Outside looking in / Inside looking out
MANILA, Philippines — Forty years ago, I was on the “outside looking in” as a reader of The Philippine STAR. On many occasions, I learned so much from the materials published and was at times quite affected by the things happening in and around “The STAR” as the son of one of its columnists, the late Luis “Louie” D. Beltran.
What I never imagined was that 20 years after its founding, I would find myself invited to be a columnist, writing in the same space my father Louie did for years. That was when I realized I would now be “inside looking out” in search of purpose, style and relevance.
Someone recently asked me if my dad Louie was one of the founders. I could not respond with certainty because the details back then were not “shared“ or posted like everything is today.
My 70-year-old brain tells me that Betty Go-Belmonte, Manong Max Soliven and Art Borjal were all in it. My dad committed to join the founders and followed after he cleared out of the Inquirer.
That principled “adventure” of putting up The Philippine STAR meant different things for different people. What they had in common was courage and passion as journalists.
In many ways, it was “Revenge Journalism” after being denied your freedom of speech, harassed and prevented from having an opinion, as well as the only livelihood you knew for decades. It was also a repudiation of state-controlled media and propaganda.
Those were heady days for them, but soon enough, they must have all realized that putting up a paper meant walking on a tightrope over money, obligations and dragging loved ones in as financiers while the families also sacrificed, living frugal lives.
Few realize that birthing The Philippine STAR, or any media for that matter, is not just about journalism and independence. It involved multiple forms and levels of sacrifices, fear for personal safety and debt to creditors–things that spouses and children also had to indirectly pay the price for.
Many readers immediately read the papers’ headline for the day, but I wonder how many have seriously given a thought to the banner message of The STAR: “Truth Shall Prevail.” I personally believe and assume that, that message was placed there by Betty Go-Belmonte.
That prophetic declaration is said to be from the apocryphal biblical book 1Esdras (chapter 4, verse 41), originally written in Latin: “Magna est veritas et praevalet” or “Truth is great and prevails,” which is very similar to “The Truth Shall Set You Free”.
Betty Go-Belmonte was a deeply religious lady who often mentioned things like the importance of prayer or quoting passages from the Bible. In a very secular culture and setting, I’m sure that there were people who found her preachy or “a bit holy”.
Unless you have the conviction of your beliefs or an abiding faith, it is not easy to casually walk the talk, but Betty Go-Belmonte did and now that I think about it, she has opened doors and made it “normal” to talk about God in the pages of The Philippine STAR.
Who would have guessed that one generation of journalists later, I would be the one now talking about God, quoting Bible verses and as some cynics would say, wearing my religion on my sleeve. But I would not have it any other way.
When I was “on the outside, looking in,” I learned many truths and lessons about the challenges of being a “newspaperman” from many veterans. If you wish to pursue a career in journalism or print media, I suggest you get a second job.
While we all believe that “The Truth Will Prevail,” it does not protect you from the malice and wicked acts of a determined party or malicious individuals who twist truths and meaning.
My father learned that after President Cory Aquino was reportedly misled by two of her Cabinet members into believing that a figure of speech was intended to malign her reputation and therefore she needed to sue Louie Beltran for libel.
I was the one who brought the bad news to him and the first thing he asked was: “For what?” and then pointed out that the alleged libel was “a figure of speech.” It was unfiltered and unguarded, so I always knew that there was no malice. As expected, he was acquitted but not after long suffering and hurt.
While many are mindful and do their best to avoid a “libel case,” being careful is not enough because the mere filing of a libel case is immediately damaging and impacts professional relations within the organization, the journalist, the editor, and ultimately the publisher.
More often than not, the veterans were simply being harassed, inconvenienced or attacked in order to deflect issues and exposés.
I also realized that brilliant minds often mean big egos, causing relationships to become “complicated.” Sadly, the competitive nature of the business eventually infects or affects colleagues, some more than others.
Because of this, many bad players take advantage of this to divide journalists. I know so-called political influencers who sow intrigues or malign reputations by making false claims of bias or corruption.
By God’s grace, most of us have learned our lessons well, and hopefully, in the next 40 years of The Philippine STAR, we who are on the inside will make more efforts to get to know each other with humility and a godly desire to be united. I leave “them” with these words from Ecclesiastes 4: 8-12:
“There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, ‘For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?’ This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.”
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up…”
Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
