How many stories do you think this plaque could tell? This is The Manila Times Plaque. It stands as a testament to a newspaper’s enduring legacy.
The Manila Times is no ordinary paper. It holds the distinction of being the oldest extant English-language newspaper in the Philippines. It is still published daily. The Manila Times Publishing Corp publishes it. Its offices are located in Intramuros Manila.
The Manila Times started shortly after news broke. The Treaty of Paris would end the Spanish-American War. The Philippines would transfer from Spanish to American control. Englishman Thomas Gowan founded The Manila Times. It primarily served the Americans arriving in Manila. They came to fight in the Spanish-American War. Spanish was the dominant language in newspapers then. A few were in native languages.
The first issue appeared on October 11 1898. It was a four-page sheet. Announcements and advertisements filled the first page. Editorials and important news were on page two. Cable news from Europe and the United States filled page three. It focused on the Spanish-American War.
George Sellner acquired The Manila Times from Gowan in 1899. Thomas C Kinney acquired The Manila Times from Sellner in 1907. Manuel L Quezon acquired The Manila Times in 1919. He later became President. Sugar magnate George Fairchild acquired the paper from him in 1921. Jacob Rosenthal acquired The Manila Times from Fairchild in 1926.
Fire destroyed the Cosmopolitan Building in 1928. The Manila Times moved its headquarters to Intramuros. The Manila Times shut down for the first time in 1930. It reopened after World War II in 1945. Chino Roces later bought it. It became the largest circulating newspaper in the Philippines by 1950.
President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. He ordered media establishments to close. The Manila Times closed again. Its owner Chino Roces was arrested. The Manila Times reopened on February 5 1986. This was before the People Power Revolution. Corazon Aquino became president.
Businessman John Gokongwei acquired the paper in 1989. The Manila Times faced controversy in 1999. It published a story about President Joseph Estrada. He was described as an “unwitting godfather”. Estrada filed a libel suit. The owners printed an apology. Editors and writers resigned.
Katrina Legarda and Reghis Romero acquired The Manila Times in 1999. It shut down and reopened later that year. Mark Jimenez acquired the paper in 2001. Dante Ang bought it soon after.
This plaque marks a pivotal part of Manila’s media history. It’s a reminder of the power and resilience of the press. It highlights its role in shaping public opinion. The Manila Times Plaque represents a legacy of journalism. This legacy continues to inform and engage Filipinos today.