In their own words: Why Filipinos trust The Philippine STAR

THIRTY NINE YEARS OF UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO TRUTH, AS TOLD BY READERS AND LEADERS

- By CECILE J. BALTASAR

Born out of a call for press freedom five months after the People Power Revolution in 1986, The Philippine STAR remains steadfast in its mission: to be a vessel for truth to prevail.

Amy Pamintuan, editor-in-chief of The STAR, leads the charge daily, relying on the foundation of journalism to stay the course.

"The strength of traditional media is trust," she says. "We stick to all the journalistic principles and do proper vetting. We have to be fair, accurate, truthful, and make an effort to deliver that kind of information to everyone."

TRUTH ON THE LINE

Pamintuan — cited as one of the Journalists of Courage and Impact by the East-West Center in Hawaii last year — demonstrates these values as she anchors The STAR's flagship news show, Truth on the Line.

The show "serves as a bridge between our print and social media operations," says Pauline del Rosario, head of The STAR's Social Media and Video Lab. "On one hand, you have the depth and journalistic discipline of our print team, and on the other, you have the speed, creativity, and audience-first mindset of the social media team."

As a product of these two journalistic worlds, Truth on the Line sets itself apart from other news talk shows. The platform does not make a difference, however, in The STAR's task at hand.

"Digital technology just gives us another platform to deliver good, trustworthy journalism," says Pamintuan. "Good journalism will never go away regardless of platform."

TRUST BEARER

To mark its 39th year, The STAR asked readers from all walks of life: "Why do you trust The Philippine STAR?" The responses reflect Filipinos' need for accurate, responsible, and truthful reporting.