ILOILO City – Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. of Iloilo province and Sen. Franklin Drilon acknowledged the contribution to journalism of the late Panay News founder Daniel “Danny” G. Fajardo Sr.
Defensor was grateful that Fajardo expressed “full and fair support” to him as a public official while Drilon said the press freedom advocate was “a loss” to the regional media.
Fajardo passed away on Sept. 10 in a hospital in Muntinlupa City. He was 72.
His cremated remains were interred on Saturday at the La Chapelle de Serenite et Columbarium in Barangay Bonifacio Tanza, City Proper.
Speaking at farewell rites at the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes and Crematory in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district on Saturday, Defensor said he and Fajardo – a town mate from Mina, Iloilo – became friends when he started his political career.
“I don’t only consider him as a friend but as family and as a brother sa akon pamolitika,” he told an audience including Fajardo’s family, current and former Panay News staffers, and industry colleagues.
“Panay News has extended fair and full support kay Arthur Defensor. For that, ginatanum ko ina sa alibutod sang tagipusuon ko,” said the governor.
Defensor said the news of Fajardo’s passing shocked him.
The paper’s founder – also its former editor-in-chief and publisher – had a triple heart bypass due to cardiac arrest two weeks before he died.
“I never expected kay nagbulig pa sia sang distribute sang iya peryodiko nga nagapakita nga ang akon bata nga si Arthur Defensor Jr. ang nagpanguna sa survey,” Defensor said.
An Iloilo province-wide survey showed that Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd District) would win as governor if the elections were held today.
Defensor Jr. got an overall voter preference of 60.7 percent. His possible opponent, Rep. Ferjenel Biron (4th District), got only 32.2 percent, showed the survey conducted by Random Access Consultants, Inc. from July 25 to 29.
Governor Defensor said he believes Fajardo will be remembered by the journalism industry not only in Western Visayas but in the entire country.
Describing Fajardo’s death as a “great misfortune,” the governor said Ilonggos are mourning his passing.
“No journalist in Iloilo has done more in terms of communication in the city and province of Iloilo than Danny Fajardo,” he said.
Drilon was also saddened by Fajardo’s death.
“I was shocked when I received the news of his passing,” the Ilonggo senator said at the same pre-interment rites.
“Immediately, what came to my mind was that [Fajardo] is a loss to the regional newspapers in Western Visayas,” Drilon added. “Danny was a principal component of a strong regional media industry.”
The senator further said he had nothing but respect and admiration for Fajardo.
Aside from helming Panay News, Fajardo also hosted the defunct radio-cable television program “Reklamo Publiko.”
Fajardo headed the Iloilo Press Club – the oldest press club in the Philippines – for several terms and served, too, as executive vice president of the Publishers’ Association of the Philippines, Inc.
A day before he died, the municipality of Mina recognized him as one of its outstanding sons in the field of business and entrepreneurship./PN
