“When Martial Law was declared, I was appointed president of the Media Advisory Council to handle affairs of the press”
AT MY age of 97, nearing 98, my biggest regret as a journalist is that I can no longer be involved, as much as I want to be, with two news organizations — the Manila Overseas Press Club and the 365 Club.
The MOPC is Asia’s first and oldest press club, founded by the press corps that accompanied General Douglas MacArthur to liberate Manila from the Japanese Occupying Forces, which had occupied the Philippines for almost four years.
Its current chairman is Tony Lopez, owner of BizNewsAsia.
I joined the MOPC in the 1960s, many years before Martial Law in 1972. It was then already, and still is, a prestigious newsmen’s organization.
When Martial Law was imposed on Sept. 21, 1972 – declared nationwide on television and radio two days later – I was then president of the MOPC and also vice president of Channel 9, owned by Roberto Benedicto, a crony of Marcos Sr.
It was for that reason why I was not among the journalists arrested when Martial Law was declared and the press was censored.
In fact, when Martial Law was declared, I was appointed president of the MAC or Media Advisory Council to handle affairs of the press.
My gulay, as a member of the MAC with recommendatory power to the President and the administrator of Martial Law, then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, it was my belief that the broadcast media, both radio and television, should be outside the ambit of Martial Law.
My recommendation was immediately approved by then President Marcos Sr and JPE.
Then I gathered all the members of radio and television broadcast media to tell them of my idea, to make broadcast media outside the ambit of Martial Law. We called ourselves the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. As the organizer of the group, I was elected president of KBP.
Our first item in the agenda was to regulate how many hours and minutes would be contained in advertising in radio and television programs. That recommendation still prevails till today. It started what I called “truth in advertising.”
On Sept. 21, 1972, I got a call from the Chief of Security of Channel 9. He said, “Sir, na-Martial Law na tayo. Channel 9 is closed.”
There was a big poster on the main door entry containing Proclamation 1081, which closed all media outlets in the country. So when I reached Channel 9, all the employees and officers of the channel were gathered in front of the building. I stayed there till 6 am in the morning commiserating with them.
When I decided to go home to take a rest, as I was passing along EDSA, I saw the Intercontinental Hotel and thought of taking a cup of coffee at its Jeepney Bar coffee shop.
When I entered the Jeepney Bar, I saw sitting at a round table then Makati Mayor Nemesio Yabut and Doroy Valencia, the famous columnist.
When I asked them what they were meeting about, since I saw Yabut had beside him a big duffel bag, Yabut said, “I am ready to be picked up by the military, but I have here Ka Doroy as my insurance.”
There was then a report that Yabut was involved in the killing of military people under Marcos.
Then Ka Dory said to me, “Emil, please go gather all the journalists who are out of a job and tell them henceforth to come to the Intercon coffee shop and have breakfast everyday at my expense.”
Yabut smiled, for he knew he would be the one footing the bill.
I informed my media colleagues about it. The problem was most of them started having their lunch and dinner there also, charging everything to Yabut.
Soon Mayor Yabut complained because the food bill was getting too enormous. So Doroy said, “From now on, I declare “Proclamation 1082”: Everyone will pay KKB (kanya- kanyang bayad) (or each one pays his own).”
That gave birth to the 365 Club.
Since 1972, we have met everyday for breakfast , hence the name The 365 Club.
After Mayor Yabut and Doroy Valencia passed away, I declared myself, being the last remaining founder-member, as Chairman for Life of The 365 Club.
It was a very active club, where journalists, broadcasters, rich businessmen, celebrities and even ambassadors used to attend our breakfast meetings because discussions were on political and business issues.
The 365 Club was a success, so much so that no less than the Wall Street Journal featured it as the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.
During the COVID pandemic, we tried meeting via zoom to discuss political issues.
Juan Ponce Enrile and Tony Lopez would actively join those zoom meetings.
Unfortunately, the club died a natural death after the pandemic because many of our members were appointed to active government positions, including JPE who is now President Marcos Jr.’s Presidential Legal Counsel.
