EDITORIAL - Anniversary editorial 94 and counting

As The Freeman celebrates its 94th anniversary today, the temptation is great to start counting as well toward the breathtaking 100 that is just around six more corners. There is nothing wrong with that. Anyone in such a situation probably would do the same.

One hundred years, after all, is mesmerizing. It is a full century. And when you are in the business of newspapering -- where the rule of thumb is at least five years of losses before turning a profit -- to reach a hundred years is, well, everything.

Newspapering, aside from the inherent fact that it is a business, is, perhaps foremost in its being, an undertaking of trust. News, as its primary offering, is a commodity as serious as it is fleeting, as strong as it is fragile.

Newspapers, of course, do not rise and fall on a single story. But there is an element of reliability that requires constant satisfaction. Trustworthiness in the news, in that the news affects the everyday lives of people, can only be sustained and reinforced by the willingness and ability of a newspaper to be reliable.

And that is precisely why, as The Freeman grows older, the more it becomes jealous of the years. It is no understatement that the 94 years upon which it stakes its name have been won or bought by the blood, sweat and tears -- literally and figuratively -- of all those who put their all into the endeavor.

And that is precisely why it is very tempting to count ahead to the 100 years. It would be hypocritical of us to deny that is not what everybody is looking forward to now. A full century, and all that it signifies, can never be understated.

But that is putting the cart ahead of the horse, forgiveable though it may be. There is still the business of the present, and the challenge of rounding those six more corners before the 100. And it is good to stay rooted in the present.

For it is in the present that we can take stock of what lies ahead. It is in the present that we can look back to draw the courage and the strength. There is a need to take care of the present, because the present is the product of all our yesterdays, just as it is the platform from which we launch our tomorrows.

The present of The Freeman, perhaps more than any other institution, is a very poignant one. It is a present that came at a tremendous price. There are great debts to be paid, such as to our chairman Jose “Dodong” R. Gullas without whose great love for the paper that led to its revival The Freeman would not be here today.

There is great appreciation for the tenacity of those who stuck with the paper during its darkest years when attempts to cripple and kill it were attempted but thwarted. Great challenges both designed by fate or man-made were hurdled with remarkable combinations of prayer and skill.

And somewhere in the pages of today's issue is a message from our president and CEO, Miguel G. Belmonte, expressing thanks and gratitude to our partners, employees and friends without whose dedication and support The Freeman would truly be nothing.

It is a natural tendency to go for the 100. But for the here and now, the 94 is more than just good enough to celebrate and be proud of ourselves. To have been given the continued opportunity by Cebuanos and others in the region to serve for so long denotes an enduring trust that makes us happy with ourselves.

And so we thank everyone who has made this long journey with us. The trip has been a worthwhile experience and we take immense pride in the fact that only very few in this business can claim the years now proudly etched in our name.