9 senators seek extension of ABS-CBN operations pending franchise renewal
MANILA, Philippines — Nine senators on Monday filed a concurrent resolution seeking to allow ABS-CBN to operate as the 18th Congress tackles bills on the renewal of its franchise, which is set to expire in May this year.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, and Senators Lito Lapid, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, and Manny Pacquiao filed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 “to express the sense of the Congress that ABS-CBN Corporation should be allowed to operate under the terms of its existing franchise pending final determination of the renewal of its franchise by the 18th Congress and for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue ABS-CBN Corporation the appropriate provisional authority.”
There are currently several bills in both chambers of Congress seeking to extend the media giant’s franchise for another 25 years.
In filing the resolution, the senators pointed out that the “non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise will result in the loss of thousands of jobs as the network has over 11,000 employees including its artists, independent contractors, content creators who are spread out in ABS-CBN’s information and entertainment group of companies.”
The senators said that the “the removal of a market leader such as ABS-CBN” would significantly impact “not only on competition within the broadcasting industry, but also “on the economy as a whole.”
“In fact, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia was quoted as saying that the non-renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN may affect investor confidence and get in the way of promoting diversity in the economy and fostering competition,” the resolution read.
The senators said there “is an urgent need to devise government interventions to ensure that ABS-CBN will continue its operations pending Congress’ deliberations of the network’s franchise renewal.”
The resolution noted that there had been instances where franchise holders like GMA Network, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Associated Broadcasting Company (TV5), among others, had been allowed to operate under the terms of their existing franchise even after its lapse and pending its renewal.
“In the case of CBCP, it was allowed to operate for a period of almost two years from the lapse of its franchise in 2017 until its renewal in 2019,” the senators noted.
READ: 5 senators back issuing provisional permit for ABS-CBN
The five senators filed the said resolution following last week’s Senate public services committee hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN where Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Congress—through a concurrent resolution—could direct the NTC to grant provisional authority to ABS-CBN to continue its operations pending deliberation on bills on the network’s franchise renewal.
READ: DOJ speaks: Congress may authorize NTC to let ABS-CBN operate pending franchise renewal
“Secretary Guevarra noted that Congress may not be able to act on pending bills before expiration of the
franchise on May 4, 2020, given that Congress only has two weeks remaining before adjournment of session,” the resolution further read.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has already filed a joint resolution and a separate concurrent resolution seeking the extension of ABS-CBN’s operations as bills on the renewal of its franchise remain pending in the 18th Congress.
READ: Drilon files resolution extending ABS-CBN franchise until 2022
Congress will go on break on March 12 and will resume session on May 4.
READ: Drilon files concurrent reso to allow ABS-CBN to operate pending franchise renewal
