A bill seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a new 25-year franchise was filed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, following its rejection in 2020.
Albay Representative Joey Salceda filed House Bill No. 11252, citing the previous Congress’ deliberations where ABS-CBN was cleared of legal violations.
According to Salceda, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had confirmed that ABS-CBN did not breach ownership restrictions or have outstanding tax liabilities.
The bill aims to reinstate the company’s broadcasting rights, following its shutdown in May 2020 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease-and-desist order.
A prior rejection by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises had been based on concerns over dual citizenship, foreign ownership, and alleged labor and tax violations.
“The non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise led to the loss of 11,000 jobs and a significant reduction in access to vital news sources, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Salceda said in his explanatory note.
He warned that the franchise’s non-renewal added to the crisis of misinformation, particularly during a health emergency.
Salceda highlighted that ABS-CBN’s regional network played a crucial role in providing disaster updates.
“Before the franchise rejection, 36 percent of Filipinos turned to the network for news and entertainment,” he said.
In filing the bill, the proponent stressed the importance of promoting fair competition in the dissemination of information.
“The free market of ideas requires competition. A virtual monopoly will not do when it comes to keeping the public informed,” he added.
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