On this day, October 24, in 1960, The LaSallian released its very first print issue. Today, after 60 years of serving the Lasallian community, the publication commemorates the milestone that serves as a testament to the decades-old principles of impassioned journalism that we have stood—and will continue to stand—for.
True to its motto, “Be there when it happens,” countless staffers and editors of The LaSallian have chronicled history as it unfolded. From the adoption of DLSU’s co-educational system to the establishment of the University Student Government; from the People Power Revolution to the arrest of journalist Maria Ressa; we have borne witness to the events that changed our University and our nation.
This long history of chasing leads and telling stories defines the kind of reportage that The LaSallian proudly manifests; it plays the role of an inquisitive observer and contemporary critic who informs, educates, and provokes its readership.
As our former Features Co-Editor, Bernadette Paat, described so well in a 1987 opinion piece, “It is in the brand of campus journalism…that the slumbering segment of the population is awakened to the truth of the day, or the knowledgeable urge to combat the inconsistencies borne of such truth.” Deemed to be the bastion of issue-oriented critical thinking, the publication has kept the purpose of highlighting current affairs, initiating discourse, and awakening its readers to the truth at its heart.
Today, as we face the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the global recession, and the threats to press freedom, we remain steadfast, as we always have. For to stand for truth, for justice, and for freedom, just as we have done for six decades, is not some mere arbitrary act—it is a mandate.
So to you, dear reader, who has stood by our side as the publication evolved and changed, we reaffirm our commitment to deliver news, recount narratives, and capture moments that promote the best interests of the students whom we serve now and shall continue to serve for decades to come.
