Results of a survey conducted by Radio Veritas 846, a Catholic Church radio station, show that most Filipinos support the renewal of the broadcast franchise of media network ABS-CBN.
The Veritas Truth Survey noted that seven out of 10 Filipinos, or 68 percent of the respondents, are disposed to support a “people’s initiative” for the renewal of the franchise, 30.5 percent refused supporting it, while 1.5 percent remained undecided.
Geographically, those living in the Visayas had the highest willingness to support a “people’s initiative” at 80 percent, followed by those in Luzon at 64 percent, and in Mindanao at 62 percent.
Those who said “No” in support of the people’s initiative were high among Mindanao residents at 36 percent, followed by Luzon at 34 percent and the Visayas region at 19 percent.
As for those undecided, the survey said they were relatively the same across all geographical locations, which came between 1 to 2 percent.
Father Anton Pascual, Radio Veritas 846 president, said the results of the survey reflect the desire of the respondents to uphold freedom of the press.
“Authentic press freedom is an important mechanism in the delivery of news, stories, insights, and spiritual reflection to our countrymen,” said the priest in a statement.
Brother Clifford T. Sorita, head of Veritas Truth Survey, said the results of the survey “mirrors the initial motivation of the respondents” that is needed “to jumpstart such an undertaking.”
Conducted from July 12 to 25, the survey used a stratified sample of 1,200 respondents nationwide for a +/- 3% margin of error.
Information were gathered through text-based and online data gathering process.
A group of citizen volunteers has earlier launched the People’s Initiative for Reforms and Movement for Action or PIRMA Kapamilya, seeking to grant the media network a “people’s franchise.”
The initiative came two weeks after the House committee on legislative franchises denied the network’s franchise application on July 10.
In a statement, the group said citizens could now take part in the process by affixing their signatures on two printed copies and submitting the copies to the PIRMA Kapamilya contacts in their legislative districts.
PIRMA Kapamilya aimed to gather seven million signatures nationwide to allow ABS-CBN to go back on air and resume its broadcast operations.
To be successful, the people’s initiative requires the signatures of at least three percent of registered voters in each legislative district and at least ten percent of total registered voters in the country.
