Chinese Commercial News

Founded in the wake of World War I, the Chinese Commercial News has witnessed a century of history unfold in Manila. The Chinese Commercial News building stands before you, a silent testament to the enduring power of the press. This isn’t just any newspaper. The Chinese Commercial News, often called simply the “Commercial News” or “Siong Po,” is the Philippines’ oldest existing Chinese-language newspaper. It’s the third oldest newspaper in the country overall. Imagine Manila in 1919. The city was experiencing a post-war economic boom. The Chinese Filipino merchant class needed a way to keep up with the rapid business developments. That’s where the Chinese Commercial News came in. It began as a monthly newsletter called the Huachiao Commercial News, published by the Manila Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Its first editor was Yu Yi Tung. The need for timely news grew, and in 1922, the Commercial News transitioned to a daily publication. Think about how information traveled back then. The paper’s initial print run was just two pages, with a circulation of one thousand copies. News, both local and international, was translated from English newspapers. The Chinese Commercial News embraced innovation early on. In 1927, it became the first Chinese newspaper in the Philippines to include pictures. By 1933, they were even printing a weekly magazine. The newspaper’s commitment to truth faced a severe test during World War II. Yu Yi Tung refused to let the Chinese Commercial News become a propaganda tool for the Japanese occupiers. He paid the ultimate price for his integrity, and the newspaper was shut down. But the story doesn’t end there. His children, Quintin, Rizal, Helen, and Yu Tiong Nay, bravely revived the Chinese Commercial News in 1945, despite the scarcity of resources after the war. Even during the turbulent years of martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, the Chinese Commercial News continued its mission to inform. The paper fearlessly reported on alleged election fraud in 1969 and the student protests of the First Quarter Storm in 1970. This outspokenness came at a price. Quintin and Rizal Yuyitung were deported to Taiwan in 1970, and the paper was eventually shut down along with other media outlets. The Chinese Commercial News was reborn yet again after the People Power Revolution in 1986. The paper even launched its website in 1995, becoming one of the first Chinese newspapers available online. The Chinese Commercial News has always been more than just a newspaper. It’s a vital thread in the fabric of the Filipino-Chinese community, a voice for truth, and a testament to the enduring power of the free press.