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The Manila Times
Manila Times Masthead.svg
The Manila Times Front Page (January 12, 2018).jpeg
The Manila Times front page on January 12, 2018
Type Daily newspaper
Format Broadsheet
Owner(s) Dante Ang
Founded October 11, 1898; 126 years ago (1898-10-11)
(46,290 issues)
Political alignment Centre-right
Language English
Headquarters Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Country Philippines
Circulation 120,700 (2012)

The Manila Times is the oldest newspaper in the Philippines that is still published in English. It comes out every day. The newspaper's main offices are in Intramuros, Manila.

It was started on October 11, 1898. This was just after news arrived that the Treaty of Paris would be signed. This treaty ended the Spanish–American War. It also meant the Philippines would move from Spanish to American control. Today, The Manila Times says it has the fourth-largest number of copies printed among newspapers in the Philippines. It sells more than the Manila Standard. However, it sells fewer copies than the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Manila Bulletin, and The Philippine Star.

The current leader of the newspaper, who is both president and chief executive officer (CEO), is Dante Francis "Klink" Ang II. On May 1, 2017, his father, Dante Ang, was chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte for a special job. He became the President's special helper for international public relations.

History of The Manila Times

The Manila Times was started by Thomas Gowan. He was an Englishman living in the Philippines. The newspaper was made mainly for Americans who came to Manila. They were there to fight in the Spanish–American War. At that time, most newspapers in the Philippines were in Spanish. A few others were in local languages. Soon after the paper began, news reached Manila about the Paris Conference. This meeting led to the treaty where Spain gave up its claim over the Philippines to the United States.

Early Days and First Issue

The first issue of The Manila Times came out on October 11, 1898. It had two sheets, which made four pages. Each page was about 12 by 8 inches in size. Each page was split into two columns. The first page had announcements and advertisements. Page 2 was the editorial page. It had important news and opinions from the newspaper. Page 3 shared news from Europe and the United States. This news was all about the Spanish–American War.

Changes in Ownership

In 1899, George Sellner bought The Manila Times from Thomas Gowan. Gowan then worked for the paper as its business manager. In 1902, an American businessman bought The Manila Times. But Sellner bought it back in 1905. In 1907, Thomas C. Kinney bought the paper from Sellner. On July 25, 1914, The Manila Times moved its main office. It moved from Escolta Street to the Cosmopolitan Building.

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The Manila Times Building in Intramuros, Manila

In 1919, Manuel L. Quezon bought The Manila Times. He later became the President of the Philippines during the Commonwealth period. He owned the paper until 1921. Then, George Fairchild, a rich sugar businessman, bought it. In 1926, Jacob Rosenthal bought The Manila Times from Fairchild. On December 10, 1928, a fire destroyed the Cosmopolitan Building. So, The Manila Times moved its office to Intramuros. On March 15, 1930, The Manila Times closed down for the first time. It stayed closed until 1945. The paper reopened after World War II. Later, it was sold to Chino Roces. By 1950, The Manila Times had become the biggest newspaper in the Philippines.

Closures and Reopenings

On September 23, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. This meant he took special control over the country. He ordered all media places to close. This included The Manila Times. This was the second time the newspaper closed since 1945. Its owner, Chino Roces, was also arrested. On February 5, 1986, The Manila Times opened again. This was just days before the People Power Revolution. That event removed Marcos from power. It also made Corazon Aquino the new president. Roces passed away on September 30, 1988. In 1989, a businessman named John Gokongwei bought the paper.

In 1999, The Manila Times had a problem. It published a story about President Joseph Estrada. The story said he was involved in a deal between the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) and an Argentine company. On March 9, Estrada filed a lawsuit against The Manila Times. He said the paper had printed false and harmful information about him. However, the lawsuit was later stopped in April. This led to many editors and writers at the paper leaving their jobs.

On July 20, 1999, Katrina Legarda and Reghis Romero bought The Manila Times. It then closed for the third time on July 23. It reopened later on October 11. On May 14, 2001, Mark Jimenez bought the paper. He sold it to Dante Ang on August 8, 2001. Dante Ang was a publicist for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: The Manila Times para niños

  • Libertito Pelayo
  • Filipino Reporter
  • Satur Ocampo
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