I still remember that first meeting in August 1990 at Gateway House, now part of RMIT. I was newly arrived from the Philippines, homesick and unemployed. One day, out of longing to hear a familiar voice, I called Radyo Filipino on 3ZZZ. On the other end of the line was a fellow Bicolano, Andy Cabrera, a volunteer broadcaster. That simple phone call became the start of a lasting friendship.
A few days later, Andy invited me to drop by his small office at Gateway House. Inside that modest space, I met several Filipinos, including Marina Garcia-Ruivivar, who would later change the course of my life. She had gathered us to discuss an idea – the formation of a Filipino newspaper in Victoria. Before the meeting ended, Marina said, “I hope this one doesn’t fold after only a few years.” She was referring to Philippine Mabuhay, the first Filipino newspaper that lasted only eighteen months. I took her words as a challenge.
Twenty-one of us pooled our modest contributions, between $50 and $200 each, to start The Philippine Times. In those early years, my core team became my lifelong friends: Marina, Andy, Raul Hernandez and Marina’s husband, Philip Ruivivar. We worked on the paper’s production in Mauro Somodio’s garage, with Fred Lipana handling layout and Manny Asuncion and Adrian Prophet managing editorial work.
From day one, Philippine Tours became our most loyal advertiser, appearing in the very first issue and continuing its support until the business closed in 2020. Their consistency was more than financial – it was a gesture of faith that helped sustain the publication through uncertain times.
Over the decades, dedicated editors – from Ernie Demate and Rolly Zubiri to Dina Delfino – helped carry the torch. In 2000, Alice Nicolas became the longest-serving editor-in-chief and now serves as publisher of the print edition, while I manage the digital platform, Philtimes.com.au. In 2019, Jason Cordi took on the role of editor-in-chief, continuing the same passion and commitment that Alice and I share in keeping the paper alive.
Marina was more than a visionary. She also founded FILCCA, FCCVI, and Radyo Filipino. Our core group – Raul, Andy, and I – became part of the secretariat of FILCCA’s first national conference, held in Melbourne that same year, where Marina was elected as the organisation’s founding president. It feels fitting that this November marks the 35th anniversary of both The Philippine Times and FILCCA.
The best friends I forged in Marina, Andy, and Raul remain to this day. We still meet from time to time over lunch or dinner to reminisce about the past – the laughter, the deadlines, and the purpose that once brought us together and continues to bind us in our senior years.
Financial success was never our goal, although it was necessary. What matters is that Marina’s hope endures – that the paper she inspired continues to serve, inform, and connect our community. Thirty-five years on, The Philippine Times remains alive because we never stopped believing in its purpose.
