History of Philippine press / Carson Taylor.

History of the Philippine Press

15

In 1824 a monthly publication called Registro Mercantil
was established by an economic society, with permission of
the government, which was devoted exclusively to commercial and shipping information, current prices, etc. This enjoyed the longest life of any publication up to that time and
was discontinued for lack of funds in May 1833. A life of
approximately ten years during which time, so far as history records it was the only paper published in the islands.
After the Registro Mercantil, six years passed before the
Precios Corrientes de Manila appeared in 1839. It is believed to have lasted some two years. It was nothing more
than a market report or price review.
After a period of twenty-one years the first publication
that could really be called a newspaper since the hectic days
of La Filantropia was established as a weekly in 1843 under
the title of Seminario Filipino. It contained foreign news,
when available, a religious article, local news, miscellaneous
items, a market review, arrivals and departures of boats,
etc. One number which has been preserved announces the
opening of a hospital in a house in Nagtajan and the inauguration of the San Miguel bridge (Probably where the
Ayala bridge now stands). A later number contains news
of the opening of a theatre by a recreatioi society. The
opening play was given by amateurs as a private performance and was entitled "Marcela o Cual de las Tres."
Another number contains an interesting article entitled
"Twenty-One Days in Laguna Province and Expedition to
Tambujao, a Mysterious Place in Tayabas." How long it
ran is not recorded, but D. Rafael Diaz Arenas in his
memoirs states that it started at the beginning of 1843 and
was refounded under the name of Amigo del Pais in 1845.
This is the only mention made of the latter paper except in
an editorial announcement in La Estrella de Manila, founded October 4, 1846, wherein it is stated, "Doubtless many of
our subscribers are also subscribers to El Amigo del Pais."
La Estrella de Manila is described as devoted to religion, commerce, art and literature. According to Retana it
had a brief existence, and it is probable that El Amigo
del Pais ceased publication near the same time, about 1849.
In referring to La Estrella de Manila, Retana makes
the following comment: "It may be said that the abolishing
of the constitution in August 1824 brought back the previous
rigid censorship of the press, and for this reason it is not
strange that dating from that year the newspapers of Manila for a long period fell into the hands of the less intelligent,