The Baguio Midland Courier (BMC) folded its last copy July 21, 2024.
A sad day for community journalism. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet chapter lauds the BMC’s 77-year legacy and documentation of history in the Cordillera region which remains unparalleled.
History will note that Marital Law in the 1970s failed to shutter the BMC; it also continued printing in the 1990s when the 7.7 earthquake left Baguio in shambles and again throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
We are grateful for the bravery and tenacity the BMC showed, which is reflective of its battle cry: Fair, Fearless, Friendly, and Free.
The NUJP BB recognizes the men and women behind the BMC and acknowledges their contributions, it is not easy to choose to become a journalist in a country that consistently ranks as the most dangerous.
As the BMC bows to the changing media and advertising landscape, it has imparted its final lesson to the industry, may it become a wake-up call to adopt new platforms and venture into unexplored business models.
Together with our colleagues, we hold on to the BMC management’s promise that journalists and media workers who have dedicated their lives to its cause will receive their full severance pay and benefits.
This is laudable, and NUJP BB hopes that other terms that uphold the welfare of our fellow media workers are met.
