Forty-five years and 2,340 issues after its first post-Martial Law copy appeared in the streets of Virac and other towns, the Catanduanes Tribune celebrates its foundation anniversary today, March 25, 2026.
In over four decades of existence, this community newspaper has steadfastly served the island province and its people, regularly appearing week after week in times of national crisis, the occasional super typhoons and even the COVID pandemic that restricted movement of the populace.
But the celebration would not be complete without mentioning the fact that the Tribune’s first edition saw print on Nov. 24, 1967, with the late PR man and journalist Bubby Dacer of Albay as publisher and the then Court of First Instance (CFI) clerk of court Fredeswindo T. Gianan Sr. as editor.
Consisting of four pages, Issue No. 4 dated Dec. 15, 1967 also listed Gerry Valenton as managing editor and business manager, Romeo dela Cruz as circulation manager, and Efigenia Gianan, Gabriel Rodulfo and Nelia Valeza as columnists.
Although it soon had a following among local folks, the paper apparently ceased publication before mid-1968, with a new paper, The Island Reporter, put out by Dr. Antonio Zantua as publisher and Fred Gianan as editor.
This paper enjoyed a three-year run until about September 1971, with a new version of the Catanduanes Tribune coming out on October 25 of that year, this time with Fred T. Gianan as publisher-editor, and Gabriel Rodulfo, Estela Tioxon and Estrella Sarmiento as columnists.
But the Tribune’s first reincarnation would last for only a year, as all but a few “friendly” newspapers nationwide were closed following President Ferdinand Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law on Sept. 21, 1972, as announced by Gigmoto son and then Minister of Public Information Francisco “Kit” Tatad.
Incidentally, Tatad wrote for the Tribune a few times and often stayed at Gianan’s residence in the 60’s on his way to the metropolis, according to accounts.
Upon the lifting of Martial Law in February 1981, Gianan resumed publication of the Tribune as publisher-editor, with Sisenando Abundo Jr. as business manager and Jose T. Buebos as treasurer.
The first issue dated Feb. 11, 1981 was actually numbered “Volume II, No. 1.” This indicates that this was the very first issue, and not Feb. 13, 1980, probably intended to circumvent the one-year publication requirement for the publication of legal notices with the tacit consent of the local court.
In the next four decades, it would grow in credibility and reputation under Gianan’s helm, with a number of columnists soon writing for the paper beginning with Alfonso Taniegra.
When the publisher was enticed into running for public office as provincial board member after the EDSA Revolution, two of his six children – his eldest son Fernan or fourth child Fred Jr. – took turns as publisher.
By this time, Fernan was already working as reporter, photographer and copy editor during his spare time, with Fred’s wife Zune continuing her role in making sure the paper which arrived in unsorted packs were correctly assembled by the newsboys.
There were times, especially if the issue ran for more than 20 pages, when half of the house was occupied by the newsboys assorting the pages properly before they were allowed to go out and sell the Tribune on the street.
Shortly before Fred Sr. fell ill from heart troubles and pancreatic cancer in late 1999 and was no longer able to handle the work, Fernan, then serving as the municipal engineer of Virac, finally took over as publisher-editor.
The founder’s death on May 4, 2000 at the relatively young age of 63 wrote finis to Fred Sr.’s sterling career in Catanduanes’ journalism that began when he was editor-in-chief of the Catanduanes Collegian.
With reliable internet services available in the capital town, the Tribune started its own website, http://www.catanduanestribune.com, by December 2000 with Canada-based Richard Revelar as web administrator.
Seven years later, the management began considering the possibility of establishing its own printing press after costs for having all 52 issues made in Naga City, Camarines Sur reached a million pesos annually.
Since its second rebirth in 2000, Fred Sr. had to go to the port of Virac every Sunday noon and board the Tabaco-bound ferry to look for Naga City-bound passengers who could carry the envelope containing the typed news articles and black-and-white photos for the week’s issue.
The materials had to be dropped off at the printing press in front of the city cemetery, either by the kind passenger or, if it was the publisher’s lucky day, delivered by the conductor of a Naga-bound bus.
That same weekly chore became the next publisher’s duty, with the issue delayed when PAGASA raised typhoon signals and there were no boat trips to the mainland.
This came to an end by 2008, when the management bought its first printing equipment – a Solna 125 one-color offset printer as well as other accessories – from a shuttered printing press in Calamba City, Laguna.
The first months at the garage converted into a printing press were trying times, with the printing process beset by inexperienced staff and the management’s lack of familiarity.
Before the year was over, everything fell into place – particularly with the arrival of the former operator at the Naga City printing press that was forced to close when the Tribune pulled out as its main client.
Today, that garage printing press – Tri-Star Press & General Merchandise – now has its own building, with the Tribune occupying the second floor.
In late 2020, the weekly paper began putting out its news and columns on Facebook where the paper has gained followers.
Although the COVID pandemic affected its circulation, with the number of copies falling from 1,500 to 1,300 weekly at the time, what is remarkable is that it never missed putting out its weekly issue during the pandemic years even during the lack of printing materials due to the nationwide lockdown.
There were several weeks wherein its number of pages were limited to four and its copies for towns outside Virac had to be sent through government vehicles bound for said municipalities.
When monster typhoon Rolly slammed into Virac on Nov. 1, 2020 and destroyed power and communication lines aside from many infrastructures, the Tribune issue was out on the streets the next Wednesday morning, Nov. 4.
And there are the legal challenges that have been brought against the Tribune before the local courts since its founding, with several of them filed by disgruntled politicians against Fred Sr. especially when he entered local politics.
The most serious of the libel cases was filed against his successor, Fernan, by officials of the Sunwest Water & Electricity Co. owned by then President and CEO Elizaldy Co in 2016 over an allegedly libelous column written by co-accused Rosulo Manlangit. Both men were later found guilty, with Gianan deciding to appeal the case.
In January 2021, the Court of Appeals affirmed the guilty verdict for libel rendered by the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 of Legazpi City but modified the decision by removing the three-year imprisonment, replacing it with a fine of P7,500 each. It also reduced the award for moral damages due to complainant SUWECO from the original P8 million to just P1 million and the attorney’s fees from P1,265,000.00 to P300,000.00.
The case has been elevated to the Supreme Court, which has yet to issue its ruling.
The Tribune’s ability to survive these man-made and natural calamities is not only attributed to its being able to put up its own printing press but also to the dedication of the publisher-editor, its columnists and circulation staff, and the support of the Gianan family who recognize the vital role a journalist and his community paper play in this part of the world.
Aside from the previous and current publisher, the other regular or part-time columnists and feature writers who have either come and gone or stayed with the paper these past 45 years are: Tang Tacio (Isip-Isipon Ta), island poet Benny Bagadiong (Let’s Talk), Alfonso Taniegra (It Seems To Me), Fr. Edmund Vargas (Other Concerns), The Cathedral Clergy, Atty. Manito Lucero (Gospel Corner), Virac Clergy (Ut Vitam Habeant), Sammy Besa (Manila Connection), Rudi & Nene Azanza (On Couple Power), Dr. Vietrez Abella (Ask Your Doctor), Emeeh Arcilla, Cecenio Yutan (Checkpoint), Pio Tejada Sr. (Retirees’ Corner), Gabriel T. Rodulfo, Joseph Ocol (Between Islands), Arnold Valledor, Dr. Jimmy Masagca, Rey Tarrobago (Hit-in-Rhyme), Joaquin Vargas (Sulyap sa Kapaligiran), Jerry Beo (All Angles), Babes Masagca (Kaleidoscope), letter writers Bobo Rodulfo, Atty. Apollo Atencia and Boy Tuquero, Danny Tiburcio (ARDCI Line), Salvador Isorena (Pandan Thoughts), Andy Vital (Vital Issues), Susan Ubalde Ordinario (Random Reflections), Joel Son Panti (Briefly Yours), Jex F. Lucero (Tingnan Natin), Atty. Romulo Atencia (Some Random Thoughts), former CSC President Dr. Rodoldo Azanza (The Sixth Sense), his sons Rodolfo Azanza Jr. and Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza, Rodulo Manlangit (Metro OJO/Rosulo), Efren Sorra (Burabod), Pablo Tariman (Entertainment/Islander in the City), Ramon Felipe Sarmiento (Sisay Kita), Rev. Fr. Rommel Arcilla (Sacerdos in Aeternum), retired Hongkong publisher Bryce McIntyre, and Atty. Rene John Velasco (Non Excusat). There may still be others whose names were not mentioned but their contributions deserve the public’s gratitude.
With the help of the publisher-editor’s three sons – eldest Cris Eugene is a UST journalism graduate, photojournalist and entrepreneurship graduate-turned-PBM Fred Benedict and graduating journ student Erwin James, the Tribune now has a significant presence on social media and is moving forward to further improve its website content.
At this time when many weekly tabloids in the Bicol mainland and elsewhere in the country have folded due to the economic crunch and the inroads of online news, the Catanduanes Tribune remains committed to deliver to the island’s reading public their weekly newspaper and to netizens everywhere a narrative of events from the perspective of responsible journalists.