Various private citizens of Bacolod City have officially launched the citizen’s initiative to bring back the nation’s largest media and news network, ABS-CBN, back on the air, setting up shop in Brgy. Granada last November 11, and launching a booth in Downtown Bacolod on November 25.

“Pirma Kapamilya is happy to have a signing area in a much more accessible place–downtown Bacolod in front of Limman’s Department Store at Araneta Street, Bacolod City. People should defend their right to information and entertainment and PIRMA kapamilya is the best way to do this as this is concrete and legal.”

Eileen Hofilena, Pirma Kapamilya Bacolod

With such, they aim not only to revive a major source of news and entertainment of millions of Filipinos, but also to protect the constitutional right to information, press freedom, dissent, and democracy. At present, they have collected 120 signatures on its first day in Downtown Bacolod.

Pirma Kapamilya in its first day in Downtown Bacolod. Photos by: Joem Nadong

Bacolodnons who wish to sign the initiative have two options:

  • Brgy. Granada Market Booth, every Wednesday (Market Day), 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Contact: 0949-781-2660
  • In front of Limman’s Center, Araneta Street, Downtown Bacolod, Monday to Friday, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Contact: 0917-320-1039

The shutdown of ABS-CBN resulted to loss of jobs for most of its 11,000 employees nationwide, including the shutdown of its local outlet in Negros, ABS-CBN Negros, with all 83 employees relieved from their jobs last August 2020.

What is Pirma Kapamilya?

It is an independent and organic grassroots collective of concerned Filipinos moving to advance reforms via people’s initiative and referendum utilizing a never-tested Article 17 Section 2. Below is how your signature in Pimra Kapamilya works.

The ABS-CBN Shutdown: Why and Who was Responsible?

Last July 2020, 70 representatives in Congress voted against the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise despite grave opposition from the public. This is after the National Telecommunications Commission gave the directive to pull the media network off the airwaves in May 2020 as its license expired. Arnolfo Teves, 3rd District Representative of Negros Oriental, and Joseph Paduano, Abang Lingkod Partylist Representative of Negros Occidental were among those who voted no to the ABS-CBN franchise renewal.

Such was also a result of multiple threats by the Duterte administration to shutdown ABS-CBN over its news coverage over his war on drugs and its failure to air all of his campaign advertisements back in 2016 despite having been refunded.

May 2020 Article on findings versus ABS-CBN during its franchise Senate hearing

Furthermore, an investigation was also launched versus ABS-CBN. However, in spite of multiple government agencies clearing the company of any offences including the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Labor and Employment, and the Commission and Elections, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted 70-11 to deny the 25-year franchise application of ABS-CBN.