The Mindanao Cross turns 68

The Mindanao Cross, The Little Paper with A Big Cause, marks 68 years of service to the people of Cotabato City and the rest of Central Mindanao today, February 6.

The Mindanao Cross first hit the streets of Cotabato on February 6, 1948.

Founded by Oblates of Mary Immaculate missionary Gerard Mongeau, who became the first bishop of Cotabato, as part of the congregation’s mission in Mindanao, it is currently the oldest Catholic weekly in Mindanao.

The Mindanao Cross is known for its advocacy for Muslim-Christian solidarity, peaceful resolution of domestic peace and security issues, and for its continuing generation, through “community journalism.”

Spurred by current challenges in the region, it recently restated its Vision-Mission: As a medium of New Evangelization and in the context of pluralism The Mindanao Cross is a Bearer of Truth, promoting Justice and Peace through Inter-cultural and Interreligious Dialogue.

The paper also reaffirmed its core values of Credibility, Integrity, Service, and Commitment.

In keeping with its tradition of excellence, The Mindanao Cross took home last year the much coveted award as Best Edited Community Newspaper – Weekly in the Civic Journalism Community Press Awards (CJPA) for 2014 of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI), also known as the national association of newspapers.

The award citation said The Cross was recognized for its “remarkable approach of conveying concerns in a regional perspective while embodying excellence in writing and photojournalism which captures a substantial meaning of the situation of the community.”

It was first awarded Best Edited Paper Weekly in 1998 and again in 2012.

It was adjudged Best in Editorial Page in 1998, 1999, 2006, and 2011.

The Mindanao Cross was also awarded Best in Culture, Arts and History Reporting in 2013 in the 18th season of the CJPA “for equal space allocated to local arts, culture and history reporting amidst the surge of national and local issues; for connecting arts, culture and history, whenever possible to a people’s faith in God and in themselves; and for instilling in the minds of the readers awareness and appreciation for the country’s diverse culture and rich heritage through articles that showcase the Filipino’s creativity.” CCBautista