Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Volume 2, Number 1                   February 10 - 16,  2002           Quezon City, Philippines







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Bulatlat.com turns one!

To be honest, we almost forgot about our anniversary last week due to our preoccupation with so many social issues. But Bulatlat.com cannot let this occasion slip by without recognizing the invaluable help of the journalists and writers who submit articles for free or selflessly share their research; the regular letter senders and other readers who were moved to write us, inspiring us to work harder; the nameless readers of Bulatlat.com who remind us that the work for genuine change and people-oriented governance continues...

BY ROWENA CARRANZA
Bulatlat.com

It was on February 7 last year that that first issue of Bulatlat.com was uploaded.  There was no champagne, no balloon, not even the traditional pansit to celebrate our first upload. There was only satisfaction over an idea, which we all believed to be good, finally pushing through after more than two months of meetings on the website design and orientation, consultations with contributing journalists and identifying target website hosts.

Just finalizing the name of the online magazine took several meetings. Had one of our colleagues prevailed, you would have been browsing for Lamok.com instead of Bulatlat.com. The word lamok literally means mosquito, which stings sharply. During martial law years, small newspapers, collectively called the mosquito press, bravely exposed the wrongdoings of the Marcos regime. But unfortunately for the name’s proponent, it now reminds people more of dengue than the power of the press. 

Well, the name Bulatlat.com raised a lot of eyebrows, too. But the editors simply refused to have a bland or generic name.

Among the first letters we received were from Filipinos abroad and fellow Filipino journalists who hailed the birth of Bulatlat.com. Particularly heartening was the email from Mike Tan of Philippine Daily Inquirer and the editors of provincial newspapers and a German publication who expressed desire to reprint Bulatlat articles.

To be truthful, we almost forgot about our anniversary last week. The Board of Editors met as usual, planned the next issue and reviewed the articles that came in. When we finally remembered our anniversary, we agreed that we would rather buy much needed cabinets and ensure our supply of coffee than to hold a party.

We, however, could not let the occasion slip by without recognizing the invaluable help of the journalists and writers who submit articles for free or selflessly share their research; the regular letter senders and other readers who were moved to write us, inspiring us to work harder; the nameless readers of Bulatlat.com who remind us that the work for genuine change and people-oriented governance continues; and, of course, Bulatlat.com’s patient and generous web host.

Last February 7, Bulatlat.com celebrated its first anniversary.   Again, there was no champagne, no balloon, not even the traditional pansit to celebrate the occasion. There was only satisfaction over the idea of an online magazine, which we all believed to be good, proving to be an excellent one -- especially when nourished by its readers and supported by fellow writers and journalists.  Bulatlat.com


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