The Rotary Balita no. 700 (July 17, 1953)

F. Theo Rogers, dean of newspapermen in the Philippines, speaking extemporaneously, recalled the array of Filipino newspapermen during Rizal's era who received no remuneration, nor salary whatsoever, but who always stood ready to give their lives for the principles they believed in. He cited Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Ariston Bautista, Graciano Lopez Jaena and others who fought and wrote for their country. He discoursed on three stages of Philip pine journalism, namely, the Spanish, ear Filipino and the modern. He revealed that before the turn of the century, there were no newspapers of great consequence in the Philippines, except two Spanish dailies, El Diario de Manila and El Comercio with 1 thousand circulation each. During the early days of American sovereignty, several American newspapers were published, the best known of which were the Cable News, Manila Times, Freedom and the Tribune. Among the newspapermen at the time were R. McCullough Dick, Martin Egan, Bobby Collins, Hal Martin and Charles Henry who covered the Russo-Japanese war. Rogers paid tribute to the late Martin Ocampo, publisher of El Renacimiento. He gave much credit to the late Don Alejan dro Roces, Sr. It was Don Alejandro who introduced modern machinery in the newspaper paper industry and who increased the reporters' salaries. Rogers said that it was he (Roces) who was the actual founder of the People's Homesite and Housing Corporation by selling the idea to the late President Manuel L. Quezon of buying the large tracts of land adjoining the city and subdividing this land into small lots for sale to the low salaried men. Rogers revealed that when President Quezon fell for the idea, he said that the project was going to cost P0.15 a square meter. Don Alejandro, he said, replied: "I have offered the owners P0.05 a square meter and that's what we pay." "But now," Rogers continued, "the corporation is selling the same lot at P20.00 a square meter. How could a poor man ever hope to have a lot that he can call his own at such a high price?" He traced the history of real democracy beginning with the Pilgrim fathers who crossed the Atlantic to found a new country where they were free from religious persecution. "These people elected their leaders without speech making, without propaganda and without pork barrel," he added. Earlier, Miss Emma Nepomuceno saw the "Blue Danube" and "Sa Kabukiran” during the luncheon. Several newspapermen and photographers who cover the Rotary luncheon meeting every week were given certificates of appreciation of the meritorious service they have rendered in the promotion of Rotary ideals in their respective publications. Newspapermen who received award were Ernesto Ilustre of the Manila Tima Tesoro de Guzman of the Daily Mirror Bernardino Ronquillo of the Manila Daily Bulletin, Carlos Castañeda of the Evening News, Bienvenido Calleja of the Mani Chronicle, H. P. Vibal of the Philippine Herald and Virgilio A. Maceda of the Bagong Buhay. News photographers who also received awards were the following: - Augusto Carballo of the Bagong Buhay; Ben T. Santos Dominador Suba, and Marcelo Ablaza of the Times-Mirror; Honesto T. Vitug of the Manila Daily Bulletin; Manuel Bulaong of the Evening News; Ambrosio Carpio of the Manila Chronicle; Alberto Garcia of the Philippines Herald; and Pablo Maglalang of the Freedom Magazine.