Poe insists concurrent reso extending ABS-CBN’s franchise still ‘needed’
MANILA, Philippines — While she welcomed the House of Representative’s move urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to allow ABS-CBN to operate, Senator Grace Poe insisted that a concurrent resolution by Congress is needed as it tackles the network’s franchise renewal until 2022.
“We welcome the decision of the House to finally give NTC the necessary guidance on the ABS-CBN franchise,” Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public services, said Thursday in a statement.
“However, I share the opinion that a concurrent resolution by the Senate and the House is needed to allow the network to operate while the 18th Congress tackles its franchise renewal,” she added.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier filed a concurrent resolution seeking to authorize the NTC to grant ABS-CBN a provisional permit to operate until Congress finally acts on the renewal of its franchise.
Drilon noted that the Senate and the House of Representatives need additional to deliberate on the matter.
House had also asked the NTC to let ABS-CBN operation from May 4, 2020 until Congress makes a decision on the network’s operation.
