19 years of service

November 19, 2009
Written by News Team, in Editorial

With this issue, the “Manila Mail” marks its 19th year of uninterrupted service to the Filipino American community in the greater Washington D.C. area.

It is the longest running, professionally edited, tabloid-sized, fortnightly Filipino American newspaper which has religiously adhered to the tenets of journalism throughout its existence. As a result, it has remained independent, impartial and not beholden to any interest groups except to the community that it serves.

The Manila Mail is proud that most, if not all, of the members of the editorial staff are veteran journalists who have established a name in the journalistic world. Through all these years, they have unselfishly given their time and effort- and sometimes their own money – to help run the newspaper that has become the voice of the Filipino American community in the tri-state area of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Another unique feature of the Manila Mail is that its new publisher, the Manila Mail Communications, Inc., is made up of journalists themselves. The president of the corporation, Atty. Januario Azarcon, regularly writes the Kibitzer and Immigration columns since the Manila Mail started in 1990.

And in line with the latest trend in journalism, the Manila Mail can now be accessed by anyone for free in the internet: ManilaMailDC.Net. They can see and read the entire issue, including advertisements. Our website administrator is Nes Flores.

And this year, the Manila Mail is increasing its circulation to cover the growing Filipino American community not only in the greater Washington D.C. area but also in the big Filipino American community in Virginia Beach.

Despite the economic downturn and the loss of advertising revenues currently being experienced by the mainstream media, the Manila Mail has been able to keep its loyal advertisers and even to acquire new ones. This, despite the fact that the Manila Mail has maintained its advertising rates while other desperate publications have slashed their rates to attract advertisers. This, by itself, is testament to the power and reach of the Manila Mail in the nation’s capital.