AT A TIME when the future of print media hangs precariously in the balance — battered by fast-changing technology, a flood of misinformation, and economic uncertainty — Panay News stood before the national stage and did something remarkable: it won not just one, but three major awards at the 2023 Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Community Press Awardsheld on April 25, 2024, at Century Park Hotel in Manila.
A Triple Triumph
In the company of the country’s finest community papers, Panay News emerged as a model of resilience and journalistic excellence, clinching top honors in three daily newspaper categories:
* Best Editorial Page
* Best in Reporting on Migration Issues
* Best in Business and Economic Reporting
These recognitions come on the heels of Panay News’ 43rd anniversary last year — an occasion that quietly reaffirmed its unbroken commitment to its founding values: to inform, to educate, and to inspire.
“Panay News is grateful, humbled and inspired by these PPI awards. This recognition is a shot in the arm for us to continue our work and further improve,” said the editorial team in a statement.
But for those who know the paper’s roots, this moment is more than a victory — it’s validation.
Seeds of Grit
To understand why this triple win matters, you need to return to April 7, 1981.
It was on that date that the late Daniel “Danny” Gumban Fajardo, with little more than grit and vision, launched Panay News. No printing press. No major capital. Just a deep desire to give Western Visayas a paper that told its stories, served its people, and stood its ground — even against powerful enemies of the press.
He once carried freshly printed issues from Manila to Iloilo — on his shoulder. That image remains etched in the culture of Panay News: tireless, grounded, and never afraid of hard work.
Fajardo’s wife, Maria “Madame Mary” Santillan Fajardo, recalls those early days: “The success of the paper did not come overnight. It required arduous labor and a lot of patience.”
A Mission That Still Matters
Fajardo’s guiding principle was deceptively simple: Tell the truth. Always.
“There are enemies of press freedom,” he warned. “And they are not ordinary people. They are big — with force, power, and influence. But still, don’t be cowed.”
That daring editorial philosophy remains embedded in the Panay News newsroom — especially in how it tackles sensitive topics like migration and regional economic issues, the very areas in which it was recently honored.
The Best Editorial Page award reflects the paper’s continuing stand on issues that matter to Ilonggos — from local governance to national policy, from the plight of overseas workers to everyday stories of struggle and hope.
Its award for Best in Reporting on Migration Issuescomes as no surprise to its readers. Panay Newshas long given space to the voices of OFWs, their families, and the economic lifelines they provide — not as distant headlines, but as part of the region’s fabric.
And its Best in Business and Economic Reporting shows that even in an era of shrinking attention spans, Panay News remains committed to explaining how inflation, development projects, and industry shifts affect the daily lives of the people it serves.
The Paper That Evolved
If Fajardo was known for saying, “Our world is a revolving machine,” it’s because he knew that Panay Newscouldn’t survive by standing still. While rooted in print, the paper has embraced digital platforms, social media, and multimedia storytelling — without compromising its journalistic integrity.
This agility, balanced with its legacy, is what makes Panay Newsunique. It’s not merely surviving the digital age. It’s navigating it with purpose.
A Legacy Carried Forward
Today, 44 years after its founding, the stewardship of Panay News is in the hands of Fajardo’s children — committed to carrying forward his “only legacy.” The eagle in the newspaper’s logo now soars with broader wings: into newsrooms, into households, and into conversations across the Visayas and beyond.
And while the landscape of media continues to shift, Panay News remains grounded in the same values that shaped its humble beginnings.
“We believe our work moves the citizenry to action, just as our founder envisioned 43 years ago,” the editorial team said after the PPI win.
In an era of AI-generated news and attention wars, these awards are reminders that journalism, when done with courage and conscience, still matters.
And so Panay Newswrites on — every headline, every editorial, every report — with one enduring promise: In every page, a purpose. (RJM/PN)
