Five years ago on New Year’s Day, a local news company chose to embrace a new beginning and adapt to the changes of news consumption — thus, CDN Digital was born.
Amid some apprehension, Cebu Daily News printed its last newspaper and moved entirely to social media and a centralized website.
Five years later, the digital publication as we know it today is still growing in digital reach, as proven by the numbers. In fact, CDN Digital maintains its place as the leading digital publication in Cebu, with the highest web traffic in the first quarter of 2024.
As CDN Digital welcomes another year of servimg the Cebuanos, the rising digital publication chose to honor the people who have kept things running smoothly over the years and celebrate the feat with the beloved elderly of Gasa sa Gugma.
Acknowledging the pillars
On May 30, the entire team of CDN Digital celebrated its fifth anniversary with a private dinner in Cafe Marco in Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
The event was attended by Ralph Gurango, the team’s social media manager and content strategist, Ching Gracia, the HR and admin director of Inquirer Interactive, Inc., and Abelardo Ulanday, the editor-in-chief of CDN Digital and Inquirer.net.
Although Imelda Alcantara, chief operating officer of Inquirer Interactive, Inc., couldn’t join the celebration at Cafe Marco, she sent a virtual message to acknowledge the publication’s achievement.
The CDN Digital team, including its HR director and editor-in- hief, celebrated its 5th anniversary at Cafe Marco, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
During the event, several individuals who contributed to the five-year success of the digital publication received service awards for their tenure. HR Director Gracia also surprised Brian Mikhael Ochoa, one of the awardees, with a promotion to CDN Digital’s new content editor.
CDN Digital Service Awardees with Inquirer.net heads: (From Left to Right) HR Director Ching Gracia, Enrico Gabuya (on behalf of Dennis Singson), Brian Mikhael Ochoa, Dominic Ylagan, Doris Bongcac, and Editor-in-Chief Abelardo Ulanday | Photo: Christian Dave Cuizon
Here is the list of the service awardees:
- James Hipolito Amistad (Senior Digital Advertising Specialist)
- Doris Bongcac (Senior Copy Editor)
- Brian Mikhael Ochoa (Content Editor)
- Dennis Singson (Copy Editor)
- Dominic Ylagan (Digital Advertising Officer)
Ulanday capped the event with a strong message acknowledging the team’s long struggle to keep CDN Digital running this far.
However tough and challenging the last five years had been, I would say that you were, and continue to be pillars of strength for CDND. Congratulations for a very good job done.
“This anniversary makes the journey worth taking,” he expressed in his speech.
CDN Digital celebrates with Gasa sa Gugma
The following day, the CDN Digital team continued its celebration with the elderly in Gasa sa Gugma, a home for the aged in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
The center is a charitable facility that houses dozens of elderly and sick members of the Cebuano community, supervised by the sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Still joined by Ulanday and Gracia, the team was welcomed by the staff and residents of Gasa sa Gugma on Friday afternoon, May 31.
Editor-in-Chief Abelardo Ulanday dances with CDN Digital’s content creator Immae Lachica | Photo: Christian Dave Cuizon
The CDN Digital team entertained the elderly for an hour with games, dancing, and other interactive activities. Some of them also got to sing some of their favorite songs.
One who mostly tugged the heartstrings of the team was an elderly man who asked to sing his rendition of “Born Free” by Matt Monro.
Stay free where no walls divide you. You’re free as a roaring tide, so there’s no need to hide. Born free, and life is worth living.
With an angelic voice, he sang the song from his heart, touching everyone who heard him that afternoon. He must have felt a sense of freedom, doing what he loved, reminding himself that life is precious, knowing he was born to be free.
After a series of entertainment, the elderly enjoyed a full meal provided by the team.
CDN Digital team, together with its HR director and editor-in-chief, celebrated its fifth anniversary with the elderly in Gasa sa Gugma, a home for the aged.
As CDN Digital ends its series of activities for its 5th anniversary, the digital publication strives harder to maintain its upward growth trend with a growing team and wider audience reach.
With Siloy as its main mascot, CDN Digital also aims to be a striking symbol for Cebu and beyond as it maintains its identity as the leading digital news source for Cebuanos worldwide. /clorenciana