Poet-writer Jerry Gracio announced his resignation from ABS-CBN to run as a party-list representative in the 2022 elections.
In a letter attached to Gracio's tweet on Monday, Oct. 4, he stated his decision to accept the second seat nomination for the Kapamilya ng Manggagawang Pilipino group.
The "Apokripos" author bared he helped organized the groups among the ranks of workers, urban poor, youth, and women. However, he said he was not inclined to accept the nomination at first, despite having experience in development, cultural, and local government works.
"Hindi ko tiyak kung mananalo ang partylist na ito. Pag nagkataon, hindi ko alam kung tatanggapin pa ninyo ako, kung may babalikan pa akong trabaho. Ang totoo, pakiramdam ko, para akong tatawid sa alambre na walang net na pansalo. Pero iniisip ko, lagi na lang ba tayong mag-aalala para sa bukas, nang hindi kumikilos para baguhin ang kinabukasan? (I'm not sure if this partylist will win. I don't know if you will still accept me or if I'll ever get back to work. I feel like I'm going to cross a wire without a net catch. But I though, are we always going to worry about tomorrow, without doing anything to change the future?)" he wrote.
"Dahil dito, pagkatapos ng mahabang konsultasyon at pagmumuni, nagpapasya ako, kahit na mahirap, kahit walang pera, kahit na magutom -- dahil wala namang mayamang politiko sa likod ng partylist na ito -- na tanggapan ang nominasyon ng Kapamilya ng Manggagawang Pilipino, at umaasa sa taguyod ng kapwa-manggagawa, kapuso, kapatid, kapamilya (After long consultation and reflection, I decided. Even if it's difficult, even without much money, even if I go hungry -- because there's no rich politician behind this partylist -- we will only rely on the support of co-workers, loved ones, siblings, and family members)."
He added that the hardships faced by ABS-CBN workers after losing their franchise is what urged him to join the partylist.
Last May 2020, ABS-CBN ceased operations of its free TV and radio channels by National Telecommunications Communications cease-and-desist order after its 25-year franchise expired.
Gracio said the partylist aspirant seeks to represent formal and informal labor and media workers in the Congress.