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ILIGAN City ― There is a person who has made a big difference in many lives, including mine.
I am talking about Ernesto “Toto” Chu. I mean, if Ernesto “Toto” Chu was not in our lives, where would we be? I mean without Sir Toto, in many lives, where would be the editors, reporters, bureau chiefs, secretaries, newsboys, MGSD readers, advertisers, etc.? And others who are touched by this good MGSD, event? Of course, MGSD is the Mindanao Gold Star Daily.
For one thing, the concept that is common in publishing in this part of our world is often, every week. As in “weekly” really. Or once, “when you wake up” as many put it in jest.
But Toto was a rare kind of mind., a genius, a gift to many of us whose lives he touched.
Oh, have I become redundant? Or repeated? Well, maybe. I can’t help it because the 34th year has started!
“Could things have been so simple back then…Or has time rewritten every line…?” These are some of the lyrics of a song sung by Barbra Streisand. Well, I can’t help but relate the lyrics. Because every newspaper business here in Mindanao is very “weekly”. Until Toto “rewrote” it. In “every day.”
That would be against everything. But…
In his unique way of thinking, in analysis, not only in Cagayan de Oro, but in the whole of Mindanao. A very ambitious way of thinking. And looking ahead. And it also helped that the bus terminals in Mindanao were integrated. So, very little problem there. Until the delivery of the paper every day in almost every corner of Mindanao.
If one looks at the description of this paper, it says, it is a “trailblazer.” That’s right. A very accurate description. For one thing, there are too many news events in the countryside. Which we hardly realize. Because newspaper news is centered in Luzon, in “Imperial Manila.”
The news, of course, is not limited to Cagayan de Oro. Different bureaus were also established there in strategic areas of Mindanao.
This city of Iligan was one of the first to have a bureau established there. With the concept of “partial autonomy.” That’s what I’m looking at. But with the help of the CDO’s central office. I would describe the move as “difficult.” But with Toto Chu, I just thought of it in relation to the quote “When the going gets tough, only the tough get going.”
However, when we started operations as a bureau here in the city, many weeks here were threatened, I must say. At the point of a week here decided to go “daily” too. Kind of like, “If Ernesto ‘Toto’ Chu can do it, why can’t I?”
That particular newspaper here, which I will not name, goes daily. Just for three weeks. And then it’s back to weekly. Of course, there is only one Ernesto “Toto” Chu.
We know it’s hard. Even now. Especially with the current developments among us. With digitalization. And with the recent lockdowns due to Covid. But this man who started all this and whose genius, personality, his abilities have somewhat spoiled us, how can we not win? On the one hand, provisions are made regarding its continuation, even for years to come!
These days, we see another “daily” here stuck with some seemingly insurmountable complaints. Then we are blessed and thankful that no such things happened here. Although there are also some cases. We are grateful however little it may be. Like, if there is trouble at some point in the bureau office somewhere in Mindanao? Boss Toto with some team members will go there, to analyze, to help. Before the trouble goes away.
And today, it is the 34th anniversary of this paper. So, to everyone who reads this piece, or even those who don’t, I say, Happy Anniversary!
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