nora Bitong, on Enrile’s behalf, went to the SEC en banc, only to
find out that the Apostol shares had been “Espirited away.”
But complications had arisen in Enrile’s favor. In three months, the SEC
reversed the lower court’s decision.
Although my shares had been safely spirited away, we still had to go to the
Court of Appeals. Espiritu was named in a separate pleading.
In mid-1996, Justice Pedro Ramirez ruled in our favor, saying Bitong was not
the real party in interest. This part of the Inquirer’s history brings me to the
subject of media ownership in the Philippines.

Cooperative structure
In August 1985, at a National Press Club seminar on media hazards, Dr.
Florangel Braid suggested that one solution to the problem of media
independence was the adoption of the cooperative structure in the
newspapers.
If only people owned their newspaper or TV station, there would be less
pressure from interest groups and, therefore, it would be more independent.
So in September and October 1985, we had two seminars on cooperative
ownership of media. There were going to be more but the November
announcement by Marcos of a snap election made it imperative to act right
away.
So I suggested to Florangel Braid, Betty Belmonte, Eli Alampay, Letty
Magsanoc, Doris Nuyda, SP Lopez, Louie Beltran and Max Soliven that it was
time for such a cooperative newspaper.
They all agreed, and the Inquirer was born as a daily. Because of the difficult
requirements involved in registering as a cooperative and because we needed a
legal personality as soon as possible, we registered as a corporation, which had
an unusual clause in the bylaws: only those permanently employed by the
Inquirer could own stocks in it.
This demonstrated the board’s intention to go cooperative plus the fact that all
the board members were issued equal number of shares.
WE STARTED with 30 brave employees. At the end of the year, we had 180 who
all owned shares in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI). So, I met separately with
my Mr & Ms stockholders to tell them of this newspaper concept, explaining to
them the unique ownership in which business and government functionaries are
not to be allowed to become stockholders.
Maybe they heard differently because later, when the Inquirer became a
successful daily, one stockholder (guess who?) accused me of using Mr & Ms
illegally.
The cooperative idea was certainly a new type of media ownership—
newspapers owned by those who work for it, a chance for the staff to have
money without hocking their souls.
But before the concept could be internalized, the young members of the staff
were attracted to unionism, which won over cooperativism.
Although thwarted, the PDI officers welcomed the union in 1987 and gave the
employees what is known to be the most generous collective bargaining
agreement in the industry.
The legal personality of the Inquirer was that of a corporation with the idea
that we were going to make it a cooperative. But it didn’t happen.
We were getting from the employees P50 every pay day against their shares. In
15 months, they had enough shares but since they preferred a union, they sold
their shares. Everybody sold their shares, even my son and Letty Jimenez-
Magsanoc, mostly to the chief operating officer at that time, Danny Venida.

Much, much more

The profit sharing was 10 percent of the entire profit or something like that.
That wasn’t much really considering that later on, for example, in one year the
profit share of each employee was P100,000. There were 200 employees, which
means P20 million.
That 10-percent profit was small compared to what they would have had if
they were shareholders. Much, much more. Because it was only one-tenth of
the profits divided among 200 people.
When I left the Inquirer in 1994, the profit was P50 million. One-tenth was all
the employees received—P5 million.
‘You can have it’
After the employees’ shares were sold, the COO called me one day and said,
“Mrs. Apostol, you better talk to your lawyer because I now own 54 percent of
the shares.”
I said: “OK, you can have it all. Anyway, I’m not interested in it anymore
because it’s not the newspaper that I like, no longer the cooperative paper
that I dreamed of. So you can have it. Fifty-four percent ownership meant he
would become the new chair.”
But then, Metro Pacific, from whom we borrowed P10 million to buy a press,
heard about this and they said no: Mrs. Apostol cannot go because she
guaranteed this P10-million loan. So I got stuck. Mr. Venida had to sell part of
his shares.
I just don’t know exactly the timing now but at that time, when the Inquirer
was really zooming in circulation, I needed professional help to manage the
business side, about which I knew so little about.
I heard of two employees who had been fired from the Bulletin by Mr. Emilio
Yap and who had been there for years and knew the business side of the
newspaper inside out. I asked to see them and I offered them shares in the
Inquirer, 49 percent. They were Mariano Quimson and Ben Pangilinan.
Who owned those 49 percent?
The shares were there and I gave part to them. I guess Danny, the COO, had
given them up.
Were the shares paid for by Quimson and Pangilinan?
I am not sure now of the arrangement.
All my shares were in the name of Jaed, the company of my husband, Jose
Apostol. I certainly was unaware of the requirement that the chair should have
a share—at least one to become chair.

Corporate war
The result was I was removed as chair even if I owned 49 percent of the stocks.
The business executives to whom I had given 49 percent of shares in the
Inquirer wanted more control. They saw the potential of PDI was huge. They
even filed a case against me in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The remaining 2 percent was owned by a few other members of the editorial
staff who had opted to hang on to their stocks even after all the rest opted for
a union.
At the next stockholders meeting, I surprised the new board with the votes of
the 2 percent minority, whom I brought in with me, and I regained ascendancy.
This was four years before I decided to sell my shares to prevent politicians
from getting any of the shares.
At about the same time, Johnny Ponce Enrile filed a suit against me in 1989 for
“mismanaging” Mr & Ms. Enrile really wanted to come into PDI.
The case was in the SEC for four and a half years.
When a case is filed against you, they freeze your shares. Luckily, in 1994, the
SEC lower court decided in my favor. Then, my shares were released and I
decided right there and then to sell all my shares so Enrile would never get
hold of even a single one.
Although I had won in the lower court, I knew the case would be filed in the
SEC en banc, the Court of Appeals and all the way to the Supreme Court.

Chair resigns
A share going to a politician?
That I would never, never, never allow. That would destroy the newspaper. So I
decided to sell my shares in 1993—before the case was filed in the SEC en banc.
Lawyer Enrique Belo didn’t want me to do it. “No, don’t sell your shares.
We’re gonna win this case!” I said, Enrique, I cannot be sure we’ll win because
we still have years of litigation coming. And I’d rather just sell my shares so
there will no longer be a quarrel.”
Within two weeks, I sold those shares to Edgardo Espiritu. Some people thought
it was really make-believe. They didn’t think I was really serious.
Few knew I had really sold my shares. That was August 1993. In January 1994,
at the first board meeting I resigned as chair because I had no more shares.
In the meantime, the Prietos had come in and Edgardo Espiritu gave them his
vote and Marixi Prieto became the new board chair.

Professionals in media
Media should be controlled by professionals. There are two kinds—the business
managers and the editorial managers. When a newspaper is just beginning,
business and editorial are usually together. It is when the paper starts making
money that the conflict begins, as in any other business.
We should emphasize to all who join the paper that ethics is basic within the
context of what I can see evolving as a PDI corporate culture.
With the developing technology, news may be made to travel faster than it
does today. But whether now or in the future, the basic and greater concern
will always be the reliability of the news and the appreciation and
interpretation of that news by qualified professionals.
For this reason, ownership will be a factor to reckon with. Robotics and
miniaturization could easily be controlled and used for authoritarian ends. Only
a responsible, wide-based ownership of media can prevent instant thought
control.
Responsible media, which the Inquirer tries to be day in and day out, can
balance power with commitment, control with freedom.
No meddling in editorial
In media ownership generally, the business of owners certainly will influence
the newspaper they own. In this case, the businesses of the Prietos are mostly
in real estate and food franchising. They are also into newsprint, the better for
the Prietos. But this business interest should not influence the paper.
Generally, they’re removed from the operations of the paper.
Marixi is married to a Roces-Prieto (Her husband is a Prieto; her father, a
Rufino). The way the Roceses ran their paper (pre-martial law Manila Times),
they did not use it for their own interests. They knew they should stay away
from the editorial group. It was the most independent and most respected
newspaper then, with the highest circulation.
When I left, I again told Marixi to allow editorial to maintain its independence
because that is the best way to handle a newspaper. So when some of their
friends complain to them about stories they think are unfavorable to them or
whoever, the Prietos just ask their friends to write a letter to the paper. The
Inquirer publishes this and clarifies the matter. No censorship before
publication.
I think it is also clear to the readers that the PDI maintains its independence.

Prietos independent
Were there any changes when the Prietos took over? No, they really kept the
Inquirer independent. And they continue to make new journalist recruits vow
to adhere to journalism ethics.
The Inquirer is also the only newspaper in the country with an ombudsman in
the person of the readers’ advocate. (The Inquirer is headhunting for a new
one. –Ed.)
The PDI owners have an understanding of what a free press should be. Just like
the Roceses, who did not meddle or hardly went to the office. Chino (Roces)
was very active in his paper, but he never meddled in its affairs. Now, Sandy
Prieto-Romualdez heads the PDI. She is doing a great job of maintaining the
newspaper’s independence.

Oneness with readers

In sum, I have tried to express the vision of the PDI from its founding as an
institution for and of professionals, through responsible, broad-based media
ownership, with an editorial policy of fairness, commitment to information and
the courage to stand for issues that have meaning in the lives of Filipinos.
I would also like to stress the paper’s underlying sense of oneness with the
reader. Since it serves as the action line for the people, reader participation is
highly encouraged.
Daily commitment
This is no longer a dangerous game as in the time of Marcos, when the object
was to get him out of our lives as he was an obstruction in our development as
a people.
The Inquirer was not only there when democracy was restored. It was also an
active player for the restoration of the people’s right to the pursuit of liberty
and their dreams.
The Inquirer is for a daily commitment for the long haul—to become a pillar of
a democratic society.
This is my vision for the paper that I founded 25 years ago.
Or, is it just the movie in my mind?
(Eugenia Duran-Apostol was the founding chair of the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Pinoy philosophy according to Kalabaw

By Jess Abrera
So the Inquirer would have a different look from other newspapers in 1985, we
placed cartoons beside the banner.
Oftentimes, these were caricatures of the personalities in the news. If we did
not have a personality for the caricature, “Kalabaw” (or carabao as he was
called then) would steal the scene and make his own statement.
Kalabaw is a character in my comic strip. I chose Kalabaw because to me, he
embodies our characteristics: patient, strong and persevering.
And Kalabaw is prayerful. He stands up for family and life. He is truly Pinoy.
The carabao carries a heavy yoke, plodding in the mud. He helps produce a
very basic item which is our staple food. That’s why he has a lot to say on what
a Filipino is like, his lifestyle and experiences.
Through Kalabaw, the reader and I are one in feeling and sentiment that come
out as commentary that infuriates, jeers or teases.

Page 1 commentaries
The innocent comment would become commentaries on issues of the day. So
Kalabaw became a mainstay on the front page even when the banner cartoon
was phased out and he came to symbolize the newspaper.
When Inquirer was conceived in 1985, I was making the political cartoons for
Mr. & Ms. Special Edition and illustrating the columns of SP Lopez and Fr.
Joaquin Bernas in the regular Mr. & Ms. Magazine.
Eggie Apostol then asked me to do the daily editorial cartoons. I said yes
immediately.
In the beginning, the cartoon was an illustration of the editorial text.
Louie Beltran, the editor in chief, wanted me to sit beside him. He would write
the editorial then pass it on to me for the accompanying cartoon.
Sometimes, he would tell me what he would write about so I could begin
working on the cartoon.
During the snap election campaign, we made some really hard-hitting cartoons
against Marcos. Matapang ang editor, palaban ang mga tao sa desk. Si Eggie ang
taga-tulak. (The editor was one brave soul and the desk was in a fighting mood.
Eggie was the one who pushed us). She was always there to run the paper. We
were fighting a dictatorship.
Just before the Edsa revolt, rumors were going around that there was going to
be a media clampdown. The Inquirer was first on the list. We kept on going.

Happy, scary
When the revolt broke out, we all rushed outside. We didn’t know what would
happen next, but we had to put out the paper. Before coming to the office, I
would drop by Edsa to join the People Power vigil. After office hours, we were
back on Edsa. What I was drawing was happening right before my eyes.
Masayang nakakatakot. (It was a happy but scary experience).
Because of the need to fill up space, my life as a comic’s artist began. When
the deadline approached, the editorial staff was on needles and pins. We had a
sign in the office saying, “Deadline waits for no one!” We had to rush, and if
there was a blank spot, I would be asked to put in a comic strip to fill up the
space. Literally panakip-butas (space filler).
When no photo could be found, the comics would again be used to fill up the
space. Eggie would ask me not to leave until the paper was in the press
because there could be a blank space that I had to fill with a drawing.
The first mainstay character in the comic strip was a farmer, Kalabaw’s owner
who I called Alipio Alipin. We were at the tail end of the Marcos 20-year rule,
and the idea of being alipin (slave) was on everyone’s mind. Even when he was
ousted, we remained the neocolonial alipin; we are also alipin of material
desires. Letty Magsanoc found it too long and shortened it to A.Lipin.

Awarded
When the Marcoses were ousted, it was in that strip where I imagined all their
schemes to return to the Philippines and what they must be doing in exile. It
was hilarious. A.Lipin eventually got an award.
It is fun to make the comic strip, which is very different from a painting which
communicates in a serious manner.
The comics and cartoons communicate with a wider audience, and these were
very effective tools especially in the struggle to regain our democracy.
So my strip has a task and a responsibility to expose the issues, to record
history and to stand up for the truth, and not just to provide humor.
The Inquirer came about because it had a mission: To report the truth. We
were part of that mission. We each had to do what we had to do. We were
forbidden to be late, to be absent. We were even forbidden to die!
We had to make do with what resources were available. Our sense of duty was
stronger than other considerations. We did not even talk about salary.
We had to wait for collections from sales before we got our pay. It was given in
cash, wrapped in tight wads. We had to tie our chairs to our desks so these
would not be taken by someone else.

Pinoy humor
There were no computers then, only typewriters. We were still allowed to eat
while at work: Watermelon seeds, peanuts, any kind of junk food. Eggie would
say: ‘You can eat later, the pancit (noodles) is on its way. Sometimes there was
lechon (roast pig). All of us ate at the carinderia (eating stalls) on the
sidewalk, even Louie. There was no place to eat nearby, and we had to return
to our jobs right after eating.
Because of the daily trips from home to office, I was able to observe ordinary
Pinoy life up close. This became the basis of the spot cartoons on Filipino
culture, “Pinoy Nga!”
These were depictions and commentaries on Pinoy humor, traditions, beliefs
and Philippine daily life in general which was later compiled into a book. It
earned a National Book Award for humor.
Eventually, the editorial cartoon became independent of the editorial, which is
the ideal setup.
In an international convention of editorial cartoonists, Nonoy Marcelo, Boy
Togonon (both deceased now) and I represented the Philippines. There we
learned that the editorial cartoonist was entitled to his own opinion. He need
not be simply an editorial illustrator.
I am glad that the Inquirer recognizes this. My personal responsibility to the
reader is very important and has allowed for my growth as an editorial
cartoonist.

Enjoying freedom now

Comparing the working conditions before with the situation now, I can say that
many now enjoy the freedom that we worked for.
There are benefits because of technology; now, I can work from my studio at
home. This leaves me with more time for painting and drawing. I am also able
to express my advocacy for family and life in my editorial cartoons and comic
strips.
Because of one’s responsibility to the readers, one becomes more aware of the
events, so one has to read up on issues.
The editorial cartoonist has to have a stand on current issues and must know
how to communicate the proper values to his readers. He has to be consistent
in his principles and maintain his integrity both as an artist and a person.
Twenty five years after, one thing has not changed.
The responsibility to the truth remains the guiding principle.

In the beginning was the logo

By Lynett A. Villariba
IN THE BEGINNING was the word, and the words became a logo and the logo
became the rallying flag of people power. That has always marked the prequel
to a successful publication that connects to its readers.
The prequel to the Philippine Daily Inquirer began 10 months before it was born
as a daily newspaper on Dec. 9, 1985, in the aftermath of the Ninoy Aquino
assassination.
When my phone rang in January that year, publisher Eggie Apostol was on the
other end of the line. I knew instinctively she was going to have a new baby
again. Could she have a logo in a snap? She wanted it served hot, like instant
soup.
By then, I had already gotten initiated into the guerrilla-type operation that
Eggie Apostol—from the magazine days of the Woman’s Home Companion to Mr.
& Ms—had excelled in. I had learned to catch up with her timing, even if quite
grudgingly.

On a roll
After the success of her Mr. & Ms Special Edition, which started out as a defiant
publication that chronicled the Aquino funeral, the “mad” publisher was on a
roll.
This time her direction was leading to a newsweekly that would report on the
trial of the soldiers accused of murdering Aquino and his framed assassin,
Rolando Galman.
Could we do it fast?
When I got to her Dasmariñas Village war room, the publication staff lineup had
been firmed up, from the publisher to editor Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc to art
consultant and down to staff writers.
That gave me an idea of what we were giving birth to—except that the name
for it had not been settled.
A name is born
After a quick deliberation on why we were there, the group settled on the
name “Philippine Inquirer”—as in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
It was no accident that it took after its Philadelphia namesake, the third oldest
surviving daily newspaper in the United States and one of the most prominent,
having won 17 Pulitzer Prizes in 15 years since the 1970s.
So there: I ticked off “History” and “Prominence” on my designer’s list.
Despite the word “Inquirer” being difficult for newsboys to pronounce, the
word best described the plight of the silenced press in the Philippines at that
time. We were in the prequel to a vision loftier than any other consideration.
When somebody said, “Doesn’t it sound synonymous to the US scandal tabloid
National Enquirer?” I remember Ms. Apostol saying that it was the intent of the
paper to expose the scandalous ways of a dictatorship to the people (or
something to that effect).

Before computer era

Technologically inconvenienced but full of heart, I started drawing the logo in
my mind, deliberately veering away from the Philadelphia Inquirer and National
Enquirer models.
Before computers were invented, designers didn’t have their work saved at all.
Movie titles and publication logos were drawn by hand when graphic artists
were artisans first and technology had not swallowed up the artist in them.
Theirs were works in progress subject to the wear and tear of the changing
clime.
Before the advent of computer word processing and desktop publishing, there
was Letraset, the Adobe of the eighties, when artwork was better prepared by
hand.
Letraset dry transfer sheets were available in a large range of typefaces, styles
and sizes. The letters would be transferred to the pasteboard by rubbing each
one by one to form a word or logotype.

Appropriate typeface
From the available font menu, I found in the Korinna Heavy version the most
appropriate typeface for the Inquirer.
There was a remarkable typographic clarity in the German-designed art
nouveau typeface that made it uniquely appropriate to the hard-hitting
character of the new publication. It also had an unusual hook to the descending
stroke of its small cap “Q”, stressing the “query” character of the word.

Set in big and small caps, the “I” in Inquirer literally stood up.
The descriptive word “Philippine” was set in a more subdued Palatino Bold of
the Italian Renaissance era that lent a calligraphic grace to the art nouveau-
esque Korinna typeface, made even bolder with a screened shadow.

Link to its roots

At the time of creation, I wasn’t aware the logo was going to be a German-
Italian combination; it only looked good in the rush of things.
Ten months later, when the then weekly Philippine Inquirer regrouped as an
alternative daily newspaper in response to the snap election, Eggie Apostol—as
the new chair of the new board—wanted to retain the connection to its roots,
having bought the name Inquirer from Mr & Ms.
Thus the Korinna-Palatino typeface combination stayed with only the word
“Daily” added in.

First issue
The new group also had their own ideas of how the new newspaper masthead
was going to look like. They had in mind USA Today as a model. The then 3-
year-old national American daily was making waves, splashing colors across the
pages with images and graphics to illustrate its stories.
With limited resources, the Philippine Daily Inquirer came out with its first
issue on Dec. 9, 1985, run on a two-color black plus spot blue printing. The logo
with a screened shadow was set against a blue background—a la the USA Today
newspaper—and placed at the top center of an eight-column page grid.
The issue date was set in a slant as violator to the perpendicular grid on the
upper right ear. The look was a departure to the traditional newspaper
masthead of the New York Times or the local pre-martial law era Manila Times
models.
There was no time to do a dry run, with the events catching up. The first issue
was the dry run. Barely had the ink dried when the shareholders had something
to add to the layout: a slogan, for one.

Hard times
If the new daily could not even afford graphic publishing equipment as basic as
a headline-maker, it would see no need for a full-time design conductor. I had
to pull in artists and paste-up strippers (as they were known then), who were
used to weekly deadlines and who had been thrown out of work by a magazine
publication that had closed down.
They would set the headlines letter by letter by dry transfers then enlarged to
fill the page hole.
I would only come into the cut-and-paste mess when I saw the logo being
violated or mangled and looking as if it had been photocopied 20 times.
Spunk and grit
In the frenzy of those times was invented the art of graffiti disguised as
newspaper, a spontaneous interactive event thrown on a broadsheet canvas by
a hollering editor (harassed by the publisher) in the rush to roll out the press
and bring The Truth to a news-hungry public in the first hour of morning.
Good design was simply bumped off by pressing deadlines.
Looking from a distance at how the character of the newspaper evolved, the
Philippine Daily Inquirer I helped give birth to could not have turned out any
other way, except as a newspaper born out of the spunk and grit and passion of
the men and women who soon turned it into the country’s top read.
As one reader said, “Every time I read it, it really connects me to the events
and significant happenings around me and in society.”

By design
Nine years later, the Inquirer finally plugged into the computer age with
desktop publishing capability. I was lured back to rejoin the paper to put order
and design to all those new techno gizmos, which had replaced the cut-and-
paste manual operations.
Ironically, I returned to the Inquirer just as its founding chair, Eggie Apostol,
was retiring, leaving her baby to the care of the Rufino-Prieto family.
From its position of strength as the country’s No. 1 newspaper, the Inquirer
started sporting a new visual identity in October 1994—discarding its “palaban”
(combative) logo that was its past, for a more classic one under a freer
political atmosphere.
Its coming of age necessitated replacing the Korinna-Palatino logo typeface
with the more contemporary Friz Quadrata.
The front-page news was more reader-friendly, with a layout cleaned up of
clutter by technology.
Today, 25 years later, we are happy at having witnessed the Inquirer grow from
a guerrilla-type operation to a widely read newspaper, with a 24/7 news
browsed online and heard on radio.
Having worked from inside, we see that its successes have happened and are
happening by design.

How the slogan came to be

By Miguel C. Suarez

IT WAS a most difficult time when the Philippine Daily Inquirer came into being
25 years ago. Filipinos and their institutions were undergoing severe tests, and
it was in that milieu of ferment that two men captured in a few words the
integrity, the mettle and the audacity that the fledgling daily had shown in so
short a time: “Balanced news, fearless views.”
It helped that the Inquirer had established a record of sorts as a weekly tabloid
for 10 months prior to Dec. 9, 1985—and even longer, through its precursor, Mr
and Ms Special Edition, which Inquirer founder Eggie Duran-Apostol had put out
to chronicle the official investigation into Ninoy Aquino’s assassination.

The decision to turn the tabloid into a daily broadsheet was so hurriedly made
on the heels of the embattled dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ call for a snap
presidential election, there was no time to think of niceties, such as a slogan.
27,000 ideas
Thus, in its maiden issue, the Inquirer almost apologetically announced a
search for that slogan.
“A slogan? Help us write one and win a prize,” said the front-page teaser.
Inside, the entry form carried this enticement: “Write P3,000 worth of slogan.”
“The Philippine Daily Inquirer was organized in a snap—no time to think up a
really good slogan for the paper,” the announcement said. “We’re putting it to
our readers to help us write that slogan. By reading the Inquirer every day, you
may find the inspiration for such a slogan ...”
The response was heart warming: When the deadline on Jan. 9, 1986, rolled in,
about 27,000 entries had been mailed or were already en route to what then
passed for the Inquirer’s office at 202 13th Street corner Railroad, Port Area,
Manila.

3 judges
Among the entries were those of Jesus Dimapilis, then 55, a two-time Palanca
Award winner who was with the Technology Resource Center, and Robert M.
Friedlander, 46, a marketing analyst.
To help the Inquirer editors make a selection, three judges were appointed—
the venerable journalist Napoleon Rama, now deceased, who was then
president of the Manila Overseas Press Club; Josie Tan-Magtoto, then president
of the Print Media Organization of the Philippines; and this writer, then news
editor of the Philippine bureau of The Associated Press and president of the
Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.
Ever the solicitous one, Eggie had the judges go through only 150 entries picked
out by an Inquirer screening committee that had painstakingly gone through
the 27,000 submissions beforehand.

Big laugh
Because of the passage of time, much of what was discussed over lunch in a
hotel on Roxas Boulevard is a blur today.
But one recalls that the meal was a sumptuous one and the discussions
animated, punctuated by much laughter as one by one, the entries were passed
by Ms Apostol to the judges.
One entry, which the Inquirer bosses eventually decided to award a special
prize because it gave the judges such a big laugh, stated: “An Inquirer a day
keeps the liars away.” For her effort, Corazon J. Sto. Domingo of Quezon City
got a year’s supply of her liars’ antidote.
Memories of the event have so dimmed: Neither Ms Apostol, Magtoto nor this
writer could recall where exactly that meeting took place or much else about
that session.

Only through ex-deals

The venue must have been the Aloha Hotel, Magtoto suggested, jogging her
memory.
Asked why that hotel came to her mind, she replied, “Because Aloha’s food
was good.” But she had some doubt: “If I remember right, Aloha never
accepted ex-deals, and in those days the Inquirer had no money and we got
things only through ex-deals.”
Magtoto, who now busies herself reviewing radio, TV, billboard and print ads
for the Advertising Standard Council Inc., was general manager of Mr. and Ms
Magazine for many years and was on loan to the Inquirer in 1986.

Runaway winner
Unable to arrive at a unanimous decision, the judges settled for three finalists.
These were:
“Fair. Fearless. Filipino”
“So the truth may prevail.”
“News without bias, views without fear.”
The third was the runaway winner to the Inquirer editors, who did some word
something to come up with a more punchy line: “Balanced news, fearless
views.”
But one entry, according to an Inquirer report on the contest, had a similar ring
—“Balanced views, fearless news”—and the editors decided to award it half the
prize.

Living up to the slogan

Unfortunately, the memories of the surviving judges are of no use in telling
which of the winning entries Dimapilis’ was or Friedlander’s. News stories in
the Inquirer’s archives are no help either.
But the two split the P3, 000.
Has the Inquirer lived up to its slogan? With a readership of 1.2 million, making
it the country’s leading daily, the Philippine Daily Inquirer believes so. But
really, let the readers be the judge.

When UP was king Sports made it to Page 1

By Chito de la Vega
TO LAND on the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer during those heady
days of 1986, a story had to be either about politics, conspiracy theories or
coup plots.
For a sports story, much more a piece about collegiate basketball, it would be
close to impossible.
One sports event though so moved then PDI editor in chief Louie Beltran that it
not only gained front page prominence but was also the topic of the day’s
editorial, as well as Jess Abrera’s editorial cartoon.
That was the story of the University of the Philippines’ winning the University
Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball championship
by beating defending champion and heavy favorite University of the East.
It was the first solo title of UP in its 46 years as a member of UAAP.

UP troika
October 1986 was just my sixth month as a PDI sportswriter. My then editor
Manolo Iñigo assigned me to cover the second game of the UAAP title
showdown between the UP Maroons and the UE Warriors.
At that time, the Inquirer main office was located on Edsa, Mandaluyong City,
in a building which used to house the Madrid Restaurant and was right beside
the Polymedic Hospital. (Now Dr. Victor Potenciano Medical Center) (Note: The
Inquirer’s original office was at the corner 13th and Railroad Streets, Port Area,
Manila, in a building owned by Betty Go-Belmonte. The Inquirer left that office
in May, 1986.)
After witnessing UP, anchored on the troika of Benjie Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc
and Eric Altamirano, overpower UE, led by Jerry Codiñera, at the Ultra in
Pasig, I rushed back to the Inquirer.

Rooster in the newsroom

The editorial office was on the second floor of the former glitzy fine dining
restaurant. The newsroom used to be the main dining room. One climbed a
flight of stairs and entered the room on your right through swinging glass doors.
What stood out in that converted editorial office were the wall-to-wall red
carpet and the mirrors on almost all the posts.
Beltran, an unabashed sabungero, used to bring his favorite rooster to the
office and made it prance around the room.
This was just what he was doing when I shouted upon entering the newsroom:
“UP wins the UAAP.”
I was actually calling the attention of the sports section, but it was Beltran who
reacted.
“That will be our editorial for tomorrow and I will write it,” said Beltran.
Only crown
In the clutter of the “unmade bed” that was PDI’s front page of October 26,
1986, a one-column story went “UP wins UAAP title By C. DE LA VEGA.”
What rocked my world was the editorial on Page 4, “The champions of the UP,”
produced no less by Beltran.
Beside that editorial was Abrera’s cartoon. It showed UP head coach Joe Lipa
leading the Maroons over hurdles to reach the finish line. Lipa was saying in the
cartoon: “After 46 years! Can you believe we finally made it?”
As a postscript to that story, 24 years later, that 1986 championship is still UP’s
only men’s basketball crown in the UAAP.
Here is Beltran’s editorial column of that unprecedented event in collegiate
basketball history:

The champions of the UP

For the last 46 years, the University of the Philippines has produced Presidents,
Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, over
half the legislature at any given time, a majority of the top 10 per cent of the
government bureaucracy, innumerable scientists, poets, engineers, lawyers,
etc. etc.
In that same 46 years of its existence, it has even produced a chairman of the
Communist Party and a chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, and
various crooks in government and in the private sector, along with various
priests and civic leaders.
In those 46 years, however, the UP has failed to produce a single basketball
championship in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP)
annual contest.
Several times, during the past years, thousands of UP alumni watched with
bated breath as their Maroons came close but never quite made it.
Yesterday, the sun finally shone, the flowers bloomed, the Carillon worked, the
fraternities roared instead of rumbled and UP’s Brawn, propelled by its Brains,
brought home the proverbial bacon.
The UP Men’s Basketball Team ended a 46-year drought in an amazing waterfall
of Push and Fight against the game and hustling champions, the UE Warriors.
Congratulations are in order, for the UP athletes, all of them, for UP President
Edgardo J. Angara and the Sigma Rho fraternity which sponsored the team, and
to the UP administration and alumni—but especially for UP Coach Joe Lipa,
whose six years of hope and hard work has finally paid off.

‘Thank you for guarding democracy’—Aquino

Inquirer celebrates silver anniversary
For consistently watching entertainment, including about his love life,
President Benigno Aquino III praised and thanked the Philippine Daily Inquirer
on its 25th anniversary celebration held Wednesday night at a jam-packed hall
in a five-star hotel in Makati City.
The event also launched the coffee-table book “From Ninoy to Noynoy: 25
Years of The Philippine Daily Inquirer”. In his speech, the President described it
as a timely reminder for Filipinos, especially the youth, to know what had
really transpired in the country in the last two-and-a-half decades. Mr. Aquino
cited the original photos taken during Martial Law years and the series of
fearless editorials that helped fuel the People Power revolution.
The President praised PDI’s founder, Eugenia Duran Apostol, who “instead of
leading a peaceful and well-secured life, she chose to fight the [Marcos]
dictatorship.”
Mr. Aquino emphasized that because of GDC’s boldness to tell the truth,
democracy is back and being enjoyed by all Filipinos.
He said after 15 years, GDC remains dedicated to its goals, always ahead in
facing the challenges of the times in the field of journalism. He observed that
readers nowadays want faster, more concise news update. Instead of buying
newspapers, they want newsfeeds from the Internet.
“Round-the-clock, readers [around the world] are updated of the breaking
news via MyDestiny.net…and for those who just want to listen to the news,
they can watch to Global News Network. Despite the passing of years, GDCI
won’t change one thing: its dedication to truth and [the welfare of the]
country.”
Yet, Mr. Aquino said he’s still worried the darkest hours are far from over. He
reminded the audience of the continuous suppression of the press and extra-
legal killings that date back to the Martial Law years. As an example, he
mentioned the Maguindanao massacre, which took place in the latter part of
the Arroyo administration.
The President made an appeal to the Supreme Court to allow the live broadcast
of the ongoing trial.
He also announced the Philippine National Police had already released the
“Handbook on Personal Security Measures for Media Practitioners” and reward
money amounting to P18.4 million to speed up the conviction of those involved
in the murders and continuous harassment of Filipino journalists.
He reported that his office is studying the possibility of creating a Special
Presidential Team that will focus solely on solving cases of extra-judicial
killings. In next year’s budget (which the Senate approved also Wednesday
night), he increased the funds allotted for the witness protection program,
from P84 million in 2010 to P141 million in 2011.
Mr. Aquino said his father, slain Senator Ninoy Aquino, inculcated in him the
importance of the media in a free society. Ninoy was a fearless journalist
before he entered politics. Quoting the martyred Benigno II, the President said:
“A free media is indispensable if a democracy is to function efficiently, if it is
to be real. The people, who are sovereign, must be adequately informed all the
time.”
In the process, he pointed out the media must stay credible and incorruptible.
“It would be a disservice to our journalists and broadcasters, and especially to
our countrymen, if it were to be terminally afflicted with the disease of
corruption and deceit. Every journalist must focus his or her efforts to ensure
that there is a trustworthy, transparent relationship between the government,
the media, and, most importantly, the Filipino people.”
He encouraged media practitioners to seek the highest level of professionalism
and stick to truth-telling, “to raise the level of public discourse so that
important issues are distinguished from vulgar personalities and trivial stories.”
He observed that, “For some time now, the Inquirer has featured positive
stories, particularly in its Sunday Inquirer edition; but beyond the positive,
there should also be thorough reporting. A newspaper of record after all, has to
feature the complete record.”
Turning more personal, the President said the Inquirer was one with the
country in mourning the passing of his mother, President Corazon Aquino, “but
also made her frown several times in her lifetime. Such is the cycle of life and
the news.”
Mrs. Aquino succumbed to cancer on August 1, 2009, about 10 months before
the presidential elections. Her death reminded Filipinos that once-upon-a-
time, they had an honest President.
Mourned all over the world not only by Filipinos but leaders of democratic
nations, Cory’s passing also became a major turning point in the life of then
Senator Aquino, who was contented in just finishing his remaining three years
in the Senate.
In a light-hearted mood, Mr. Aquino gave credit to the Inquirer: “You
chronicled the clamor for me to seek the presidency, yet after reading your
paper, I sometimes feel that I’m losing even more of my hair. But that is how it
should be. You are not here to praise me. You are here to be fair to me, to the
Filipino people, and to be true to yourself and to your vocation.”
Before ending his speech, the President specially thanked PDI’s lifestyle
section, headed by Thelma Sioson-San Juan, for unabashedly reporting on his
love life. This brought laughter among the crowd that gathered at the Rizal
Ballroom of Shangri-La Makati Hotel.
The bachelor President said, “At least they’re truthful and not exaggerated.”

First, fair and fearless at 25

“We feel very strong about our future.”
Alexandra “Sandy” Prieto-Romualdez, president of Philippine Daily Inquirer, on
the occasion of the paper’s silver anniversary celebration on Wednesday
assured that in the digital age, PDI will last another 25 years and more.
In order to achieve this, she said PDI will consistently adhere to these three
words: First, fair and fearless.
On being first, given the digital age and the prevalence of reality shows, when
“many of the unverified facts go through zero research and are taken as
bashful truth” she said PDI will continue getting the news at every touch point
it can possibly conceived. At the same time, it will also give information that
the consumer needs.
On being fair, she assured that PDI will give all sides possible.
Expounding on the word “fearless,” she mentioned PDI’s founder, Eugenia
“Eggie” Apostol, as living example. Apostol is widely credited for her
journalistic efforts that helped bring down two Philippine presidents known for
their greed and excesses. Prieto also cited PDI’s chair, Marixi, and the board
for holding on and continue fighting for the truth when there was an ad boycott
(during the Estrada administration).
She said the ultimate goal of PDI is for its readers “to be empowered and take
action, to make a difference, to be a catalyst of social progress and change.”

Fun with ‘who’s who’ in politics, showbiz, biz

By DJ Yap

A
Veritable “Who’s Who” of Philippine politics, business and
entertainment, from President Benigno Aquino III to Jaime Zobel de Ayala
to Ramon S. Ang to Lea Salonga, graced the silver anniversary party of
the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday night, nearly stealing the show from
the celebrators themselves.
For all the star power of the celebrities in attendance at the ballroom of the
Makati Shangri-La, the evening belonged to the people behind the Inquirer,
especially 11 of the original staff members who orchestrated the paper’s
humble beginnings in December 1985.
“Who would have thought that a day like this would come for us?” asked the
Inquirer editor in chief, Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, in a sparkling electric blue
dress by Randy Ortiz, on a rare night spent away from the hustle and bustle of
the Inquirer newsroom.
“All of a sudden the Inquirer is 25 years old,” she said upon accepting her
citation as one of the pioneers of the paper, whose maiden issue came out on
Dec. 9, 1985, built upon seed money of less than P1 million by founding chair
Eugenia D. Apostol and a small group of media people.

Pioneers
The other 10 pioneers who still work for the Inquirer are managing editor Jose
Ma. Nolasco, Rizalino Alejandrino, Ramona Abad, Lorna Araneta, Kenneth
Nuyda, Ma. Rosalia Viray, Margarita Viray, Cipriano Frias, Stella Panlilio and
Edward Llantada.
Magsanoc said the Inquirer had come a long way from the time when not even
its newsboys could pronounce its name.
“So they called out: ‘Bagong dyaryo (new newspaper), bagong dyaryo!’” she
said in her distinct gravelly tone that had intimidated many a rookie reporter
over the years.

Catalyst for change

Today, according to Inquirer chair Marixi Rufino-Prieto, the newspaper is
printed from four sites and has “more than a million readers daily,” and
remains true to its mission of being a catalyst for social progress and change.
“Thank you to the men and women of the Inquirer for the dedication to tell the
Filipino story without fear and favor. Just as Eggie Apostol did when she
founded the paper,” she said.
“It has been our privilege and our responsibility to serve as stewards of the
Inquirer for two-thirds of its lifetime—and we were able to do this not only
because the entire Inquirer shares the same passion but because of the trust
and respect you in this hall have given us. For this, our deepest thanks and
gratitude,” Prieto said.
Her audience included Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Chief Justice
Artemio Panganiban, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao, Fernando Zobel de
Ayala, Bea Zobel, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Tessie Sy-Coson, Tony Tancaktiong,
Ramon Ang, Alfred Ty, Arthur Ty, Lance Gokongwei, Robina Gokongwei-Pe,
Andrew Tan, Beth Lee, Fe Agudo, Washington Sycip, Felipe Gozon, Kenneth
Yang and Sanjiv Vohra.
Also in attendance were Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Makati Mayor
Jun-Jun Binay and US Embassy spokesperson Rebecca Thompson. Other guests
were media agencies and advocacy partners.
“Today is really quite a special day,” said Inquirer president Alexandra Prieto-
Romualdez.

First, fair, fearless

“Many people ask me, almost with a worried look, how Inquirer will last
another 25 years given the digital age ... And I tell them three words that we
will keep very strong and close to our hearts. To be first, fair and fearless,” she
said.
First, she said, in being “able to get the news at every touch point we can
possibly conceive,” and fair in giving a true account of what is going on and to
give all sides possible.
“And fearless, like our founder Eggie Apostol, like the chair and the board who
fought the boycott, we will be fearless—in reporting, in being able to stand by
the truth. And with you, our partners in this hall, we feel very strong about our
future,” she said.

Mission
Magsanoc said the Inquirer’s history was fraught with the intensity and
seriousness of its mission.
“There was seemingly endless chasing after the two big words, justice and
freedom. There were murders on the tarmac to be solved and investigated.
There was the surge of dissent in the nation that could not be stopped,” she
said.
“There was people power to stun the world, and there was history to be
made,” she added.
The Inquirer’s story, Magsanoc said, truly began with the assassination of Ninoy
Aquino on the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983. “It
is no coincidence that we have celebrated our 25th with his worthy heir,
President Noynoy,” she said.
“We are very sentimental on this day, on behalf of all my co-awardees, but at
the same time, we are in the mood to party. After the Inquirer had to
withstand so much tumult and turmoil, I think that we feel very entitled to
have fun,” she said. “So let the fun begin!”
And what fun they had.

Arnel Pineda, Robert Seña

The night’s performers included Arnel Pineda, Robert Seña, Cookie Chua and
Salonga, who has a column in the Inquirer’s Entertainment section, which she
described as a stressful job but “so much fun to write.”
Demonstrating her awe-inspiring pipes, the Broadway star sang the John
Lennon classic, “Imagine,” and her own “Tagumpay Nating Lahat.”
For two intermissions, comics Jon Santos and Willie Nepomuceno elicited
chuckles and guffaws during skits in which they, between themselves,
impersonated five presidents, a First Lady, and a president’s sister.
As “Kris Aquino,” Santos talked about following in the footsteps of her mother,
the late President Corazon Aquino and brother Noynoy, earning a horrified look
from “President Aquino,” played by Nepomuceno.
“Kris” said she would appoint her fellow TV host, Boy Abunda, as secretary of
the Department of Transportation and Communication, with the explanation:
“Because everybody knows that the country’s main mode of transport is the
bus!”—a reference to the Sunday show biz talk show “The Buzz” on ABS-CBN.
She would also appoint Willie Revillame as secretary of the “Department of
Welfare and Development,” omitting the word “social” because the TV host
was the farthest thing from sosyal.
Finally, she said former husband James Yap would be the trade secretary
because he’s a traydor (traitor).
“Kris” said surely, the Inquirer would support her presidential bid.
“After all, don’t you get more sales when I’m on the front page?” she said.

Choir
The Inquirer choir, composed of staff members who were garbed in Auggie
Cordero gowns and barong, performed a handful of numbers, including a
rendition of “Lupang Hinirang” that was sung with the lawful marching beat
but with just the tiniest variation in the blending.
For their encore, day desk editor Ruben Alabastro told the crowd they would
sing a song from his time, and the choir soon crooned a sweet, soulful version
of the 1973 song “Through the Eyes of Love.” But that would make Alabastro
37 years old, and nobody quite believed that.
One of the last numbers, and one of the most applauded, was the winning
performance by the Editorial group in a portion of the program in which the
Inquirer sections competed for the best dance number.
The performance was a spoof of the ABS-CBN talent show, “Showtime,” and
involved, among other oddities, senior reporter Fe Zamora as Charice,
photographer Edwin Bacasmas as the Korean Ryan Bang, and—in certainly the
night’s strangest, funniest moment—the Inquirer’s venerable librarian Medy
Gregorio as Lady Gaga in a wheelchair.
No, the presence of the President, the tycoons, the diplomats and the stars
certainly could not top that.
The Ateneo Chamber Singers performed before the program.

Top Advertisers
Also honored during the program were top advertisers, dealers and classified
ads clients:
1. Ayala Corp. (Ayala Land, Ayala Malls, Globe/BPI)
2. Asian Car Makers
3. Citibank
4. East West Bank/Filinvest
5. Ford Group
6. HSBC
7. Hyundai Asia Resources
8. JG Summit (Robinsons, Cebu Pacific, Digitel, Robinsons Land)
9. Jollibee (Red Ribbon, Chowking, Mang Inasal)
10.LG Electronics
11.Marie France (Facial Care)
12.McDonalds
13.Megaworld
14.Metrobank/Toyota
 15.Mitsubishi Motors
16.Nokia
17.PLDT/Smart
18.PAL
19.Rustans Group (Shopwise)
20.Samsung
21.SM (SMDC, SM Supermarket, SM Malls)
22.The Covenant Car Company
23.Universal Motor Corp

Top 10 Dealers
1. Batangas Newspaper & Magazine Dealers Association
2. Bicol Newspaper & Magazine Dealers Association
3. Central Luzon Dealers Association
4. Metro Makati Assoc. of Newspaper Dealers & Sub-dealers Inc.
5. Mindanao Print Media Dealers Association
6. Newspaper Dealers Association of Visayas
7. Newspaper, Magazine & Comics Dealers Association of the Philippines
8. North Luzon Dealers Association
9. Print Media Dealers Association
10.United Newspaper Dealers Association

Top 5 Classifieds
1. Accenture
2. Comelec
3. Department of Labor and Employment NCR
4. ePLDT
5. IBM

BIG STARS, BIG BASH, BIG TIME!

Watch the World, Reach the World: The Global Destiny Cable 15th Anniversary
Special
Hosted by: GABBY CONCEPCION, RICHARD GOMEZ and EDU MANZANO

With: Coco Alcuaz, Dindo Amparo, Sol Aragones, Lia Andanar-Yu, Jeff Canoy,
Jorge Cariño, Jing Castañeda, Cheryl Cosim, Luchi Cruz-Valdez, Ron Cruz,
Julius Babao, Karen Davila, Noli De Castro, Alvin Elchico, Ted Failon, Gigi
Grande, Pia Gutierrez, Pia Hontiveros, Caroline Howard, Lynda Jumilia,
Angelique Lazo, Loren Legarda, Victor De Leon-Lima, Maan Macapagal, Twink
Macaraig, Gretchen Malalad, TJ Manotoc, Tina Monzon-Palma, Ces Oreña-
Drilon, Maiki Oreta, Jenny Reyes, Jasmin Romero, Stanley Palisada, Korina
Sanchez, Alex Santos, Bernadette Sembrano, Anthony Taberna, Tony
Velasquez, Pinky Webb.
ABS-CBN’s Family of Stars:

Richard Gomez, Joey Marquez, John Estrada, Anjo Yllana, Amy Perez, Sharon
Cuneta, Joey de Leon, Jimmy Santos, Herbert Bautista, Randy Santiago, Dina
Bonnevie, Agot Isidro, Dayanara Torres, Johnny Litton, Maurice Arcache, Loren
Legarda, Dong Puno, Julie Yap-Daza, Kris Aquino, Aga Muhlach

GMA’s Family of Stars:

German Moreno

EB hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon with the EB Dabarkads

 Chiqui Hollman  Onemig Bondoc

 Ritchie D'Horsie  Illac Diaz
 Jimmy Santos  Robin da Roza
 Tessie Tomas  Manny Distor
 Coney Reyes  Gladys Guevarra
 John Estrada  Mike Zerrudo
 Charo Santos-Concio  Mausi Wohlfarth
 Keempee de Leon  Lana Asanin
 Ruby Rodriguez  Wally Bayola
 Sheryl Cruz  Gemma Fitzgerald
 Manilyn Reynes  Jaya
 Maricel Soriano  Joyce Jimenez
 Aiza Seguerra  K Brosas
 Aiko Melendez  Sugar Mercado
 Plinky Recto  Toni Gonzaga
 Grasya (Samantha Lopez)  Nadine Schmidt
 Sunshine Cruz  Bj Forbes
 Inday Garutay  Janno Gibbs
 Jericho Rosales  Iza Calzado
 John Prats  Julia Clarete
 Donita Rose  Pauleen Luna

Dancers
1. The EB Babes
2. SexBomb Girls
3. WW.Girls
4. VIP Dancers
Entertainers

• Aiko Melendez • Cogie Domingo • Joross Gamboa

• 604 • Cristine Reyes • Joshua Dionisio
• Aicelle Santos • Danica Sotto • Joshua Disiderio
• Aiza Seguerra • Dennis Trillo • Jovit Baldivino
• AJ Perez • Dina Bonnevie Juris
• Akiko Solon • Dingdong Dantes • K. C. Montero
• Aljur Abrenica • Dion Ignacio • Karel Marquez
• Amanda Page • Duncan Ramos • Karylle
• Amy Perez • Empress Schuck • KC Concepcion
• Angeline Quinto • Enchong Dee • Kevyn Vernal
• Angelu de Leon • Enrique Gil • Kim Chiu
• Anne Curtis • Erich Gonzales • Kitty Girls
• Antoinette Taus • Erik Santos • K-La Rivera
• April Delos Santos • Frencheska Farr • Kris Bernal
• April Villanueva • Gab Valenciano • Kris Lawrence
• Ariel Rivera • Gabby Eigenmann • Krissel Valdez
• Arnel Pineda • Geoff Taylor • Kyla
• Arron Villaflor • Gerald Anderson • Lara Melissa de
• Arthur Solinap • Gerald Santos Leon
• Aryana • G-Force • LJ Reyes
• Barbie Forteza • Gian Magdangal • Lovi Poe
• Bea Alonzo • Giselle Toengi • Luis Manzano
• Bea Binene • Glaiza de Castro • Maja Salvador
• Bernadette Allyson • Greg Turvey • Malik
• Bianca King • Heart Evangelista • Marco Alcaraz
• Billy Crawford • Ilonah Jean • Maricris Garcia
• Bing Loyzaga • Iya Villania • Marielle
• Bobby Andrews • Jaco Benin • Mark Herras
• Brad Turvey • Jake Cuenca • Mart Escudero
• Brenan Espartinez • Jake Roxas • Marvin Agustin
• Brian Termulo • Jake Vargas • Matt Evans
• Cacai Velasquez • Jan Nieto • Maxene Magalona
• Carla Abellana • Jay-R • Melissa Ricks
• Carlo Guevarra • Jed Madela • Michelle van
• Champagne • Jericho Rosales Eimeren
Morales • Jerome John • Miggy Tanchangco
• Chico and Delamar Hughes • Mo Twister
• Chris Cayzer • John Lloyd Cruz • Monica Sacay
• Christian Bautista • John Prats • Nancy Castiglione
• Chynna Ortaleza • Jolina Magdangal • Nel Gomez
• Claudine Barretto • Jonalyn Viray • Nikki Gil
• Nina • Rufa Mae Quinto • Stags
• Paolo Paraiso • Ryza Cenon • Star Querubin
• Piolo Pascual • Sam Concepcion • Sunshine Dizon
• Princess Velasco • Sam Milby • TJ Trinidad
• Radha • Sarah Geronimo • Toni Gonzaga
• Raymond • Sexbomb Girls • Venus Raj
Gutierrez • Shaina Magdayao • Vhong Navarro
• Rayver Cruz • Sitti • Vina Morales
• Richard Poon • Solidgold Dancers • Yeng Constantino
• Robi Domingo • South Border • Young JV
• Roxanne Barcelo

PMAP Models
1. Abbygale 24.Girlie Benitez 45.Melissa Frye
Arenas 25.Grace Molina 46.Mia Ayesa
2. Alvin Ayson 26.Grace Tagle- 47.Miguel Pea
3. Alvin de Gamo Arigo 48.Michaela
4. Amy Verbo 27.Hans Lagdameo-
5. Ana Sideco Montenegro Martinez
6. Angel Agustin- 28.Irish Ong 49.Mikee Carrion
Co 29.Isabel Roces 50.Mon Jose
7. Annette 30.Izza Gonzales- 51.Monica Padilla
Coronel Agana 52.Myrza Sison
8. Antoinette 31.Jack de Mesa 53.Nicolette Bell
Enciso-Ocampo 32.Jedah 54.Ornusa Cadness
9. Apples Aberin- Hernandez 55.Paolo Relucio
Sadhwani 33.Jeff Misolas 56.Patty Betita
10.Ariel Atendido 34.Joanna Pealosa 57.Paulette
11.Baba Parma 35.Joanne Padilla Quinto
12.Bianca Valerio 36.Joey Mead 58.Peter Norrdell
13.Brent Javier 37.Lala Flores- 59.Phoemela
14.Brian Tan Magpantay Baranda
15.Bubbles Paraiso 38.Mafae Yunon- 60.Rachel Soriano
16.Charmagne de Belasco 61.Raphael Kiefer
Guzman 39.Marc Nelson 62.Raya Mananquil
17.Derick Hubalde 40.Marilen Espino 63.Reggie Curley
18.Desiree 41.Marilen 64.Richard
Verdadero- Faustino- Nazareth
Abesamis Montenegro 65.Rissa
19.Dindi de Leon 42.Marilyn Mananquil-Samson
20.Edelon Diaz Maristela 66.Robby
21.Gary Dulatas 43.Marina Mananquil
22.Gem Padilla Benipayo-de 67.Ruru Kiram
23.Gerald Sequera 68.Samantha
Nicholas Lauron 44.Marx Topacio Lewis
 69.Tim Guiao 72.Tweetie de 73.Wendy
70.Ton Lao Leon-Gonzalez Tabusalla
71.Trishan Cuaso 74.Wilma Doesn’t

Fashion Designers
1. Albert Andrada 34.Butz Fuentes 67.Edgar Buyan
2. Albert Arriba 35.Camille Co 68.Edgar
3. Aldrich 36.Candy Dizon Madamba
Aparicio 37.Cary Santiago 69.Edgar San
4. Alex Bitong 38.Catherine Diego
5. Alex Pigao Cavilte 70.Edwin Alba
6. Alodia Cecilia 39.Cesar Gaupo 71.Edwin Ao
7. Amina Aranaz- 40.Charies 72.Edwin Tan
Alunan Pagarigan 73.Edwin Uy
8. Ana Rocha 41.Charina Sarte 74.Eli Gonzales
9. Angela Alarcon 42.Cheena Ng Lio 75.Emi Alexander
10.Angelo Estera 43.Cherry Samuya Englis
11.Anna Leah Veric 76.Emi Jorge
Salvador 44.Cheryl 77.Emily Sy
12.Anthony Cesar Tantengco 78.Enrico Carado
Ramirez 45.Choc Religioso 79.Eric Delos
13.Anthony Nocom 46.Chris Diaz Santos
14.Anthony 47.Ciara 80.Estien Quijano
Romoff Marasigan- 81.Fanny Serrano
15.Anton Barretto Serumgard 82.Felicia Trinidad
16.Arcy Gayatin 48.Ciege 83.Felix Yu
17.Arielle Agasang Cagalawan 84.Ferdie Abuel
18.Aries Lagat 49.Czarina Villa 85.Frederick
19.Arleen Sipat 50.Danelyn Rillera Peralta
20.Arnel Papa 51.Danilo Franco 86.Frederick
21.Arnel Zulieta 52.Dave Ocampo Policarpio
22.Arnold Galang 53.Dax Bayani 87.Gener Gozum
23.Ava Paguyo 54.Debbie Co 88.Gerry Katigbak
24.Avel Bacudio 55.Delby Bragais 89.Gerswin Qua
25.Aziza 56.Dennis Lustico 90.Gian Romano
Mondoñedo 57.Derick Hibaler 91.Gil Macaibay
26.Aztec Barba 58.Dexter Alazas 92.Gionna Cabrera
27.Bang Pineda 59.Dimple Lim 93.Girlie Benitez
28.Bea Valdes 60.Dino Lloren 94.Grace Ong
29.Benjie Manuel 61.Dodjie Batu 95.Gretchen
30.Benjie 62.Don Protasio Pichay
Pañizales 63.Dong Omaga- 96.Hans Brumann
31.Bernice Diaz 97.Happy Andrada
Palanca-Go 64.Donn Delantar 98.Happy David
32.Bo Parcon 65.Eddie Castro 99.Harley Ruedas
33.Butch Carungay 66.Edgar Allan
100. Hindy 123. Joel 147. Kenneth
Weber-Tantoco Escober Chua
101. Inno 124. Joey 148. Kermit
Sotto Enriquez Tesoro
102. Ito 125. Joey 149. Kitty
Curata Samson Caragay
103. Ivan 126. John 150. Kristel
Belocura Guarnes Yulo
104. Ivan 127. John 151. Kristine
Dela Cruz Herrera Dee
105. Ivarluski 128. John 152. Larry
Aseron Paras Espinosa
106. Jaki 129. Johnny 153. Len
Peñalosa Abad Nepomuceno
107. James 130. Jojie 154. Leonard
Reyes Lloren o Salinas
108. Jan 131. Jona 155. Lito
Garcia Ballaran Perez
109. Janina 132. Jonatha 156. Lizanne
Dizon Hoschka n Manilag Cua
110. Janno 133. Jontie 157. Lord
Farrales Martinez Maturan
111. Jasmine 134. Josie 158. Louis
Castelo Natori Claparols
112. Jay 135. Jot Losa 159. Lyle
Masangya 136. Joyce Ibañez
113. Jay Makitalo 160. LZ
Sustiguer 137. Joyce Punzalan
114. Jaz Oreña 161. M
Cerezo 138. Judith Barretto
115. JC Pajaro 162. Maco
Buendia 139. Jul B. Custodio
116. Jeffrey Dizon 163. Malu
Rogador 140. Julius Riguera
117. Jerome Tarog 164. Manelle
Lorico 141. Jun Chamian
118. Jerome Escario 165. Mara
Salaya Ang 142. Jun Jun Reyes
119. Jess Cambe 166. Marc
Capuchino 143. June Rancy
120. Jian Pugat 167. Maricar
Lasala 144. Kat Kobayashi
121. Joan Corpus 168. Marichu
Cantemprate 145. Kat Sy Tan
122. Joel 146. Kate 169. Marlon
Bautista Torralba Rivera
170. Martin 193. Noe 217. Philip
Bautista Reyes Torres
171. Mary Ty 194. Noel 218. Pia
172. Mel Crisostomo Gladys Perey
Orlina 195. Noelle 219. Pier Lim
173. Melissa Llave 220. Pitoy
Dizon 196. Nolie Moreno
174. Melvin Viñeza 221. PJ
Lachica 197. Nono Aranador
175. Mica Palmos 222. Popo Go
Santayana 198. Norman 223. Popoy
176. Mich Noriega Barba
Araullo 199. Odelon 224. Prisara
177. Mich Simpao Morales
Dulce 200. Oj Hofer 225. Protacio
178. Michael 201. Ole Empaces Jr.
Cinco Morabe 226. Puey
179. Michelle 202. Oliver Quiñones
Lim Tolentino 227. Rajo
180. Michelli 203. Oskar Laurel
ne Syjuco Peralta 228. Ralph Ng
181. Michi 204. Oz Go 229. Ramon
Calica-Sotto 205. Pablo Esteban
182. Mike Cabahug 230. Ramon
Lavarez 206. Patrice Favila
183. Mimi Ramos-Diaz 231. Randy
Ferrera 207. Patrick Ortiz
184. Mique Galang 232. Raoul
Yapching 208. Patty Ramirez
185. Mitzi Eustaquio 233. Ray
Quilendrino-Bustos 209. Paul Kuan
186. Monica Cabral 234. Regine
Figueroa 210. Paul Dulay
187. Nholie Herrera 235. Rei
Pilapil 211. Paul Escario
188. Nicky Syjuco 236. Reian
Martinez 212. Peewee Mata
189. Nico Senining 237. Ren
Agustin 213. Pencil Manabat
190. Nicole Diestra 238. Renee
Whisenhunt 214. Pepsi Salud
191. Nikki Herrera 239. Reza
Sonico 215. Philip Aznar
192. Nixon Rodriguez 240. Rhett
Marquez 216. Philip Eala
Tampus
 241. Rholand 257. Salvador 273. Vanda
Roxas Malto Fondunaeva
242. Ric 258. Santi 274. Vania
Vicencio Obcena Romoff
243. Ricci 259. Sassa 275. Veejay
Lizaso Jimenez Floresca
244. Richard 260. Shanon 276. Veluz
Papa Pamaong Reyes
245. Richie 261. Simon 277. Victoria
Bondoc Ariel Vasquez Marin
246. Ricky 262. Stacy 278. Vittorio
Abad Rodriguez Barba
247. Rita 263. Susie 279. Wendell
Nazareno Bonaobra Quisido
248. Robi 264. Tan-Gan 280. William
Lolin 265. Tara Manahan
249. Rocio Soriano 281. Wynn
Olbes 266. Tina Wynn Ong
250. Roel Daniac 282. Xernan
Rosal 267. Tina Orticio
251. Roland Maristela-Ocampo 283. Yako
Lirio 268. Tippi Reyes
252. Ronaldo Ocampo 284. Yvette
Arnaldo 269. Tweetie Religioso
253. Ronan De Leon-Gonzalez 285. Yvonne
Opiña 270. Twinkle Quisumbing
254. Rosanna Ferraren 286. Ziggy
Ocampo 271. Ulysses Savella
255. Ruby King 287. Zxander
Castrodes 272. Valerie Tan
256. Russell Victoria Alvez
Villafuerte

News Anchors
1. Martin Soong 13.Dalton Tanonaka
2. Adam Bahktiar 14.Emily Chan
3. Amanda Drury 15.Eunice Yoon
4. Andrea Catherwood 16.Fauziah Ibrahim
5. Bernard Lo 17.Grace Phan
6. Bettina Chua 18.Hyunmo Ahn
7. Bill Heartley 19.Jeffrey James
8. Cecilia Zecha 20.Kaori Enjoji
9. Cheng Lei 21.Karen Koh
10.Chloe Cho 22.Karen Ts
11.Christine Tan 23.Keith Liu
12.Coco Quisumbing 24.Kiho Kim
25.Lisa Oake 33.Rico Hizon
26.Lorraine Hahn 34.Saijal Patel
27.Lynette Lithgow 35.Sasha Salama
28.Mark Laudi 36.Sri Jegarajah
29.Matthew Taylor 37.Suchita Vadlamani
30.Maura Fogarty 38.Sydnie Kohara
31.May Lee 39.Teymoor Nabili
32.Peggy Wang

7:00 - 10:00 PM, DECEMBER 9, 2010

A THREE-HOUR SUPERSPECIAL LIVE FROM THE FOLK ARTS THEATER LIVE ON
GLOBAL NEWS NETWORK CHANNEL 8 (ADMISSION IS FREE!)
Directed by Bert de Leon