Your Sunday Punch is 59 years old

IT’S been quite a journey since our late editor-publisher Ermin Erfe Garcia founded The PUNCH and published its first issue on July 5, 1956.

Here are some trivia that are perhaps unknown to today’s generation.

The PUNCH was preceded by a newspaper “Pioneer Herald.” Our founder thought that The PUNCH can and should contain all the news that counts in a “pocket-sized” newspaper, that could be folded to fit inside a back pocket of trousers in the mid-50s. It’s original page size was 11.75 x 9 inches.

The original Punch Line column was started by our founder and written under the pen name “Carl O Cohan” (a play on the word “kalokohan”) then continued by his brother Gerardo upon Ermin Sr.’s demise in 1966. Ermin Jr. took it over in March of 1992.

The PUNCH was the first community newspaper to be cited as the Best Community Newspaper in early 60s by ESS0-National Press Club Journalism Awards. It has since been reaping awards in journalism sponsored by the Philippine Press Institute through the decades.

It was the only newspaper in Pangasinan that was allowed to continue publishing during the first three of months of martial law. The PUNCH’s slogan, “No Man is to be Reverenced More Than the Truth –Socrates,” however, was lifted during the martial law regime and was replaced with “In Service to the People of Pangasinan.” We restored Socrates’ after martial law was lifted.

In sum, our eventful journey so far would not have been possible with the unceasing and unconditional support of our loyal readers, including politicians who share our advocacy for good governance, and advertisers for their support. Today, we renew our commitment to independent, fair and ethical practice of journalism in order that our communities may be served well.

 

Used choppers again

WE thought it could happen only under Ate Glow’s watch aka GMA administration, used choppers being passed off as brand-new and sold to the government to the detriment of our soldier’s safety and public money being spent on virtually wasted war materials.  Had it not been for a whistle-blower privy to the scam, herself now being accused of extortion (what else is new?), 21 choppers aged 46 years old or so had been pegged for warfare use at a whopping P1.2 billion in government money.  If that is not downright highway robbery, what is?  And where is military modernization there, please, as repeatedly bandied about by P-Noy?  Some P400.5 million had already been reportedly paid to sellers for eight choppers.

Since this scandal broke out, we have yet to hear a word from the President.  But what else is new?

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