ABOUT
Jarius Bondoc is a multi-awarded journalist of 41 years. He writes two thrice-weekly columns, “Gotcha” for The Philippine Star and “Sapol” for Pilipino Star Ngayon. He also hosts a current affairs radio program, Sapol (Saturdays, 8-10 a.m.) on DWIZ 882-AM.
Jarius’ columns are noted for deep research and analysis, traits he picked up from anthropology school at the University of the Philippines-Diliman in the 1970s. He covers a broad range of topics—politics, government, the economy, society, religion, culture, world events. Peers and readers admire him for his fearless exposés of bureaucratic corruption and ineptitude. Ignoring threats to his safety, and at times that of his family, he pounds away on his keyboard with the aim to somehow influence the course of events for the better.
For more about Jarius and this website, you can click on any of the blue tabs below.
For more about Jarius and this website, you can click on any of the blue tabs above.
Among Jarius’ many exposés are the (click on any of the items below to see the articles):
- P302-million hidden wealth of the Armed Forces comptroller-general;
- narco-politics;
- pork barrel plunder;
- National Broadband Network-ZTE scam;
- unconstitutional Memo of Agreement-Ancestral Domain;
- treasonous Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking with Beijing;
- election automation rigged bidding and electronic ballot cheating;
- National Police chopper scam;
- Metro Rail Transit-3 non-maintenance and purchase of defective trains from China;
- destructive mining in Agusan and Zambales; and
- rice, pork, and spice smuggling.
Most of these are compiled in his book, Exposés: Investigative Reporting for Clean Government (Anvil Publishing).
Jarius is also a social activist. From U.P. studentship he has advocated political and economic reforms. Martial-law imprisonments during Marcos’ dictatorship steeled his resolve for change. Electoral cleanup, improved public schooling, environment protection, and affordable housing are his foremost concerns.
Jarius assisted in the 1996 peace talks between government and Moro separatists. As member of the 2005 Consultative Commission on Charter Change he was accorded the Presidential Medal of Merit in Malacañang.
For the past 11 years Jarius has been a member of the Philippine Navy’s civilian Board of Advisers. Pro bono, he counsels the PN brass in accomplishing their Sail Plans and various non-military endeavors. He also sits as adviser of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.
Jarius is also involved in nongovernment organizations to prevent and treat blindness, especially among indigents.
Jarius is married, with one daughter.
Jarius has been with The Star Group since 1999, and with DWIZ since 2001. Before that he helped found landmark newspapers Observer, Daily Globe and Today, where he also served as editor and columnist. He was publisher and president of Isyu, the country’s first and only all-opinion daily, in 1995-1998. He hosted talk shows and specials for GMA-7, RPN-9, PTV-4, IBC-13, Zoe-11, DZRH, and DZXL.
Jarius has received numerous awards and citations, among these the Rotary Club of Manila (RCM) Print Journalist of the Year 1989, and Opinion Writer of the Year 2004; the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Outstanding Crusading Journalist of the Year 2005; and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) Golden Dove Award for Best Radio Commentary Program in 2005. In 2007 he was elevated to the RCM Journalism Awards Hall of Fame on receiving a third Writer/Columnist of the Year trophy.
In 2013 the Metrobank Foundation recognized Jarius as Journalist of the Year (JOY, 2003-2013 Search). Beyond his journalistic triumphs he is an exemplar for persons with disabilities. Despite visual impairment by glaucoma since 1988, he has continued to expose abuses of power and to fight for justice. For this the National Press Club gave him the Apolinario Mabini Award for handicapped journalists in 2018. In 2019 MetroBank Foundation again recognized Jarius with an Award for Continuing Excellence and Service (ACES), given every five years to select MBF Outstanding Filipino Awardees. Also in 2019 he was named among Lifestyle Asia Magazine’s “Men Who Matter”.
Jarius promotes distinction in other fields. He served as juror in Metrobank Foundation’s annual Search for The Outstanding Policemen and Soldiers 2004 and Outstanding Teachers 2005. Twice he was judge in the Public Relations Society of the Philippines’ yearly Anvil Awards. In 2017 he was a juror in the Civil Service Commission’s annual honors—the Presidential Lingkod Bayan and the Pagasa Awards—for exemplary state executives and employees. Jarius regularly features awardee teachers, policemen, soldiers, artists, architects, and civil servants in his column and radio show.
Jarius frequently is invited as resource person on community and campus journalism, and broadcasting. He has lectured in seminar-workshops of the Doroy Valencia Foundation, the Media Mindanao News Service, Radio Veritas, and the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines.
As well, at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, in Los Baños, and in Mindanao (Davao City), University of Santo Tomas, Silliman University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, San Beda University, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga, Ateneo de Davao, Holy Angel University, Enverga University, Baliuag Colleges Foundation, Immaculate Conception Academy, and Colegio de Santa Rosa-Makati. Also in various chapters of the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, and Philippine Jaycees.
Jarius was founding president in 1988-1990 of Plaridel Media Forum, an organization dedicated to fighting corruption in the media and upgrading skills of practitioners. He also helped pagbabago@pilipinas organize six annual Media Nation conferences on professionalism in 2004-2009.