Started from the bottom, now we’re here

BY ATTY. AYIN DREAM D. APLASCA

WHEN Boss DF (Panay News founder Daniel “Danny” G. Fajardo) died, I wrote a column dedicated to him. In that article, I mentioned about my father, and it stated:

“On a hot summer night, I got the chance to accompany my father to work. I’m supposed to help him in arranging the newspapers. One time, I just sat in a corner because everyone’s busy. I cannot keep up with their speed. I was 14 years old then.”

My father, Diory, worked as a newsboy of Panay News. He worked with the company for almost 30 years.

Panay News became a part of my life since I was a kid. My father would always tell me to read it for me to be familiar and acquainted with current events. He told me to observe how its writers write news articles and commentaries.

He is neither an editor nor a writer. He is a newsboy of Panay News. He may not be a professional but nonetheless he has a vast idea of current events and history.

My father has been the root of my drive and inspiration to become a lawyer. I saw firsthand the hard work involved, the risk, the tireless hours he spent in his job. He gets up early every morning and works hard to support the family. He is doing this wholeheartedly with a smile.

When I was in high school in the University of the Philippines, my father was already delivering Panay News in the university. Every time I saw him, I would hurriedly go to him and help him deliver the newspapers. He need not get off from his motorcycle and walk in the hallway. I was cheerful as I made my way to deliver the newspapers.

When I was in law school, I remember riding in a jeep going to school and we had to stop in the intersection since the traffic light went red. It was a rainy morning. I remember someone stopping beside the jeep. He was on his motorcycle. He was wearing a yellow butterfly-styled raincoat. I saw how intact and well-ordered the things behind him. It was covered with a thick plastic bag to avoid getting wet. I realized that those were newspapers to be delivered on that day.

I recognized that it wasn’t just someone – it was my father. I saw a man who had a vision for his family and was determined to do whatever it took to make his goals and dreams in life happen.

For me, my father is like gold. He is rare, valuable  and admired. He is flexible, but solid when necessary. He is intelligent with full of never-ending knowledge which sometimes forces my lawyer voice to come out because he could be a bit insistent.

He would always ask me: “Nabasa mo headline subong?” or “Kamusta kaso mo?”

Sometimes he would just suddenly discuss a certain issue then ask about my opinion. It is not new to me to grab a copy of Panay News every morning and read the headlines and opinion articles because I know that before the day ends my father will ask me again a series of questions. He is my constant client, by the way.

The title of this article is “Started from the bottom, now we’re here.” It is what our life values are all about. My father has created something out of nothing. It is the real definition of start-up.  I saw a man who was approachable, determined, and hopeful.

You see, I am not born with a silver spoon in my mouth.  I am thankful that I have my family, particularly my father. He is very patient. His patience is steady and controlled, even in the worst circumstances. Without his encouragement, I would not have been able to live my dream of becoming a lawyer. He is indeed my inspiration and will always be my loving father.

Every day, I begin with a fresh start. There are moments that may not be captured by cameras or posted on social media or even published in newspapers. These moments are those that break me into pieces, those that haunt me, and those that give color to my being. The thing about success and victories is that we only see the best and the wonderful parts of it. The ugly parts are kept privately.

I am thankful to Panay News for giving me this opportunity to honor my father’s hard work. I feel contented as I express my appreciation and gratitude in words. Of course, to Panay News, Inc., thank you for trusting my father and his hard work. We became each other’s success./PN

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Partnership through the years

PANAY News has been reaching, informing and educate thousands of readers in Western Visayas and beyond for the past 40 years. This is made possible in part by the newsboys, distributors/dealers who circulate the newspaper to different provinces.

One of the longest and most exemplar is Diory E. Aplasca.

“I am a dealer of Panay News, the biggest daily newspaper in the Visayas. It is the best medium for relevant information about the happenings around us,” says Manong Diory.

He has been a part of Panay News since 1990.

“This is one of the most in-demand local newspapers.  As a matter of fact, because of my income from selling Panay News I was able to let my eldest daughter graduate from college. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in law, and she actually became a lawyer,” says the hardworking father, his eyes twinkling with pride.

Atty. Ayin Dream D. Aplasca passed the Bar exams conducted in November 2016.

On the other hand, Manong Diory’s youngest finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and is currently taking up her graduate studies.

With Panay News already a byword in local newspapering, Manong Diory attests that his time distributing the newspaper to different newsstand around the province is never wasted. “Indi gid bala mausik tyempo mo sa pag-market kay kilala na siya.”

What makes Panay News click with people are its contents, he adds.

“Kumpleto na bala tanan biskan local newspaper siya. May ara news parte sa local, national kag international. Indi ka gid ma wigit sa inpormasyon nga kinahanglan,” says Manong Diory.

He considers the Lapsus section as the main “selling point” of Panay News.

“Ang ginapangita sang subscriber gid is Lapsus. Lip-ot lang siya pero tanan nga balita sa local kag kalibutan mabasa mo na,” says Manong Diory./PN