QC Mayor Belmonte backs renewal of ABS-CBN franchise

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday expressed her support for broadcast giant ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, which the Office of the Solicitor General is opposing.

“By tradition, Quezon City is also known as a bastion of freedom, knowledge, and diversity,  and the presence of multiple media networks in QC embodies these values,” Belmonte said in a statement.

“For this reason, we stand by and fully support ABS-CBN in its pursuit of a fresh 25-year franchise to operate,” she added.

Belmonte also lamented that families of ABS-CBN employees would also suffer if the company’s franchise is not renewed or extended.

“Aside from being one of our city’s top taxpayers, ABS-CBN employs thousands of our city’s constituents, whose families would suffer should its legislative franchise not be renewed,” Belmonte said.

Aside from being a media firm, Belmonte underscored ABS-CBN’s significant projects including the establishment of Bantay Bata 163 which partnered with Quezon City government’s street children program.

On Monday, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN asking the Supreme Court to nullify the congressional franchise of the media firm.

Aside from this, the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchise has yet to tackle 11 bills seeking the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, which will lapse on March 30.

GSG