CEBU CITY, Philippines—Three of Cebu’s biggest icons painted the Queen City of the South blue to mark Cebu Daily News Digital’s (CDN Digital) latest milestone.
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) bridge, the SM Seaside Tower and Cube, and Nustar Resort Cebu were all lit in blue on January 1 in support of CDN Digital’s fifth-anniversary celebration.
SM Seaside City Cebu, VisMin’s largest mall, illuminates its iconic structures – ‘The Cube,’ ‘Seaside Tower,’ and facade in blue in support of CDN Digital’s 5th Anniversary. | Photo by John Ray Aligato
“As we turn five, we collectively say our heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to our readers and followers, the Cebuano community, whose struggles and triumphs continue to be CDN Digital’s goldmine of inspiring stories and narratives,” said Rick Gabuya, managing editor of CDN Digital.
“A massive chunk of our gratefulness also goes to our advertisers and industry partners, whose support enabled us to not just survive but thrive in the digital landscape,” he added.
Cebu and beyond
Cebu Daily News Digital also welcomed the new year with a new tagline – ‘Cebu and beyond’, which was flashed on Nustar Resort Cebu’s jumbotron, the largest 3D LED billboard in the Visayas and Mindanao, during the simultaneous lighting event on January 1.
Nustar Resort Cebu projects CDN Digital anniversary material on its jumbotron to mark the news site’s 5th anniversary. | Photo by John Ray Aligato
“As we celebrate our 5th-year milestone, we are proud to unveil our new tagline, ‘Cebu and Beyond,’ encapsulating our commitment to credible journalism and our spirit as digital trailblazers,” said Imelda Alcantara, Chief Operating Officer of INQUIRER.net, CDN Digital’s parent company.
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For the past five years, CDN Digital has proved its mark as a pioneer in digital storytelling and product development, leveraging opportunities the internet has to offer to provide its readers with comprehensive and enriching stories as well as advertisers with digital solutions, not only inside but outside of Cebu.
“We have become the go-to site for Cebuanos both locally and globally, embodying the true essence of “glocal” with local content that resonates on a global scale,” Alcantara added.
CDN Digital: Rising and thriving
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, recognized as the Philippines’ longest and tallest bridge, turns blue in support of CDN Digital’s 5th anniversary. | photo by John Ray Aligato
In its fifth year, it continues to dominate regional news sites and social media rankings, latest figures from website and social media monitoring tools showed.
“CDN Digital celebrates its 5th anniversary with a very good batting average. Its site traffic is rising, its social media keeping up with, if not leading, the competition, its sales and marketing operations doing well,” said Abelardo Ulanday, editor-in-chief and publisher of INQUIRER.net.
In 2023, it generated more than 16 million page views, according to a report from website monitoring platform SimilarWeb. It also maintained a significant lead in social media with a fivefold increase in followers, now standing at 3.2 million.
Furthermore, CDN Digital has consistently received recognition and accolades in its commitment in excellence in journalism, with recent wins in the Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) for its investigative reporting as well as its acclaimed COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
READ MORE: CDN Digital bags two awards in 10th GMEA
Some members of CDN Digital’s editorial and social media team pose for a photo in front of SM Seaside’s The Cube. In the photo are (from left) Christian Dave Cuizon, Janne Immae Lachica, Enrico Calero Gabuya, Nina Mae Oliverio, Jessa Ngojo, Dennis Singson, Khryss Melchor Gabuya, Doris Bongcac, Ralph Gurango, and Brian Ochoa.
The shift to digital
The decision to transform Cebu Daily News into a fully digital news organization in 2019 was not an easy move.
But the past five years proved that it was the right choice, especially in today’s ever-dynamic times, where breakthrough technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) serve both as an opportunity and a threat for news outlets navigating the digital world.
“Management thought and believed a full digital version of the product can best serve this goal and objective… I have every reason to believe that CDN Digital will continue to thrive and grow even in the most trying times and conditions,” said Ulanday.
Nustar Resort Cebu is also lit in blue in support of CDN’s 5th Anniversary. | Photo by John Ray Aligato
In addition, pillars at CDN Digital and INQUIRER.net expressed confidence and optimism of CDN Digital’s future.
“For 2024, CDN Digital would like to assure our readers, followers, and advertisers of our steadfast commitment to excellence …. as we continue to uphold the truth no matter the price,” said Gabuya.
/bmjo