MANILA, Philippines ? AnakTV chairman Edgardo Roces has taken a leave of absence to concentrate on his duties as head of the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement, Bob del Rosario, president of AnakTV, recently announced. In his place, trustee Elvira Yap Go has been installed as OIC chair of the advocacy organization.

Integrity

The temporary departure of Roces is in keeping with the avowed apolitical stance of AnakTV. Roces explains: ?I don?t want to unduly compromise the integrity and neutrality of the organization, especially since the movement I will head is political in nature.?

Go, a papal pro-ecclesia awardee and the only lay Filipina appointed to sit in the recent Synod of Bishops in Rome, is the host of the NBN talk show, ?Power to Unite.? She continues to serve as treasurer of the 12-year-old AnakTV and will hold the principally titular post of chair for the time being.

Del Rosario of IBC-13 remains president, while Mag Cruz Hatol is secretary general. Vice presidents are Jay Sonza of UNTV and Leng Raymundo of ABS-CBN, while Meckoy Quiogue of GMA is secretary. Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski is the chief spokesperson.

Symposia

Meanwhile, AnakTV continues its provincial sorties spreading the gospel of responsible television. It has scheduled symposia in Pampanga, Pangasinan, Batangas, Cagayan and Isabela, while the popular Larolympics will be staged in Isabela, Quezon City, Marikina and Baguio. The regional and national finals are slated in October.

The landmark AnakTV jury screenings continue to be staged in various locales to ask people to determine which program offerings deserve to sport the AnakTV seal, the mark of child-sensitive television.