02/06/2025
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦.
This publication started small—with a band of young, restless storytellers who shared a dream: to be vanguards of truth, to make voices heard, and to make every drop of ink matter.
And from the very beginning, you were there.
You stood through the early struggles—when no one knew us, when our layouts crashed hours before printing, when we second-guessed if our articles were enough. You were there in the countless edits, the arguments over phrasing, and the silent tears behind every rejected topic. You carried the name of The Tabonian on your shoulders when no one else could.
There were times this very publication was pushed into the dark—times when speaking up came with consequences. But still, you wrote—because you knew what The Tabonian truly is: a mosaic of truth, stories, and voices from every student of Tabon M. Estrella National High School. And you fervently held this mosaic through censorship, through pressure, and through fear. You taught us that being a campus journalist goes beyond contests and recognition. It means choosing courage over comfort, integrity over submission, and truth over silence. When truth is inconvenient, that is exactly when it must be told.
You did not just defend the paper. You defended every student who needed to be heard. And in doing so, you became more than writers. You became warriors.
The Tabonian was never just ink and paper.
We have always been 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲—and you, dear seniors, embodied that more than anyone else.
You made this publication more than a team. You made it home.
Thank you for carrying the name of The Tabonian with pride. Thank you for showing us how to serve not just a publication—but a purpose. So thank you for every story, every sacrifice, every moment. Thank you for the courage, the compassion, the commitment, and the integrity. Thank you for being our leaders, our mentors, and our constants.
And farewell—not as an end, but as a beginning.
As you chase your dreams, may your words remain sharp, your hearts remain kind, and your stories always anchored in truth. Padayon, our seniors. You have already made names—now go make history.
We, from The Tabonian and Ang Suhay family, will always carry your legacy with us. You may leave the newsroom, but your words, your fire, and your fight will never leave us.
--
Words by: Mary Jane Maputol
