Image: Instagram/@johnarcilla
Kapamilya star John Arcilla is calling on congressmen Eric Olivarez and Joy Tambunting to vote in favor of a bill granting ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise as a hearing is set next week, May 26.
Arcilla took to Instagram yesterday, May 20, to send his appeal to the lawmakers and urged his followers to do the same thing.
“To our Beloved and Honorable Congressman Eric Olivarez of the 1st district of Parañaque, and Beloved Honorable Congresswoman Joy Tambunting of 2nd District, we humbly ask you to vote favorably for the renewal of the #ABSCBNFranchise,” Arcilla said.
“Please be our voice in congress. Maraming salamat po (Thank you very much). God bless everyone!” he added.
The House committee on legislative franchises is set to tackle the bills granting the media giant the franchise next Tuesday via videoconferencing.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano promised that Congress will skip their midterm break when deliberations start, saying they “will not stop until they are finished so that no one can say we’re stopping the process or dragging our feet.”
Tambunting was among the congressmen “who share [Cayetano’s] frustration with the non-issuance of a provisional authority to the network by the National Telecommunications Commission [NTC].” She, along with 13 other lawmakers, urged Cayetano on May 12 to have the House tackle the franchise renewal.
Arcilla is among many other celebrities who have criticized the NTC’s move to shut down ABS-CBN on May 5 following the expiration of its legislative franchise to operate on May 4. JB
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