Sara backs ABS-CBN franchise renewal

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday supported the renewal of the franchise of media giant ABS-CBN Corp., saying her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, was also concerned about the fate of its employees.

Duterte-Carpio made the statement a day after the President accepted the network’s apology over the airing of an advertisement maligning him during the 2016 presidential campaign.

“Davao City fully supports ABS-CBN sa kanilang pagpapa-renew ng kanilang franchise (in the renewal of its franchise). Of course, malaki din ang suporta ng ABS-CBN sa Davao City at sa buong bansa (ABS-CBN has fully supported Davao City and the entire nation).

Hopefully, ma-resolve in a very positive way ang issue ng franchise (the franchise issue will be resolved in a very positive way),” she said in an interview in Sulu.

“Alam niyo, si President Duterte, maawain ‘yan na tao. So, iniisip din niya ‘yung trabaho ng maraming employees [of] ABS-CBN (You know, President Duterte is a compassionate person. He is thinking of the jobs of ABS-CBN’s many employees),” the mayor added.

During a Senate hearing on Monday, ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo Lopez Katigbak formally apologized to the President for offending him after the network aired a commercial paid for by former senator Antonio Trillanes 4th.

“We were sorry if we offended the President. That was not the intention of the network. We felt that we were just abiding by the laws and regulations that surround the airing of political ads,” Katigbak said.

Duterte accepted the apology on Wednesday and told the network giant to donate the P2.6-million refund for the commercial to a charity.

He said as a human being, he could forgive ABS-CBN but that he leaves the fate of the network’s franchise to Congress.

“Forget about all these hullabaloo. The critical move is in the House and I tell you I am not going to interfere. Wala talaga ako (I won’t),” he added.

The renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise was in the spotlight earlier this month after Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court highlighting what he said were “highly abusive” practices by the network — including foreign ownership and operational issues — allegations that the television network itself had refuted.

Some lawmakers allayed concerns over ABS-CBN’s looming shutdown, saying the media company could still broadcast news and content as there were pending renewal measures in Congress.

There are 11 measures pending at the House on the franchise renewal, and deliberations on the issue started Monday.

ABS-CBN has raised concerns that its over 11,000 Filipino employees could be laid off if it is not issued a new franchise.

In a statement released Wednesday night, the network said: “The closure of ABS-CBN will put all 11,071 jobs within the ABS-CBN group at risk. Of this number, 5,918 people worked directly for ABS-CBN as of December 2019, comprising of 2,661 regular employees, 2,096 project-based seasonal workers, 1,069 independent contractors and on-camera talents, and 92 project employees.”

ABS-CBN noted that the number does not include employees hired through third-party agencies, such as security guards, cleaners and utility men.

The company clarified the number of employees after a letter of the Bureau of Internal Revenue to the Office of the Solicitor General stated that ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. only have a total of 4,401 employees.

Shares in ABS-CBN went up by 2.17 percent or 50 centavos to close at P23.50 apiece on Thursday. WITH LISBET K. ESMAEL

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/02/28/news/headlines/sara-backs-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal/697618/