ABS-CBN, Manila Bulletin, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and the representatives of the five presidential candidates forged an agreement to hold PiliPinas 2016 Presidential Town Hall Debate on April 24.
It will be the final showdown before the May 9 polls.
By signing the MOA, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, and former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to the format and mechanics of the Luzon leg of the PiliPinas 2016 Debate series, which will be held at the Phinma University of Pangasinan.
Present in the signing were ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes, Manila Bulletin Editor-In-Chief Dr. Jun Icban, KBP Chairman Herman Basbano, and the candidates’ representatives: Atty. George Garcia for Sen. Grace Poe, Atty. Antonio Kho for Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Atty. Abel Manlaque for Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Atty. Jay Layug for Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Atty. Concepcion Mendoza for DILG secretary Mar Roxas.
With a town hall format, the debate aims to bring forward the true sentiment of the people by having ordinary Filipinos ask the candidates about the pressing issues in society. The topics were carefully selected from entries submitted by the general public to ABS-CBN. Issues that will be tackled in the debate include metro traffic and public transport, job security, health, foreign policy, basic public education, OFW concerns, and peace for Mindanao.
There will also be a “Face-Off,” where a candidate will pose questions to a fellow candidate.
ABS-CBN’s Karen Davila and Tony Velasquez will moderate the town hall debate.
The PiliPinas 2016 Presidential Town Hall Debate will be telecast on April 24 at 5:45 p.m. on ABS-CBN and at 6 p.m. the debate begins.
There will also be a Halalan 2016 Debate Special on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, DZMM/Teleradyo, and News.abs-cbn.com beginning at 5 p.m. and it will provide in-depth analysis before and after the debate.
Those who will watch the debate via livestreaming on news.abs-cbn.com will also get an additional treat as TJ Manotoc will host an online show during commercial gaps of the debate that will focus on the social media buzz related to the presidential town hall debate.
