MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on legislative franchises’ move asking parties to submit a position paper in ABS-CBN’s bid for franchise renewal is confirmation that “we are working hard” on it, the panel’s vice chairman asserted Monday.
“I just want to reiterate in the committee that since the Chairman [Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez] and the Speaker [Alan Peter Cayetano] have already announced formally that we are taking the positions, clearly we are showing that we are working hard and it is important for us to calendar this once we actually take into consideration all the position papers for or against the renewal of the franchise,” said Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano during a committee hearing in Quezon City.
Earlier, Alvarez said the committee is now open to accept all position papers from all the stakeholders – whether for or against – on the renewal of the media network giant’s 25-year franchise.
The position papers would give the committee “ample time to hasten our deliberations in the next calendar ABS-CBN franchise,” according to Albano.
“And I support the chair in saying that Please give us enough time, we are working hard so that we will be able to tackle whether to renew or not to renew the ABS-CBN franchise,” he added.
The lawmaker also claimed that the House committee on legislative franchises is working on the issue even on weekends and breaks.
“Once we have received the formal complaints and formal positions regarding the ABS-CBN franchise, I assure you that Chairman Alvarez has been working hard and the Speaker has been working hard and all the committee members here will readily make time to read on [these] position papers,” Albano said.
Currently, at least 11 bills endorsing the renewal of ABS-CBN franchise have been filed before the committee.