Private individuals and groups in Bacolod City have recently launched a people’s initiative to bring ABS-CBN, the nation’s largest media network, back on the air.
“Pirma Kapamilya” booths have been set up at a shop in Barangay Granada and downtown Bacolod.
Eileen Hofileña of the Pirma Kapamilya Bacolod initiative said they are “happy to have a signing area in a much more accessible place in the downtown area, in front of Limman’s Department Store at Araneta Street.
“We hope to get more and more signatures every day with this new location,” she added.
The group aims to revive a major source of news and entertainment of millions of Filipinos and to protect the constitutional right to information and press freedom, Hofileña said.
The “Pirma Kapamilya” was initiated by private citizens with no correlation to ABS-CBN, Hofileña added.
“People’s Initiative” refers to the power of the people granted by the 1987 Philippine Constitution to amend the Constitution itself, or directly propose and enact laws. The law governing people’s initiatives is Republic Act 6735 or “The Initiative and Referendum Act” and Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10650.
At least 10 percent of all registered voters and at least 3 percent of all registered voters in every legislative district are needed for the people’s initiative petition.
Only signatures of registered voters will be honored, Hofileña said.
ABS-CBN Bacolod, along with the other local stations of the network around the country, aired their final broadcast over social media on August 28 as the network ceased its operations in the provinces and laid-off workers following the non-renewal of its franchise.
The 81 ABS-CBN Bacolod employees loss their jobs on August 31.
Those interested in signing the petition may go to the Barangay Granada market booth at 7 a.m. to noon every Wednesday or contact 0949-781-2660, or in front of Limman’s Center at Araneta Street 1 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, or contact 0917-320-1039, Hofileña said.*