"When I was posted as second secretary and consul at the Philippine Embassy in Jeddah in 1982, Arab News was already the newspaper to read in Saudi Arabia," Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom Antonio P. Villamor said.

Arab News chronicled the Kingdom's economic development and the influx of Filipino workers during the construction boom in the mid-1970s.

At present, Arab News has 16-20 pages daily, but it debuted as a tabloid with Ahmad Mahmoud as the first editor in chief. It reported only local events from the Saudi Press Agency and foreign news through the wires. Despite editorial constraints, the staff worked hard with limited professional resources.  Not long after the first issue hit the streets, Arab News started carrying news stories about the Philippines and Filipino workers in the Kingdom. It also started covering the Philippine Embassy and carved out its own space as a newspaper of choice for readers and advertisers.

"Along with other foreign missions, I also covered the Philippine Embassy and wrote about its activities, as well as those of the Filipino community," said Javid Hassan, who joined Arab News on Dec. 31, 1980.

A year later, he was transferred to Riyadh, and continued covering the embassy when it was transferred to the capital city in 1983.

In the 1980s, Arab News invariably carried significant events in the Philippines, like the 1981 election.  With the whole country still under martial law, elections were held to pacify the people who demanded reforms. However, massive fraud was committed and election-related violence flared up.

The Filipinos' seething anger came to a boil on Aug. 21, 1983 when the popular Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. was fatally shot on the tarmac of Manila International Airport.

Ninoy - husband of the revered late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino and father of Noynoy who is running for the presidency - was returning from exile in the US.

The image of Ninoy's bloodied white jacket and his body slumped on the ground face down has become an iconic picture reminding Filipinos of his sacrifice to effect change in the nation ruled by a dictator.

First, the people were immobilized by shock, disbelieving the news that spread like wildfire. Then they silently wept. Reading about all this in Arab News, Filipinos in the Kingdom empathized with them.

In 1986, Ferdinand Marcos challenged Cory to a presidential snap election in 1986. Having been a housewife, she was hesitant. She would run, she said, if a million signatures endorsing her to run could be collected.

Chino Roces, former Manila Times publisher, successfully led the campaign. Seeing the one million signatures, Cory agreed to accept Marcos' challenge, and Filipinos were kept abreast of these events in the pages of Arab News.

Marcos attempt to steal the election failed following the People Power Revolution that ushered in Cory. The US urged the Marcos family to exile themselves to Hawaii.

Hearing the news, the people along Edsa literally danced with joy, and Arab News reported all about it: People  were shouting and  greeting one another with high fives. The whole atmosphere was surcharged with excitement. The People Power Revolution brought profound change sans bloodshed. Arab News also played an important role during the 1991 Gulf war. The Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu sought the Philippine Embassy's assistance in reassuring OFWs of their safety and security. It was instrumental in conveying the message and acting as the interface between the Filipino community and the Saudi government.

Arab News likewise covered important events during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos. The Philippines experienced political stability and economic growth. As a result, the Philippines was dubbed Asia's next economic tiger.

Then came the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada that resulted in a popular uprising, People Power 2, that ousted him from power in January 2001. This was likewise covered by Arab News, as was Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's unpopular presidency. Arab News also published news items on the death of Cory due to colon cancer on Aug. 1, 2009. Huge crowds, reminiscent of the 1986 People Power Revolution, took to the streets of Manila to mourn her death.

One of the biggest events in Philippine history, which Arab News covered, was the massacre of 57 people on Nov. 23, 2009 in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, Mindanao. The victims were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmail Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, for governor. Many of those killed were journalists. Arab News likewise published news items on the fights of the Filipino ring icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

Arab News' comprehensive coverage reflects positively on its Editor in Chief Khaled Almaeena, who stays tuned to his newspaper's audience and dishes out the kind of news that they enjoy reading. In a way, he has democratized the newspaper's coverage, which explains the rise and rise of Arab News.