MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno S. Aquino III graced the 116th anniversary celebration of the Manila Bulletin held at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday.
Founded in February 2, 1900, the newspaper turned 116 on February 2, 2016, Tuesday.
Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago were also present during Wednesday’s event.
The Manila Bulletin began as a four-page newspaper with shipping and other commercial information set up on February 2, 1900.
It was established two years after the start of the American occupation of the country by Carson C. Taylor, a teacher from Illinois, United States, who had served in the US Army during the Spanish-American War.
In 1912, it became a general newspaper with tabloid format and moved to standard size with eight columns in 1918.
The Bulletin continued publication every day thereafter, except for four years in World War II, when it was closed down by Japanese Occupation forces, and for a few weeks after the declaration of martial law in 1972.
After the Philippine independence from America in 1946 and during the difficult martial years, the Manila Bulletin was led by Swiss-Filipino Brig. Gen. Hans M. Menzi.
General Menzi passed on the ownership of the Bulletin to philanthropist-businessman Dr. Emilio T. Yap in 1961.
Under Chairman Yap, the the newspaper became a public corporation traded on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
President Aquino graces Manila Bulletin’s 116th anniversary foundation
