MANILA — Senator Bong Revilla on Tuesday urged television stations in the country to abide by the Child-Friendly Content Standards (CFCS) which provide that 15 percent of stations’ airtime must be dedicated for viewers 18 years old and below.

During the Hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, the veteran senator stressed that media content plays a big role in shaping the holistic development of Filipino children, and to curb the increasing rate of suicide and depression among their age bracket.

The National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) stated that 84 percent of Filipino children identify television as their main source of information.

He also underlined the importance of creating more child-friendly shows now that the country is on a gradual shift from analogue to digital broadcasting, and even questioned why government-owned television stations cannot enforce child-friendly shows.

“Since they are government-owned, hindi mahalaga ang profit e. Ang importante, we get our message across,” he said.

“Dapat paigtingin din natin ang paglikha ng mga palabas na hindi lamang may magandang aral, at nagpapalaganap ng ating kultura bilang Pilipino,” Revilla added.

He also expressed his support in NCCT’s media literacy drive beginning from the grassroots level. (PRIB/STACY  ANG/IA/CPH)