05 December 2009

The official student publication of PLM celebrated its Pearl anniversary thru a week-long set of activities from 01-05 December 2009. Riding on its theme, "From Paper to Pearl: Delving into History and Anchoring the Legacy," the AP debuted with a kick-off launch and opening of AP Exhibit at the University Activity Center and the GV Main Lobby on 01 Dec.

Various activities were conducted in the succeeding days, as follows: Film showing at the newly-renovated Bulwagang Manileño (02 Dec), AP Journalism Seminar at the Justo Albert Auditorium (03 Dec), Poster-making and Comic strip drawing contests (04 Dec), and the Alumni dance party and homecoming (05 Dec), which was the culminating activity.

The AP exhibit ran all week through, featuring past issues and photos that chronicled the days of AP's struggles from its precursor Hasik publication through the Marcos dictatorship and the search for the elusive genuine campus press freedom in the past decades.

Honoring their forebears who steered the publication through AP's decades of struggles was the theme of its culminating activity. Well-attended by past editors and staffers from 1979 to 2008, the current editorial board and staffers welcomed back their alumni, some of whom were only able to visit back their alma mater on that night of homecoming. Nostalgic air breezed through as each batch had reminisced the guts and glories they have exhuded to "keep the fire burning."

On its 30th year, the AP has gone through lots of ups and bumps. But one thing was sure that kept the fervor alive: the realization that "Those who intend to give light must endure the fire of burning."