The No. 1 regional newspaper in the country turns 41 this year. As it opens another chapter, its matriarch Maria Santillan-Fajardo reminisces why her late husband founded Panay News. She also pays tribute to the people behind the newspaper’s decades-long success.
Raison d’etre
Maria Santillan-Fajardo, or “Madame Mary” as she is fondly called, was already Daniel G. Fajardo’s wife when the latter founded Panay News on April 7, 1981.
According to her, Sir Danny’s desire to serve the public brought about the idea of starting a newspaper company. With the vision of creating a credible and reliable daily in the Visayas, Sir Danny never stopped until Panay News released its first issue. Madame Mary says that her late husband even shelled out from his pocket just so the paper could carry on with its operations.
Many years have passed and Panay News is now a household name for Ilonggos. Madame Mary says that every time it celebrates its anniversary, the paper renews its mandate envisioned by its founder to continue serving the public by delivering quality news content.
Madame Mary Santillan Fajardo, wife of Panay News’ founder Daniel G. Fajardo, stands among the state-of-the-art printing machines of the newspaper company in Pavia, Iloilo. 
According to Madame Mary, Sir Danny’s desire to serve the public brought about the idea of starting Panay News.
Public service from the heart
Just last year when Panay News turned 40, Madame Mary vowed to keep the company’s endeavor to help and reach more people. Throughout its four decades of operation, Panay News has touched many lives through its community outreach activities ranging from medical and dental missions to gift-giving programs. The beneficiaries include children, senior citizens, frontliners, and indigent families, among others.
Through the years, Panay News has touched many lives through its community outreach activities ranging from medical and dental missions to gift-giving programs.
This year, despite the pandemic, the newspaper, through its corporate arm, the Daniel G. Fajardo Foundation Inc. (DGFFI), conducted anew a gift-giving activity in Antique province and Pavia town in Iloilo. At least 700 senior citizens of barangays San Pedro and 8 in San Jose, Antique received gift packs while in Pavia, around hundreds received the same.
Panay News also has a scholarship program, supporting poor but deserving students until they finish school. This program has also been fruitful as many graduated through Panay News’ support.
The men and women of Panay News
Madame Mary also recognizes the crucial role that Panay News’ employees played in the paper’s longstanding success over the years. According to her, the main reason Panay News continues to fly high in the field of journalism is its people.
Acknowledging the changes in news delivery brought about by the digital age, Madame Mary says the men and women of Panay News stood their ground by being resilient and adaptable as they embraced challenges that eventually improved the newspaper’s operations.
The matriarch also expressed her gratefulness to those who appreciate and support the legacy that Sir Danny left, specifically the readers and subscribers who have made Panay News a part of their daily lives.
In her parting words, Madame Mary says the way Panay News serves the public may be simple to some, but meaningful to several others, and that, for her, is enough. As long as Panay News delivers news and gives back to the community, the legacy of its founder lives on./PN
