Twenty-six stars ago

We are marking our 26th birthday today!

Twenty-six years ago, did we ever imagine that we would still be at this job, still sniffing out the news, still dealing out opinions that we hope would influence others to act, or refrain from what we believe would be detrimental to our society?

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Our dear readers will forgive us if we get somewhat maudlin today. The date April 12 has always made us, the founders, the writers, and the supporters of the DAILY STAR, reminiscent and sentimental. Even if we have gone through this 26 times already, we cannot help thinking back to the time when, during an auspicious day when the planets formed a quadrant, we made the reckless decision to put out a DAILY newspaper that would serve the information needs of this community.

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Oh we dreamed dreams, many of them seemingly impossible at the time. Like imagining the STAR moving into the computer age, going colored, going international. Because we had to transfer our office as well as our printing facilities no less than seven times, we also dreamed of someday, somehow, having our own building, one with a deck roof from where we could look and watch the city pass by.

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We dreamed those at the time when we had only one printing machine, one electronic composer, and a few third- or fourth-hand typewriters. Then, we had our newsprint hauled on a trisikad very afternoon to be cut into STAR size by any printing press in the city that would help us. Anniversary days were celebrated with two or three plates of pancit, and, if we were lucky, a leg or breast of chicken inasal. Oh, we were always worried about finances, but we were happy, nonetheless.

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They all seemed like “over the rainbow” stuff, but seemingly impossible dreams do come true, if you have hope and faith in God and prayers. Today, the STAR is computerized, we have colored printing, we have our very own building – with a deck roof! And we have gone international, our website reaches both Filipinos and foreigners in all parts of the world, and they let us know it by their feedback. To all STAR supporters and diehards, therefore, thank you, thank you, and please continue with your prayers for the STAR we have all nurtured!

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And now, back to business, the mysterious rice problem continues to hog not only the headlines, but also the consciousness of everyone. Of course this problem involving food appears to affect, not only our country, but others who also lacked the foresight to do something long ago to avert it. Yesterday, I sat up when I heard the announcer of the British Broadcasting Company mention the Philippines. And, expectedly, the news program was covering the so-called rice crisis here. The video showed a BBC reporter walking among hordes of people lining up under the scorching sun, waiting to buy rice. I squirmed when the reporter, analyzing the problem, said something like “They neglected agriculture, now they’re paying for it.”

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How the truth hurts. But one must agree, that was a very incisive summing up of the problem. But who is to blame for the neglect? And was it neglect, and not graft and corruption that had done this to us? How come our rice plants were not fertilized when the government had shelled out millions, maybe even billions for it? Whose pockets got fertilized so that while our rice plants withered or produced less, the money for it was used to buy luxury cars, build seaside villas, or purchase houses in the U.S.? if anybody dies from starvation because of the lack of rice, let such death be on the consciences of those thieves.*

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