The Philippine STAR at 39 years: Rethinking, reimagining, regenerating

MANILA, Philippines — Hope is hard to come by these days. Last week, the country was rattled by successive weather events; something we know to expect yet always fail to prepare for.

It appears that even when things slowly slide toward the worst – from traffic to unemployment, dwindling public health care, or the education crisis – our response remains the same. Nothing ever changes, so we make do with what we have.

At STAR, hope endures because of our insistence in imagining otherwise. We refuse to sit still as the world continuously shifts around us. We have made it our onus to meet readers where they are.

This year is the paper’s 39th anniversary; almost four decades in pursuit of truth, in service of fellow Filipinos who deserve it. We celebrate with Regenerate, a special issue marking a renewal of purpose, perspective, and connection.

It features Filipinos who are fellow imaginative hopefuls: those reinventing, reimagining, or reigniting their respective fields, building futures that are better than we have been used to. A veteran journalist brings news to TikTok. A college instructor builds a community library for the kids in his neighborhood. A rock band frontman paves the way for music’s next generation.

The STAR president and CEO Miguel G. Belmonte reimagines the role of news in fostering a deeper sense of national pride, saying, “I’m always thinking to myself that the Philippines would be much more progressive... if only Filipino citizens would love our country more.”

We explore how stories evolve, how generations can be bridged, and how trusted journalism adapts without losing its roots. We rethink the youth’s participation in social change; the importance of print in a digital world; what legacy means.

“Image otherwise. Remake the world,” American academic Christina Sharpe writes. “Some of us have never had any other choice.”

For 39 years, even when things constantly changed, the heart of what we do – a pursuit of truth in service of Filipinos – remained the same. This will continue to be our guiding light for the years to come.