Volume 7, Issue No. 28
OPINION/COMMENTARY
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . .
Our latest as of Monday, December 8, 2025
~ A watershed moment is about to happen to this online Filipino Web Magazine as it approaches another year of service. By end December, the number of reads would be well within or way above the 100,000-mark. It's a happy development that indicates appreciation for the illuminating stories and commentaries, both good and bad, we've written for the past seven years.
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FILIPINO WEB MAGAZINE
Good and Bad Stories Push
Readership to New Heights
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
“The journey may be tough, but your resilience will shine.” – Isaac Young
TORONTO - The numbers don't lie. They speak for themselves. They tell stories. They are silent expressions of support.
This season of love, peace and joy will soon give way to another year. And so before this one is over, I am just excited to share some bits of blessings that came our way, blessings that are intangible but heartwarming and uplifting, and certainly not material gains.
The years from 2019 to the present - seven years hence - have been fruitful in terms of inspiring readers and figuratively opening minds.
As writer and editor of this online Filipino Web Magazine or FWM (https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2025/) and other news outlets on YouTube under the umbrella of Romar Media Canada, I am beyond grateful for the public's continued patronage.
By end December 2025, readership at the magazine would well be within or way above the 100,000-mark. In mathematical terms, that would translate to an average of 14,285 reads a month. In practical terms, it means trust and confidence in our reporting.
However, the progression may not be entirely accurate because there are months when stories command little attention, and months when readership surge to high levels depending on the articles written and published.
For example, stories about Filipino visual and music artists, such as Maestro Romi MananQuil, Michelle Chermaine Ramos, Ignacio "Mogi" Mogado, and Frank Cruzet; Mon Torralba and his Hotdog band, and Belinda Corpuz (videos), have garnered a significant following to boost readership in and outside Canada.
The stories:
In almost equal measure, tabloid competitors Balita and The Philippine Reporter (TPR) have caught public attention for notoriety, thus pushing readers to feast on articles showing how vexatious they are.
Balita, which is run by an EINO or editor in name only, is notable for a string of defamation lawsuits which it consistently lost one after another. On the other hand, TPR has been unmasked for the lies and deception by its conjugal editors leading to its downfall.
The stories:
Remember that old song "Shame and Scandal in the Family"? Its opening lyrics say "Woe is me/Shame and scandal in the family . . . "
Well, it found its place in Filipino community organizations and events, notably in Taste of Manila and its flash-in-the-pan partners like PCCC, PESO, IEC, and lately SPARC. Not only do they con people, they also steal photos and videos.
The stories . . .
The song may also apply to Filipino Centre Toronto. This month, there's renewed interest in this moneybag of a non-profit so that the number of readers has risen again.
The stories that gained new traction:
The freedom to express opinions on anything, write commentaries about events, critique officials and role players, and expose wrongdoing in government and community organizations funded by taxpayers - these are without question godsend.
Unlike some Toronto tabloids that thrive on gossip, people's vanity, and photo handouts, FWM is intended to be a repository of good and bad times in the Filipino community. That sense of purpose gives it soul.
To quote Philip L, Graham, former Washington Post president and publisher, journalism is "the first rough draft of history," which is also what FWM is doing since its founding.
The focus has always been to uncover hypocrisy that afflicts many of our so-called leaders, fake media, and so-called charity organizations that purport to help the poor and downtrodden.
One hundred thousand - that's five times the Filipino population in the Greater Toronto Area - is a number difficult to reach unless the stories and commentaries reflect current developments affecting everyone. To me, attaining that huge readership indicates relevance and deep connection with the community. (Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved).
