Print is not dead
'Liwayway' is back in print! Here’s hoping others will follow suit
Gather up, young ‘uns. Let me tell you about a world without the internet.
Growing up in the 1980s, the only entertainment available were television sets, radios, movie houses and reading materials. And here in the Philippines, the most accessible reading materials available were locally printed magazines and comic books.
Which is why Liwayway Magazine’s announcement that they are now back in print has hit quite a nostalgic nerve among us Gen Xers, who have barely recovered from Tropical Hut’s recent resurgence. It’s all enough to make us wonder what year it is we’re living in now.
But the celebration around the return of Liwayway magazine to print goes beyond nostalgia. Given its history and the literary greats that it produced, the magazine deserves a place in the pantheon of greats in Philippine literature and publications.
I personally grew up reading magazines such as Liwayway. I remember reading Woman Today, Mod and other such female-centric magazines (I have eight aunts) primarily for the short horror stories they often feature. Of course, there were also some racy articles that piqued the curiosity of someone going through puberty. I then graduated to Liwayway, basking in its various genre of prose and poetry. It even had comic illustrations.
Liwayway is regarded as the oldest magazine in the Philippines, with its maiden issue coming out in 1922. It made quite an impact on Filipino pop culture. Many movies were made out of its serials, notably the serials based on Philippine mythological figure Bernardo Carpio and Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang anthology. The beloved character Kenkoy was also birthed in the pages of Liwayway.
Liwayway is regarded as the oldest magazine in the Philippines, with its maiden issue coming out in 1922.
The magazine also served as a showcase for Filipino talent, with father of Filipino zarzuelas, playwright Severino Reyes writing as Lola Basyang, father of Tagalog comics, illustrator Tony Velasquez providing iconic illustrated covers, and King of Komiks, world-renowned artist Francisco Coching creating unforgettable characters such as Hagibis and Pedro Penduko. It is a widely accepted fact that Liwayway virtually created the “komiks” scene in the country, paving the way for the likes of Carlo J. Caparas, who started his career as a comic creator and writer.
Liwayway would also launch the writing careers of Gilda Olvidado, Elena Patron, and Lualhati Bautista—who all became successful screenwriters and editors. The magazine would be a vehicle for aspiring writers and artists to hone their crafts under the watchful eye of the greats that came before them.
The historic magazine was last seen on stands up until mid-2021. It became available on purely digital formats beginning June of that year. Now, exactly a year after, it will now become available again in print, and will be sold in what little bookstores we have left. It is also an opportune time to go back in the stands as this year, 2022, marks Liwayway’s centennial. It doesn’t hurt that the younger generations of Filipinos have now learned to love and embrace local arts and culture.
Liwayway going back to the stands should also encourage aspiring writers and artists to pursue their craft. The publication is continuously looking for fresh talents to contribute to their magazine. The guidelines for contributors can be found on their social media page.
It is my hope that the return of Liwayway to print would encourage other local publications to risk going back to the stands.
I remember starting out as a writer by gathering enough courage to submit an article to a local magazine. There were countless others who also started out that way. It is also my hope that there will be enough readers out there to support local publications such as Liwayway.
In this age where everything is virtual, there is no better gateway to the wonderful world of prose, poetry and wild imaginings that written literature can offer through a collection of glossy pages full of images and words in print format.
Print publications like Liwayway are something you can casually read at your own pace, own, and actually hold in your hands.
In this age where everything is virtual, there is no better gateway to the wonderful world of prose, poetry and wild imaginings that written literature can offer through a collection of glossy pages full of images and words in print format.
We can’t all be greats such as the Cochings, the Tony Velasquezes, or Lualhati Bautistas, but we can help jumpstart the careers of the next generations of writers to becoming the next legends in Philippine literature and arts by supporting local publications. Here’s to seeing more Liwayways on the stands.
Liwayway can be purchased at branches of National Bookstore for P100.00 each.
