By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Thursday that television network ABS-CBN should still be granted a legislative franchise despite President Duterte ‘s vow to shut the corporation down.
“ABS-CBN deserves renewal of franchise,” Recto said in a text message.
Recto had filed last August a bill seeking to renew the broadcast giant’s franchise for another 25 years.
In his bill, he earlier explained that ABS-CBN has “remained steadfast” in reaching out to Filipinos, especially those in far-flung areas.
Franchise bills, however, have to be approved by the House of Representatives before they are tackled in the Senate.
With this, even Senate President Vicente Sotto III was unsure about the television network’s fate.
“[I] cannot predict that because we will only tackle it when the HOR passes it,” Sotto said in a separate message when asked about the possibility of the network’s franchise renewal.
In his speech Tuesday, Duterte reiterated that he would block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise and will make sure that it will be “out” next year.
House leaders said they will not discuss ABS-CBN’s franchise, explaining that they will prioritize the approval of the P4.1-trillion proposed 2020 national budget.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said they will have “more than enough time” to discuss it in January next year, two months before ABS-CBN’s franchise expires.
Republic Act No. 7966, signed in 1995, granted the broadcasting company the 25-year franchise to operate in the country.
Duterte has repeatedly railed at ABS-CBN for supposedly failing to air his 2016 presidential campaign ad, even though he has already paid for it, and instead aired an advertisement critical of him.
He claimed that other member of Congress had the same experience with the TV network.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/05/abs-cbn-can-still-be-given-legislative-franchise-recto/
(UPDATED) The Filipino media and entertainment group would remains the legal name of the network.
No comments:
Post a Comment