The Sun 10th Anniversary Celebration

04 June 2006

Chater Road, Central

REMARKS

Secretary of Labor, Honorable Patricia Sto. Tomas;

My good friends Mr. Leo Deocadiz, publisher of The Sun, and his partner, both in business and at home, Ms. Daisy Mandap, editor of The Sun;

The rest of the staff of The Sun;

Distinguished guests, friends, mga kababayan:

Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat.

I am very pleased to join all of your this afternoon to mark this important milestone in the history of the Filipino community in Hong Kong.  I wish to thank Ms. Mandap for inviting me to attend this momentous event. 

Having been a part of the media industry myself before joining the foreign service, I know full well the vital role that the press plays in community and nation-building.

To my mind, the press, in general, has two types of responsibilities.  First is to reflect public opinion.  In order to do so, reporters must be in touch with the pulse of the grassroots, the common tao, so to speak.  The news stories and features they consequently publish therefore serve as invaluable reference for those in positions of leadership and authority, especially the government, in formulating policies and in efforts to improve the delivery of services to the public.

In addition to reflecting public opinion, the press also has the responsibility to form public opinion.  Newspapers and television newscasts do not serve merely to inform the public.  A responsible media outfit seeks to put perspective into each news report to raise awareness among its public of issues and events that affect them, and mobilize the public to take a stand and to act.  For this reason, the media have a great capacity to institute change in society.

This capacity for change is the foremost motivation for a community newspaper like The Sun.  For a distinct group of people who share similar interests and backgrounds, a community newspaper is an invaluable tool to promote unity, raise awareness about their environment, and most importantly, empower them to advance their collective well-being.  The community newspaper therefore has the crucial responsibility to: first, have an accurate picture of the challenges that face the community that it is serving; second, to map out the path towards surmounting these challenges; and third, to build bridges between the community and its so-called “significant others” – its partners and collaborators – in order to realize together the goals of the community members as a whole.

As I look at the brief history of The Sun, one of the first, if not the first, Filipino community newspaper in Hong Kong, it is evident that the founders took to their responsibility with zeal and commitment.  It is no wonder then that we find ourselves gathered here this afternoon to mark the 10^th anniversary of this publication.  Today’s celebration is a testament to the dedication of the people behind The Sun to a standard of journalism that is characterized by a boldness to confront issues that affect our kababayans in Hong Kong, perseverance in its efforts to empower its readers, and friendship with the people that it serves.   If these are the values upon which The Sun anchors its existence, then we will most likely see The Sun in circulation in Hong Kong for another 10 years and even beyond that.

On this note, on behalf of the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, I convey my congratulations to The Sun.   In The Sun, the Philippine Consulate General sees a partner in our efforts to advance the interests of the Philippines in Hong Kong, protect and promote the welfare of our kababayans, and more importantly, empower our fellow Filipinos to build for themselves a good life here.  I look forward to having a productive working relationship with you as we work together for the higher interest of our nation and people in the spirit of friendship, openness and mutual respect.

Maraming salamat po, at mabuhay kayong lahat!