Mindanao solon files congressional resolution granting ABS-CBN provisional franchise until June 30

May 6, 2020

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez is asking Congress to grant broadcast firm ABS-CBN a provisional franchise good up to the life of the present Congress on June 30, 2022.

“I filed today a new joint congressional resolution granting the temporary franchise. I am hoping we can expedite the hearings on this measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic even if we have to hear all stakeholders through the new normal videoconferencing platform,” he said.

Rodriguez had authored a resolution extending the ABS-CBN franchise for one year. It was among at least 11 related proposals pending with the House committee on legislative franchises, most of which seek the extension of the network’s broadcasting privilege.

The Mindanao lawmaker said he filed a bill granting ABS-CBN a new franchise for 25 years.

“It has to be a new grant and no longer a renewal, since the radio-tv station’s franchise expired midnight of last May 4,” he said.

Rodriguez said it was unfortunate the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) “chose to ignore the collective voice of the House and the Senate for it to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN to allow it to pursue its broadcast services.”

“Now the remedy is for the House to speed up its hearings on my proposals for a temporary franchise and for the grant of a new 25-year broadcasting service privilege,” he said. DMS