Ajero succumbed to a lingering illness on Sunday (July 17).
Two resolutions were approved unanimously during the council’s regular session Tuesday (July 19) expressing the body's profound sympathy and sincere condolences on the passing of Ajero who was considered as the “Dean of Davao Media.”
Councilor Pilar Braga in her resolution said that Ajero has built a long and impressive career in journalism covering print, television, and radio for six decades.
Ajero who founded the University of Mindanao Network (UMBN) also hosted a popular weekly public affairs television program “Brainstorm” in the late '80s and early '90s.
He also served as an Asia Week correspondent in the late '70s and served as editor-in-chief of several community newspapers in Mindanao.
Ajero was also the president of the Davao Press Club, and Trustee for Mindanao of the Philippine Press Institute.
Ajero’s contribution, according to Braga went beyond the media industry as he was also a respected socio-civic leader in the Rotary Club of East Davao, the ambassador Club of Davao International, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Davao Inventors Association.
She said, Ajero stood for integrity, truth, fairness, and freedom of the press and had dedicated his life to mentoring young journalists.
The city council also recognized Ajero as one of the most influential editors and publishers in Mindanao who shaped public policy and public opinion.
Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo, meanwhile authored a resolution to bestow the posthumous Datu Bago Award to Ajero on being a pillar in community service in the field of print journalism by the Datu Bago Awards Organization.
The Datu Bago Award bestows honor upon an individual who has contributed to the development of the City of Davao with exemplary competence and dedication and who best serves as a model of excellence and as an inspiration to the residents of Davao.
The Search is undertaken annually by the Datu Bago Awardees Organization, Inc. in partnership with the City government through the Office of the City Mayor.
The Datu Bago Award is conferred within the week of the Araw ng Davao celebration.
Ocampo said the contributions of Ajero in promoting excellence in journalism and advancing the welfare of journalists like him are laudable and worthy of recognition and emulation.
At the time of his death, he was a publisher and editor-in-chief of Edge Davao and chair of the Board of Edge Davao Review Publishing Inc., and Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc.
Ajero was 76.