By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodrigues has urged the House committee on legislative franchise to expedite the passage of the franchise renewal bill of broadcast giant ABS-CBN, with only 22 sessions days remaining before the Congressional recess on March.
Rodriguez stressed that “time is of the essence because the ABS-CBN franchise will expire on March 30 this year.”
“Congress will adjourn for its Holy Week break on March 11. There will only be 22 session days between now and March 11,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez last December authored Bill No. 5705—one of the nine proposed legislations that seek the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years.
According to Rodriguez, Congress “should always uphold the constitutional mandate under Section 4, Article 111 of the Charter to ensure freedom of the press.”
He said the committee will have to decide to renew or not to renew the franchise, “but it is not proper not to act on my bill and the other bills.”
Rodriguez noted being ABS-CBN is the country’s largest media conglomerate in terms of revenue, operating income, net income, assets, equity, market capitalization, and number of employees “has been very big on corporate social responsibility, in helping others and in giving back.”
“The late Gina Lopez initiated the Bantay Bata 163, Bantay Kalikasan and Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig projects,” he added.
The legislative franchise panel under Palawan Rep. Franz “Chicoy” Alvarez has said it would soon schedule hearings on the ABS-CBN bills, and that its deliberations would be fair, but it also reminded the TV-radio network that the grant of a “franchise is a privilege of Congress and not a matter of right on the part of the franchisee.”
https://politics.com.ph/22-session-days-left-rodriguez-calls-for-swift-passage-of-abs-cbns-franchise-renewal/
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