'We are in full solidarity': California city council backs ABS-CBN franchise renewal

A family in Mandaluyong City watches a broadcast of ABS-CBN News on May 4, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

The city council of Daly, California urged Philippine lawmakers to grant ABS-CBN Corp. a fresh 25-year franchise that would allow it to give Filipinos abroad "connection to the homeland."

About 34 percent of the city's 100,000 people have Philippine roots, making Daly one of the largest Filipino settlements in the US, said the council in a letter dated May 27 to Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chairperson of the House legislative franchises committee that started tackling the proposed license for ABS-CBN last week.

Daly has "witnessed the connection through ABS-CBN TFC (The Filipino Channel)," wrote the council.

Marginalized communities in the Philippines should have "access to information at these critical times in human history and even more so during a health pandemic," the council told Alvarez.

ABS-CBN — which regulators forced off air last May 5, a day after its franchise expired — reaches millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and internet platforms.

"Without ABS-CBN present in the Philippines, there will be a void for so many, and a feeling of losing a piece of themselves as it has been such an integral part of millions of Filipinos' daily life," said the Daly council.

It said it hoped that when lawmakers resume their hearing on Monday, they would "understand that Filipinos are watching globally and that we are in full solidarity for a 25-year franchise agreement for ABS-CBN."

LOOK: Daly City Council sent a letter to the Philippine Congress Franchise committee today urging it to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN. | via @balitangamerica pic.twitter.com/iVQAvYCV94

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) May 28, 2020

Under oath, the National Telecommunications Commission in March told lawmakers that it would let ABS-CBN operate provisionally beyond the expiration of its franchise while bills for its renewal languished in Congress.

But ABS-CBN, home to 11,000 workers, was forced off air by the agency after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned officials that issuing provisional authority for the network to continue airing would lead to graft charges.

The 66-year-old broadcaster has repeatedly denied in various fora said it did not violate the law.

news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/29/20/we-are-in-full-solidarity-california-city-council-backs-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal

4 Dangerous Thoughts To Throw Out

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12

Your greatest enemy, in all probability, is within.  It’s the nagging doubt, the belief that you just don’t have what it takes to live the Christian life.  Most of the time, we can keep the voices quiet but, especially when we are tired or discouraged or afraid, they invade our minds.  Writer and speaker Elisabeth Elliott used to say, “Our enemy delights in disquieting us.  Our Savior, our Helper, delights in quieting us.”  The Bible says that our enemy “...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Maybe you don’t have to be convinced that He is the enemy of your soul, yet quite often we don’t fully understand how he often defeats us by influencing our thinking.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians he talked about Satan’s schemes.  He used a word from which we get the English word methods.  Simply put, Paul is striving to put us on guard, letting us know that Satan has had a lot of experience, and we are comparative beginners, lacking a lot of spiritual savvy and wisdom.

How does this happen?  Let’s get specific and consider several dangerous thoughts that he might plant in your mind to defeat you.

Dangerous thought #1: “I’m not good enough, so there is no need to try!”  If you believe that, you are seriously wounded.  The Christian life is not about your goodness, but about Christ’s!  When you believe in Him, God takes the righteousness of His Son and puts it in your spiritual bank account.  You were spiritually broke—absolutely without a dollar of redemption before you met Christ. God knew that, and that was why He sent His Son on the mission of redemption.

Dangerous Thought #2: “How can I thrive spiritually when others stronger than I couldn’t make it?  This is the idea of someone who stands looking at Mt. Everest, thinking, “If climbers who have trained and climbed for years can’t make it to the top, what makes me think I can?”  Maybe you think about the moral failures of some pretty high-profile people, and then feel that it just isn’t worth trying.  There are times when Christian leaders, even spiritual giants, do fail.  Why?  Perhaps they became confident in themselves.  Perhaps they were burned out.  Perhaps the image they projected in public wasn’t the same as that observed in private, but someone else’s failure has nothing to do with your living the kind of a life that glorifies God.

Here’s another spiritual torpedo that often causes discouragement.  Dangerous Thought #3 says God expects more than I can deliver.  What you have forgotten is the spiritual enabling that comes through the Holy Spirit in response to your cry, “Lord, help me.  Give me the strength I need today to do what You want me to do.”  Faith takes you above what you can do and connects you with His power, His enabling.

Dangerous Thought #4: This one time won’t matter.  Vast numbers of people have been brought down by this one, thinking just one time won’t matter, whether a flirtatious conversation or “just one” of any number of things.

But here is perhaps the deadliest of them all.  It’s this: It couldn’t happen to me.  The area in which you think you are most impervious to temptation is your area of greatest danger.  No one can presume on God’s mercy, His protection, or His grace.  That’s why you need to stay close to Him, communicate with Him daily, and allow His Word to penetrate your life and thoughts.  You, believer in Jesus, “are not controlled by your sinful nature.  You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you” (Romans 8:9 NLT).

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/4-dangerous-thoughts-to-throw-out/

Cofta Ruby 1

Law dean: Marcoleta misinterpreted law on 50-year franchise term

A law dean on Thursday said House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta had misinterpreted the 50-year cap on legislative franchises that Congress may grant, among arguments he presented at the House of Representatives on Tuesday in opposing broadcast operations of ABS-CBN Corp.

“I was bit surprised, especially the position taken by the good congressman that the franchise cannot be extended for another 50 years. I don’t think that would be the right interpretation of Section 11 of Art. 12 of the Constitution,” said Soledad Mawis, dean of the Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law.

On ANC’s Headstart, Mawis said the 50-year franchise period in the Constitution is the maximum that can be granted by Congress at one time, and there is no law prohibiting a company from being granted an extension or renewal of their franchise.

“Kaya hindi ko masundan 'yung logic lalo na kunwari po is it the spirit of the Constitution to discourage a franchise holder to do better or to be the best so that when it applies for a renewal mabibigyan? Wala naman pong sinasabi doon ang Constitution na hanggang diyan lang 'yan at hindi puwedeng bigyan ng panibagong prangkisa,” she said.

(That's why I cannot follow the logic especially, for instance, is it the spirit of the Constitution to discourage a franchise holder to do better or be the best so that when it applies for a renewal, it can get one? The Constitution does not say that's the end of it and that a new franchise cannot be given.)

Mawis said Marcoleta’s interpretation becomes a disincentive for a company.

If the lawmaker's take would be followed, it means a firm that has been performing well and running operations properly could no longer be given a franchise extension after 50 years.

Several others, even Marcoleta's colleagues in the House, had said the lawmaker's understanding of the 50-year franchise limit was wrong, citing other broadcast firms operating beyond that length of time.

ABS-CBN was forced to halt its broadcast operations on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) went back on its commitment to allow ABS-CBN to operate beyond its lapsed franchise.

On Monday, the House committees on legislative franchises and good government and accountability started hearings on bills seeking to give ABS-CBN a fresh broadcast franchise.

The network, which has some 11,000 workers, has asked the Supreme Court to block the NTC's cease-and-desist order. The high court ordered the telecoms body and both chambers of Congress to respond to the ABS-CBN's petition.

The Kapamilya network said it "has not committed any violation" of its franchise that would merit its non-renewal or the suspension of its broadcast operations.

On Thursday's interview, Mawis also questioned claims on ABS-CBN’s alleged violation of balanced and responsible reporting.

“Is it material to the renewal of the franchise? That’s my question. Are they supposed to dictate to us, to you, for example, what to air? Is it also not part of your freedom of speech and expression to air what you think is right or not right? So if we go to the content, that’s very subjective,” she said.

Mawis also questioned the timing of ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Yap's statements raising issues against the network for its reportage on drug allegations against Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte, the President's son.

“Why just now? Why wait for this time when your company is on the brink of closing? Why not before? It’s political in nature. I’m not saying they cannot raise it now because they can for purposes of deciding the renewal of the franchise. It’s just a question of why now after so many years,” she said, referring to the allegations that surfaced in 2017.

“If, for example, the good congressman Duterte felt that he was slighted at that time, then he could have availed of remedies under the law,” she said.

Mawis also asserted that the shutdown of ABS-CBN is a press freedom issue.

“Hindi ko makuha 'yung line of thinking na OK walang issue naman ng freedom of expression o freedom of the press kasi itong isa puwede naman niyang gawin. Hindi po natin pinag-uusapan 'yung puwedeng gawin nung isa. Ang pinag-uusapan natin bakit itong isa na ito hindi ho niya puwedeng gawin 'yung ginagawa nung iba,” she said.

(I don't get the line of thinking that OK there's no freedom of expression or freedom of the press issue here because another one can do what has been doing. We're not talking about what another one can do. We're talking about why this one can't do what the others are doing.)

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/28/20/law-dean-marcoleta-misinterpreted-law-on-50-year-franchise-term

Philippines to start transition to online census this September

The Philippines will partly transition to an online system for conducting national census this year as the coronavirus pandemic forced it to push back the timetable to September, the government’s main statistics agency said on Wednesday.

The census of population, held every five years, was originally set for May.

But with people ordered to hunker down at home for two and half months now – state workers included – a census that previously required having enumerators knock on each household’s door has to take a back seat.

“The online census will be done on a limited scale, meaning we already identified people, specific households,” Deputy National Statistician for Censuses Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias told CNN Philippines in a zoom interview.

“We have the list already so we will be contacting them via email and provide them access numbers,” she said.

This initial round of online count will cover 2,000 households, mostly from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and agencies working with it, so that they form the pilot group. The statistics agency did not have to procure a third-party systems provider as the national budget had allocated it with funds to strengthen its own IT infrastructure.

With the Philippine population projected to have bloated to 110 million this year from 100.98 million in 2015 when the last census was taken, an initial online coverage of 2,000 households may not count. But it’s a good start.

“We have to do something even in a small scale to start somewhere because we are already on a digital age,” Esquivias said.

Online censuses are becoming a trend, with Southeast Asian peers Indonesia and Malaysia going digital too for its population count this year, she added.

“Probably when we have the next census, we will explore that on a greater scale,” she said

But with most rural households still with no access to internet infrastructure nor a decent desktop at home, a full-blown online census may be distant.

A national ID system could make the transition to online census easier but the law imposes restrictions on the use of data collected via the national ID system.

“The national ID as provided in the law, is just foundational," Esquivias explained. "It provides you the identification of an individual but it cannot be used for other purposes.”

“For us PSA, it’s easier for us to do the census with the national ID database but we cannot do that because of the limitations in the law," she also said. "The privacy and the confidentiality of both the national ID and the census will have to take precedence over all other functional advantages. We cannot do anything that is not allowed by law.”

Results of the census cannot be used for targeting welfare spending or cash aid either.

Controversies hounding the distribution of an P8,000 dole-out for 18 million households affected by COVID-19 earlier prompted lawmakers to call for the quick implementation of the national ID system. The basis for identifying who gets the cash aid was a list made by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which had a methodology that is totally separate from the PSA’s national census.

“The census data does not provide the name and the address," Esquivias said. "The census law only provides us to disseminate statistical summaries without identification of any individual.”

“The census law is BP [Batas Pambansa] 72 and our Philippine Statistical Act of 2013 so there’s provision on the confidentiality of information," she added, "so in fact, when we talk of SAP [social amelioration program], it’s the list of DSWD not the 2015 census of population.”

In gist, data collected from the census are for statistical purposes only – the results help policymakers decide how to distribute public funds to local communities and where to build new schools, hospitals and public parks.

Pen and paper plus stickers

The rest of the population not covered by the online census for this year will be visited by enumerators – some with pen and paper, others with computer tablets or will just ask for the household’s phone number for a follow-up call if they opt for a phone interview.

The PSA is hiring 120,000 people to do the job.

“One enumeration area would be about 400 households so the enumerator will have to move around covering 400 households within a span of one month,” Esquivias said.

The statistics agency is urging the public to cooperate in the census, giving assurances that the enumerators will be properly equipped with masks and other protective equipment.

With household visits still widely the norm, the census sticker is here to stay.

“We will have stickers to be posted by enumerators because the sticker is a very visible sign that will tell us supervisors in terms of coverage,” Esquivias said. “It’s part of our quality assurance.”

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/5/27/PSA-hiring-nationwide-population-census.html

NOMO - A Vista Lifestyle Center

ABS-CBN franchise authors: 50-year franchise limit renewable, Constitution clear

The 50-year limit on franchises given by Congress is renewable, authors of measures granting ABS-CBN a fresh license to operate said Wednesday.

This, in dispute of Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta's statement Tuesday that the country's largest broadcast network has been operating for a total of 53 years, violating the Constitution's provision on the period of franchises.

Section 11, Article 12 of the 1987 Constitution states: “No franchise, certificate, or any other form of authorization for the operation of a public utility shall be granted except to citizens of the Philippines... for a longer period than fifty years."

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said 50 years was the maximum that can be granted by Congress in each franchise law it passes, but this does not prohibit companies from getting a renewal.

“It is not cumulative. Congress can give 50 years in one instance and it can be extended for another 50 years and so on. However, the practice is to give 25 years every instance or issuance. The Constitution is very clear," Rodriguez said.

Zarate said that if Marcoleta’s interpretation of that constitutional limit is followed, other holders of franchises who have been in operation for more than 50 years should also be stopped.

“If we follow the logic, that interpretation, kahit 'yung ibang networks na matanda na rin dapat wala na sila sa ere. I can only judge based sa kanilang station ID for example GMA-7 sinabi rin ng GMA7 na more than 50 years na in existence," he said.

"PLDT, also a public utility, was granted a franchise for 50 years in November 28, 1928 under Act No. 3436 ... and, PLDT is still around."

ABS-CBN was forced to halt its broadcast operations on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) went back on its commitment to allow ABS-CBN to operate beyond its lapsed franchise.

The network, which has some 11,000 workers, has asked the Supreme Court to block the NTC's cease-and-desist order.

The high court ordered the telecoms body and both chambers of Congress to respond to ABS-CBN's petition.

news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/27/20/abs-cbn-franchise-authors-50-year-franchise-limit-renewable-constitution-clear

House panel gets nearly 200 ABS-CBN petitions ahead of franchise hearing

The House legislative franchises committee has received nearly 200 petitions for and against the grant of a fresh 25-year broadcast franchise to ABS-CBN Corp.

The 181 petitions pushing for a license to operate for the country's top broadcaster cited the following points, according to a matrix of the committee:  public service in reporting; freedom of expression and of the press; labor opportunities; and fair market competition.

ABS-CBN's shutdown since May 5 due to its stalled franchise sends a chilling effect on other media outlets, petitioners argued.

The news and entertainment giant also provides relief goods to survivors of calamities and livelihood to partner organizations and cooperatives, rebuilds school buildings, and gives out scholarships, the petitions said.

ABS-CBN gives its regular employees financial assistance and other benefits which are beyond what is prescribed by law.

The network is also a partner of various universities in Manila for recruitment activities, job fairs and symposia, and on-the-job training, said the petitioners.

Eight petitions meanwhile opposed the new franchise for ABS-CBN due to its 2016 election coverage, supposed foreign ownership, labor practices, and alleged franchise violations like illegal pay-per-view.

The 65-year-old media outfit has denied these accusations in various fora.

The House franchise committee on Tuesday afternoon will start deliberations on bills for ABS-CBN's 25-year franchise, about a week after it dropped a proposed 5-month provisional license.

The National Telecommunications Office on May 5 forced ABS-CBN off air, a day after its franchise expired while bills for its renewal stalled in Congress.

The NTC's action came after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned its leaders they could face graft charges if they gave ABS-CBN a provisional permit. Regulators, under oath, earlier told lawmakers the network could operate until 2022.

Calida last week denied that he meddled with the NTC's decision. He said he would skip Tuesday's franchise hearing due to the "sub judice" rule, which restricts comments that might influence the court.

The government's chief lawyer in February asked the Supreme Court in a quo warranto petition to nullify ABS-CBN's franchise.

Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/26/20/house-panel-gets-nearly-200-abs-cbn-petitions-ahead-of-franchise-hearing

Calida 'expected' to attend House hearing on ABS-CBN franchise renewal: lawmaker

Solicitor General Jose Calida is expected by congressmen to attend the House Committee on Legislative Franchises' hearing Tuesday on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal, a lawmaker said Monday.

Bulacan Rep. Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, one of the committee's five vice-chairpersons, said in a statement that Calida is among a number of resource persons the panel called "to shed light and provide a general overview of the issues."

"Just like the members of Congress, I am sure our kababayans would like to hear - and they deserve to hear - what SolGen Calida has to say, instead of just reading or watching about it in the news," Sy-Alvarado said.

Calida's expected presence in the hearing is "without prejudice to the quo warranto case he has filed before the Supreme Court" against the expired franchise of ABS-CBN.

Calida asked the high court in February to invalidate ABS-CBN's franchise, citing alleged violation by the company of the Constitutional ban on foreign ownership and purportedly operating "beyond the scope of its legislative franchise." The quo warranto petition remains unresolved.

The franchise of ABS-CBN, which insisted it did not violate the law, has since expired on May 4, without any of pending bills in Congress seeking to grant it a fresh 25-year franchise getting passed.

On May 5, the country's leading media and entertainment company halted its broadcast operations after the National Telecommunications Commission issued it a cease-and-desist order, going back to its commitment to lawmakers in March that ABS-CBN will be granted a provisional authority.

It followed the warning Calida gave to the NTC on the eve of the expiry of ABS-CBN's franchise against the issuance of a provisional authority.

Sy-Alvarado said Calida's appearance at the House is not expected to affect the case lodged before the SC, citing the Constitution and a House rule that states, "the filing or pendency of a case before any court, tribunal or quasi-judicial or administrative body shall not stop or abate any inquiry conducted to carry out a legislative purpose."

Calida did not attend hearings conducted by the Senate in February and last week that tackled issues related to ABS-CBN.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has blamed Calida for "unconstitutionally meddling" with ABS-CBN's franchise renewal issue.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/25/20/calida-expected-to-attend-house-hearing-on-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-lawmaker

Multiply shutdown controversy

Multiply, one of the country’s top social networking sites several years ago, announced earlier this month that it’s dumping the site’s social networking features to make way for a more e-Commerce-friendly Multiply.

Friendster, Multiply’s primary competitor in the country a couple of years back, also left the social networking category last year by targetting the social gaming market. Multiply made the announcement via its newly appointed CEO Stefan Magdalinski’s blog post entitled “We are sorry.”

“We have decided to discontinue providing and hosting these services, as we have concluded that other Internet sites who are committed to social networking services will do a better job serving you than we can.”

The announcement assured all Multiply e-Commerce users that they won’t have to do anything during the transition period which is until December of this year as the affected users are only those who are maintaining blogs, photos, music and videos since 2004.

Those who have upgraded to Multiply Premium, the exclusive subscription that gives users more unique features of the site, will be issued appropriate refunds.

“We are aiming to have the new site relaunched in time for the Christmas period,” Magdalinski said in an interview. “In the new platform, we will probably mandate certain styles of user experience, but we will also encourage shop owners to check out systems that work.”

Per statistics, Multiply has approximately 5.5 million users in the Philippines with 130,000 of them using the site as online stores.

In December 2012, Multiply stopped its social networking service to focus on e-commerce, targeting the 350 million consumers in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Whether the Multiply, can continue to operate in another form remains unknown. At issue is whether Magdalinski will withdraw his liquidation petition against the company.

Mainland investor Si Rongbin’s China Culture Media, to whom Magdalinski had sold the controlling stake in the former E-commerce and social networking site, refused to call it quits and pledged to keep Multiply’s brand name alive through archive photo and video services.

On Wednesday, Magdalinski said they had put in place Rp 8.9 billion for wages owed to former Multiply staff.

The Labour Department said earlier that around 400 former Multiply staff had applied for compensation through the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund, a safety net for employees affected by business closures.

Naspers Limited (later Prosus N.V.) which owns Multiply, said the website would reopen in November 2025.

The decade-long closure was necessary to allow the importation of  new features similar to Facebook Live and hashtag similar to Twitter and Instagram and retention of old features such as Traditional Blogging, Unlimited Photo Sharing, Videos, Calendar, Reviews, Recipes, Marketplace, Music, Inbox newsfeed and Groups, it added.

That seasonal workers would have to wait until the website’s reopening, adding that 18 million Multiply users would be given financial assistance.

As of present, Multiply remains off. It has been offline for over 6 years, it started since the midterm of Benigno Aquino III Administration and the whole Duterte Administration. It was expected to return not after January 20, 2017, but failed to meet the deadline. After missing the entirety of 2018 to 2020, it is expected to return in 2023, as revealed on their home page.

It announced that the company will continue its business as a archive photo and video site with their new mobile app, delivering 217 million accounts, 210 million photos and 237,000 videos from the old Multiply from it's launch in March 2004 to March 15, 2013 and 691 million photos from the old Webshots instead of social networking and E-commerce.

It had forced the company to explore either a sale were inaccurate. Magdalinski released an emailed statement claiming "our banks, partners and shareholders are fully supportive of our company and it is untrue that the company or board is exploring a sale or shutdown of the company” and that “business is continuing as usual as the company moves ahead.”

This was contradicted by Multiply president Peter Pezaris and a spokesman for company investor Goldman Sachs.

Glasser and the other two remaining members of the company's board of directors also did not joining Stefan in signing this statement either.

It announced that it will shut down its social networking and content sharing services to shift its focus to online shopping.

In an announcement posted on the website, Multiply chief executive officer Stefan Magdalinski said users will no longer be able to share photos, videos and blogs starting December 1.

Magdalinski believes that other websites “will do a better job serving you than we can.”

Facebook currently leads the pack in the social media race with over 900 million followers.

“From December 1st, we will unfortunately no longer be able to support Multiply in its current form – notably we will be removing the social networking and content sharing part of Multiply (photos, videos, blogs, social messaging, etc.). We have decided to discontinue providing and hosting these services, as we have concluded that other Internet sites who are committed to social networking services will do a better job serving you than we can.

“For our existing users of social networking features, we will be providing easy ways for you to either download your stuff (photos, blogs, content, etc.), or migrate it to other online services. We’ll announce the precise details shortly. It will be your choice whether to download, migrate or just let your content lapse (and get deleted).

Magdalinski said Multiply will now focus on improving its online shopping capability, citing its 350 million consumers in Indonesia and the Philippines.

“I suspect that many of you will not like the news, and I am sorry to have to deliver it now. I hope that you will be able to understand the reasons for our decision and thank you for being a part of the Multiply community over the past eight years,” he said.

On December 1, 2012 it completed its shift to a marketplace platform from being a social networking site storing pictures, videos, and blogs.

"Earlier this year Multiply made the big decision to transform and dedicate the site entirely to e-commerce. In the process, the company announced this month its decision to shut down the site’s social networking and content sharing functions. We recently talked to Multiply’s CEO Stefan Magdalinski and Indonesia country manager Daniel Tumiwa about the decision to take down the blog platform, and about the company’s plans for 2013.

Daniel said that they will be taking down the blogs soon, and have given its members around two months to download and migrate their content to other blogging services. They are still giving an additional one month grace period to make sure members have enough time to settle their affairs. But starting this month, users are no longer able to post anything new on their Multiply-hosted blogs, but we can still view and read the blogs for several months. Then they’ll vanish for good.

Stefan added that competition among social networking sites is unique, as there’s often a dominant entity, making it more difficult to be successful. But e-commerce is a bit different, because there are a lot of successful e-commerce businesses, even if they only get a smaller market slice.

Before this decision to cease blogging services was made, Multiply’s team frequently held sessions with its members for about a year to get feedback on the company’s plans. Daniel said that the decision was a difficult one, especially when there has been a lot of stories and memories invested in numerous Multiply blogs, including people who met their spouses via their own blog.

Reuters reported on December 3, 2012 that Multiply had entered talks with private equity firm Colony Capital for sale of its assets.

On December 10, 2012, Colony Capital pulled out of acquiring Multiply.

Other persons and companies that have expressed interest in acquiring Multiply include rapper Jay-Z, Yucaipa Companies, Viacom, Lionsgate (the current home video distributor of TWC and Miramax), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (the former U.S theatrical distributor of TWC), A&E Networks, Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet, Killer Content, Shamrock Holdings, Vine Alternative Investments, Anchorage Capital Group, MSD Capital, beIN Media Group (the current owner of Miramax), Sony Pictures Television, and Versa.

Contreras-Sweet has proposed turning Multiply into a archive photo and video site that allows to download and view their old photos and videos from old Friendster, Multiply and Webshots accounts, while Killer Content would donate the website's profits.

All the interested parties had to submit their first-round bids by December 20, 2012.

On January 4, 2013 Multiply narrowed its bids down to six parties, with a sales price of below $500 million. The website's owners will not receive any cash from the sale.

Cayetano meanwhile said that the March 14's closure of Multiply social networking services would take effect on March 23. “I think, there are 120 days after [it can take effect].”

“So, ‘pag hindi pa po na-re renew ng Congress pwede sila mag-operate with temporary permit mula sa SEC (So, if Congress fails to renew, they can operate temporary permit from the SEC ),” he said in an interview.

“Kung wala pang ginagawa ang Congress (If Congress fails to act, walang approval (if there was no approval), no action taken by Congress they can still operate with temporary permit from SEC,” Go stressed.

On March 23, 2013, Multiply International ceased its social networking operations as of now.

On April 26, 2013, Multiply announced it will close Multiply Indonesia and Multiply International website as of May 6, 2013.

"After nine years, all of our offices worldwide are going out of business," the statement said.

“In 2016, wala pa ring nangyari, ‘yun na ‘yun, doon siya (If in 2016 nothing happens, that’s it. That is when it is) deemed terminated. Hintayin nila ‘yung bagong Congress, magfile ng bagong franchise (They have to wait for the new Congress to file a new franchise),” Enrile said.

Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano, vice chairman of the Committee on Legislative Franchises at the House of Representatives, expressed the same view.

“Senate President Enrile and I have already explained so many times that Multiply may actually legally continue to operate as a company,” Albano said.

Eleven bills seeking to renew Multiply’s franchise are pending at the committee level. The panel has yet to set a schedule a hearing.

Albano said that the committee would tackle the franchise bills based on House processes.

“On the matter of the franchise of Multiply, we must and are proceeding steadily but cautiously given the highly-charged atmosphere among those who are against and in favor of its renewal,” the lawmaker said. “While we understand the concerns aired by various sectors, including our colleagues in the Senate, we stand by our process and refuse to be stampeded or coerced into making hasty decisions for political mileage.”

He urged the website to respond to the concerns raised by the Office of the Solicitor General in its quo warranto petition filed before the Supreme Court.

“At this time, we urge the website to just respond to the issues raised by the solicitor general Francis Jardeleza as it is highly probable that those same concerns will be tackled in our hearings. But more than this, following the advice of the Speaker for soul-searching, this might be the most opportune time for the company to try to understand why public sentiment is also against the website,” Albano said.

“As a government franchisee, the website’s continued operation relies heavily on its ability to serve the public good. As it stands now, there are serious concerns being raised against Multiply by various sectors not just by the President and the Speaker and other politicians and business people as to its business practices and its delivery of information to the public,” he added.

On May 24, 2013, Multiply's employees filed a strike notice, protesting a rumored shutdown of Multiply on May 31.

On May 30, 2013, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that President Aquino will stand by the decision of the SEC on granting Multiply a fresh 25-year franchise.

This is a very welcome development since Multiply went close down on May 6, 2013 and ceased all business operations on May 31, 2013. Social media was flooded with messages of sympathy, support and love for the website. On the other hand, many netizens also gloated and criticized the website, rejoicing at Multiply’s plight. The website became a divisive issue that added more stress and anxiety during this closure.

There is also a chance that Multiply can go back online sooner. Several legal luminaries have expressed that what SEC did. It blatantly disregarded the power of Congress, which has the sole authority to issue franchises. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will come out with a favorable decision.

As the new investor is to launch a debt restructuring plan for Multiply, the High Court on June 17 its liquidation proceedings and removed accounting firm Deloitte from its role as the firm’s provisional liquidator.

Derek Lai, vice-chair of Deloitte China, said on Tuesday that since Star Platinum had already resolved the major debts Multiply incurred, it was unlikely the internet company would go into liquidation despite still owing smaller debts to other creditors including Facebook.

“Star Platinum needs to negotiate with the remaining creditors,” he said. “I hope they will support its restructuring with Multiply.”

He added that Multiply now had a cash flow of HK$10 million to be paid to other creditors as well as assets worth over HK$40 million.

In its latest financial report last month, Co-Prosperity said the deal with Multiply could help the group diversify its business. Apart from the online industry, the group focuses on fabric and clothing trading, money lending and securities investments.

“The directors believe that the potential intrinsic value of Multiply can be realized if the plan to rescue Multiply is successful,” the report said.

The group said it could make use of Multiply’s remaining assets and turn the website into a archive photo and video site.

“The group has been granted access and usage of certain assets of Multiply which shall enable Multiply to continue to operate and act as a archive photo and video site taking advantage of its 100,000 square-meter facility, and social networking portion that delivering 217 million accounts, 210 million photos and 237,000 videos from the old Multiply from it's launch in March 2004 to March 15, 2013,” it said.

On November 16, 2013 it allowed the controlling stake in the website to be formally sold to a foreign or mainland investor, who claimed Magdalinski had a rescue plan for the troubled firm.

High Court judge Mr Justice Jonathan Harris validated the transaction after hearing that the parties would no longer object to the share transfer and that the dues for the shares had been paid by Si.

In February 2014, Multiply announced that it planned to file for Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The action would allow Multiply to pay its debt obligations, and cancel its obligations to shareholders.

Private equity firm Apollo Management expected to own most of Multiply's shares after the bankruptcy.

On March 12, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it would issue a provisional authority to allow Multiply to operate until December 31, 2019, while Congress continues to deliberate on its franchise bid.

On March 13, 2014 Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza begged off comment on the SEC's plan to grant Multiply provisional authority to operate so it could continue the site and business operations pending reopening of social networking portion.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. on May 20, 2014 said the House of Representatives would be "ready to decide" on a new 25-year franchise for Multiply by August.

The Lower House stopped deliberations for the proposed 5-month provisional permit for the broadcaster and opted to hear bills seeking to give it a 25-year franchise.

Deliberations by the House franchises committee will continue during the Congress recess starting in June, said Belmonte.

"They will not stop until they are finished so that no one can say we’re stopping the process or dragging our feet," he told ABS-CBN News.

"I foresee that the hearings would not go beyond July, and by August, after President Aquino’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), we should be ready to decide," he added.

Lawmakers will hold 2 or 3 hearings per week to tackle "no more than 10 issues" related to the franchise. Some witnesses and resource persons would be required to physically appear before the committee, provided social distancing and other health protocols are observed, he said.

House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Marcelino Teodoro said the franchise hearing is set on May 27, 9:30 a.m.

"The hearings must be fair, impartial, comprehensive, and thorough. All voices must be heard and all issues for and against will be discussed…this will require a lot of time - time we do not have. And so, there will be sacrifices on our part if we hope to finish this without delay," said Belmonte.

"For those who are calling for an outright approval or denial, I ask that you suspend your extreme views until all the facts have been presented, and all the testimonies have been heard," he said.

Multiply said it has been losing P30-60 million in revenues daily since it closed last May 6, 2013 and ceasing all business operations last May 31, 2013.

The 10-year-old E-commerce and social networking site promised it "would not take away any jobs for 6 months." However, it may "consider" retrenching workers by August if it fails to resume operations soon, CEO Magdalinski told senators.

The Securities and Exchange Commission told lawmakers in March that it would let the world's top E-commerce and social networking site operate provisionally, while bills for its franchise renewal stalled in Congress for years.

But days after Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza warned SEC officials that they could face graft charges if they gave Multiply a provisional permit.

On May 22, 2014, House Speaker Belmonte has confirmed the House of Representatives will finally conduct a congressional hearing on the franchise renewal of Multiply.

He said the hearing is set on Tuesday, May 27, 2014.

In an ambush interview on Thursday afternoon, Belmonte said he talked with House Committee on Legislative Franchises chairman Teodoro and "assured him he has complete autonomy with the vice-chairman and sabi niya, when he starts sa Tuesday, itutuloy-tuloy na ito”.

“I will be making the session hall available to make sure the witnesses na dapat nandoon ay may social distancing at saka there is enough space for everyone,” he added.

It may also be a joint hearing with the House Committee on Good Government.

“I think naglabas na ng notice si Chairman Marcy and I think magjo-joint din ang Good Government para yung SEC at saka yung SolGen ay makapag-participate din,” said Belmonte.

On January 25, 2016, President Benigno Aquino III, through the Governance Commission for Government-owned and -controlled corporation (GCG) approved the planned privatization of Multiply. The privatization will be undergo public bidding with an estimated floor price of 20 billion pesos. The proceeds of the bidding will be for the increase of Facebook's capital to upgrade and modernize their social networking capabilities. The Development Bank of the Philippines will be the financial adviser for the privatization. Incoming PCOO secretary Martin Andanar has already forwarded the privatization plan to President Rodrigo Duterte's executive secretary Salvador Medialdea. Andanar will also coordinate with the GCG before the start of the bidding.

Now new reports say that comeback could happen as soon as the 2020 holiday season. CBS News reported that Multiply brand are now being managed by Multiply Media LLC.

Multiply Media LLC in August 2016; they are reportedly planning to take the brand worldwide.

Franchise woes loom over ABS-CBN shares

Uncertainties over its legislative franchise slumped ABS-CBN Corp.’s shares as it resumed trading last week, shedding over 10 percent from its last price prior to the trading suspension.

ABS-CBN saw its shares close to P15.72 apiece on Friday, down 18 centavos or 1.13 percent amid the 1.17-percent shed of the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) on the same day.

The PSE suspended trading of the shares and deposit receipts of ABS-CBN on May 6 — a day after the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against the local broadcast network.

The order was released after the network’s legislative franchise expired on May 4.

The trading suspension was only lifted on May 18, after the Lopez-led firm fully disclosed the impact of the order to its operations. Its shares opened down to P15 each on May 18, which also was the stock’s current 30-day low.

“The plunge in [ABS-CBN’s] share price comes as investors price in the media company’s daily forgone revenues caused by the shutdown of its franchise operations,” Philstocks research associate Japhet Tantiangco told The Manila Times.

ABS-CBN has been forced to go off-air since the night of May 5, following the release of the CDO.

“Despite Senate Resolution 40, the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchises’ letter, the guidance of the Department of Justice and the sworn statement of NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, the NTC did not grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate while its franchise renewal remains pending in Congress,” ABS-CBN said in a statement on May 5.

Tantiangco also attributed ABS-CBN’s poor market performance last week to uncertainties surrounding the firm’s franchise renewal.

“The company’s future remains hanging in the balance given that there’s still no decision from the government, primarily from the Congress, regarding its legislative franchise,” he said.

Diversified Securities Inc. trader AnicetoPangan told The Times that the shares of the media conglomerate would “continue to slump” until its franchise has been renewed.

“As they are losing P30 million to P35 million [everyday that they are off air], they’ll continue to slump until there is a clear direction on when they’ll be able to start again on renewed 25-year franchise,” he said.

Likewise, Tantiangco said ABS-CBN’s share price would depend on the progress of the deliberation of its franchise renewal.

“For now, we’re seeing a downward bias for the share since the opportunity losses, primarily the forgone revenues, are to continue given that the company’s radio and TV broadcasting operations remain shut,” he noted.

“Ultimately, the impetus that could drive ABS’ shares up would be an affirmative decision from the government with respect to its franchise. For now, the trading range for ABS is set from P15.00 to P16.50,” Tantiangco further said.

Pangan also said a “clear direction of a renewed 25-year franchise within the near term or a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court” would help boost investors’ sentiments towards ABS-CBN shares.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/05/25/business/stock-watch/franchise-woes-loom-over-abs-cbn-shares/727062/

Online plea for ABS-CBN franchise grant gets over 1M signatures in 24 hours

A signature drive led by the head of the employees’ union of network giant ABS -CBN has garnered over a million signatures in just 24 hours.

The signature campaign, launched by ABS-CBN union head Jon Villanueva, is addressed to the House of Representatives.

In the petition, ABS-CBN employees and their families and friends called for the immediate granting of the network’s franchise.

“We, the employees of ABS-CBN, call for the immediate discussion and passing of the renewal of the ABS-CBN Franchise,” the petition said.

ABS-CBN has been off the air since May 5, when the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order compelling the network to stop broadcasting since it has no valid franchise.

It was the first time ABS-CBN was forced by the government to shut down since it was padlocked in September 1972 when dictator Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law.

In a text message, Villanueva said that he and other colleagues have been circulating a similar petition since February, with the intention of collecting all 11,000 plus signatures of the network’s employees.

But the community quarantine over Luzon halted their bid to gather the signatures.

“We also expected the NTC to grant us a provisional authority to remain on air. But of course as we all know now, we were surprised by the cease and desist order,” Villanueva said in Filipino.

That was when the petition was put online.

In the petition, ABS-CBN employees appealed to Congress to immediately tackle the franchise renewal, so they can go back to work.

“We want ABS-CBN to continue its operations, not only because it serves as our main source of livelihood, but because for most of us, the company’s happy working environment and the management’s fair practices have encouraged us to continue to be in the service of the Filipino,” the petition said.

Villanueva expressed gratitude and optimism that the popular support for the network will lead to the granting of its franchise.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1279912/online-plea-for-abs-cbn-franchise-grant-gets-over-1m-signatures-in-24-hours

PHILIPPINES: AN ESTIMATED FOUR MILLION ATTEND POPE'S WORLD YOUTH DAY MASS

In a climax to Pope John Paul's visit to the Philippines an estimated four million people, the largest crowds to greet the Pontiff during his 16 years in office, attended his World Youth Day Mass on Sunday (January 15), Vatican officials said.

On Saturday the Pope attended a youth rally in central Manila's Luneta Park where police estimated up to half a million people awaited him.

They beat drums, set off firecrackers, sang and chanted for 15 minutes when the Pontiff arrived at the park. The Pope playfully waved his cane at dancers greeting him during the ceremonies.

Police and Vatican officials put the crowd at Sunday's mass in Manila's Rizal Park at more than ten million.

The 74-year-old Pontiff had originally been scheduled to travel the three kilometres (two miles) from the Apostolic Nunciature to the park by road.

But he had to travel by helicopter because roads leading there were completely blocked by people.

The Pope, who has had difficulty in walking since surgery on his right leg last year, was helped from the white-painted helicopter.

A delegation from China's state-sanctioned Catholic church attended the event in one of the clearest indications of warming relations since Beijing broke with the Vatican in the 1950s.

World Youth Day is a Roman Catholic event held every year, alternatively in Rome and another city.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JANUARY 14-15, 1995) 

(RTV/POOL-ACCESS ALL) 

(JANUARY 14) 

1. GV NIGHT SCENES POPE JOHN PAUL MOVING THROUGH 

STREETS 0.05 

2. GV/SV CROWDS (5 SHOTS) 0.20 

3. SV POPE TWIRLING CANE 0.33 

4. GV CROWD SINGING 0.38 

5. SV/LV POPE SWAYING WITH SINGERS ON STAGE (2 SHOTS) 0.50 

6. AERIAL VIEW OF HUGE CROWD HOLDING CANDLES 0.54 

7. GV POPEMOBILE TRAVELLING THROUGH CROWDS 1.04 

8. SV AUSTRALIAN FLAG/ZOOM OUT AUSTRALIAN 

DELEGATES (2 SHOTS) 1.12 

8. GV/SV PEOPLE PRAYING /SLEEPING (4 SHOTS) 1.36 

(JANUARY 15) 

9. SV PAN CHINESE DELEGATION/FLAG 1.42 

10. SLV HELICOPTER - POPE ARRIVING 1.50 

11. GV MILLIONS CHEERING 1.53 

12. SV POPE ARRIVES AND WAVES 2.04 

13. GV CARDINALS 2.08 

14. SV POPE SAYING "YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND ALL OVER THE WORLD, I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU" (ENGLISH) 2.20 

15. AERIAL/PAN OF CROWD (2 SHOTS) 2.33 

16. SV POPE GREETING PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FIDEL RAMOS 2.39 

17. SV SECURITY FORCES WITH SNIPER RIFLES ON ROOF OF NEARBY BUILDING 2.43 

18. AERIAL OF CROWD 2.47 

19. GV POPE CLIMBING INTO HELICOPTER AFTER SERVICE/HELICOPTER LEAVING 2.59

‘Politics doomed ABS-CBN provisional franchise’

What prompted House members to drop a proposal to grant provisional franchise to broadcast giant ABS-CBN while Congress deliberates on its franchise renewal application?

Even Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who initiated the measure that could have allowed the network to return on air under a temporary franchise until Oct. 31, was surprised by the sudden turnaround in the chamber’s plenary.

“I did not expect it to happen because in my view and when we speak of fairness, we should allow ABS-CBN to go on air and cover the hearings so we can judge whether or not its coverage is really fair on the issue once arguments are presented,” he admitted in a radio interview yesterday.

Cayetano said the House is a collegial body that decides through a consensus or majority vote, wherein members can change their positions anytime.

He said that after the chamber passed his House Bill 6723 on first and second reading on May 13, political parties met with their leaders and members in the following days.

“Some political parties and congressmen, other members of the government and even private citizens had plenty of discussions... You know individual votes of congressmen can change once they meet with their political blocs or regional blocs,” he said.

Cayetano said before the chamber dropped his bill on Tuesday, they had an all-member caucus wherein even authors of franchise renewal bills stood firm in their positions but had to follow the stand of their respective parties.

He did not name which political blocs decided to reject the provisional franchise bill.

But during a virtual plenary session, representatives of major political parties led by the PDP-Laban and National Unity Party expressed support for Cayetano’s leadership, but moved to bring the issue back to the legislative franchises committee for hearings on the 25-year franchise bills.

“As I said, the well has been poisoned,” Cayetano said, citing the opinion of several lawmakers that the provisional franchise might be legally questionable.

Another House leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a “majority” of legislators “do not support the franchise renewal for ABS-CBN.”

“If we will have the voting at this time, a clear majority will reject the franchise bills. But we don’t know yet what can happen during and after the hearings, that’s why we have to listen to both sides,” the source told The STAR.

Cayetano admitted that the ABS-CBN franchise issue has become a “rollercoaster ride” since the National Telecommunications Commission shut down the network on May 5.

He gave assurance that the network would be accorded due process during the hearing.

Cayetano said the hearing will start on May 26 and the committee on franchises chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez would conduct hearings two to three times a week, even after Congress adjourns sine die on June 3.

“I do not foresee the hearings to go beyond July,” he said, adding the House decision may be ready for the state of the nation address of President Duterte.

Labor coalition Nagkaisa sought the immediate approval of the ABS-CBN franchise to prevent displacement of the network’s 11,000 employees. Mayen Jaymalin

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/05/22/2015695/politics-doomed-abs-cbn-provisional-franchise

House set to hear ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills on May 26

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has confirmed the House of Representatives will finally conduct a congressional hearing on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

He said the hearing is set on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

In an ambush interview on Thursday afternoon, Cayetano said he talked with House Committee on Legislative Franchises chairman Franz “Chikoy” Alvarez and "assured him he has complete autonomy with the vice-chairman and sabi niya, when he starts sa Tuesday, itutuloy-tuloy na ito”.

“I will be making the session hall available to make sure the witnesses na dapat nandoon ay may social distancing at saka there is enough space for everyone,” he added.

It may also be a joint hearing with the House Committee on Good Government.

“I think naglabas na ng notice si Chairman Chikoy and I think magjo-joint din ang Good Government para yung NTC [National Telecommunications Commission] at saka yung SolGen [Solicitor General] ay makapag-participate din,” said Cayetano.

The lower house last Tuesday abandoned a bill that would have reopened ABS-CBN sooner rather than later, opting instead to take the longer route of committee deliberations.

The decision, hammered out during an afternoon majority caucus, was a complete departure from Speaker Cayetano’s proposed provisional franchise, which was already passed on second reading last week.

Instead of tackling a temporary franchise bill until October this year, congressmen decided to take up the network’s long-pending application of a new 25-year operating franchise.

ABS-CBN's franchise expired on May 4.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/21/20/house-set-to-hear-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-bills-on-may-26

Cayetano sees ABS-CBN back on air by August

Hearings on proposals to renew the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN will begin in the House of Representatives next week, with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano estimating that its approval would be ready by August.

“I foresee that the hearings would not go beyond July, and by August, after President (Rodrigo) Duterte’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), we should be ready to decide,” he said Wednesday.

The President will deliver his SONA before a joint session of the House and the Senate on July 27.

“The deliberations by the committee on legislative franchises will continue during our recess. They will not stop until they are finished so that no one can say we’re stopping the process or dragging our feet,” Cayetano said on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo channel.

The Speaker pointed out that the committee would look into “no more than 10 issues” in relation to ABS-CBN’s proposed new franchise, including the network’s alleged violations of tax and labor laws, breaches of the terms and conditions of its previous broadcast privilege, and Filipino ownership and foreign citizenship issues.

He said the committee on legislative franchises would have “full autonomy” while he and other House leaders focus on bills to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and post-lockdown measures such as economic stimulus proposals.

“We will have to multitask,” Cayetano said.

The Speaker said the committee would most likely hold two to three hearings a week.

He said some witnesses and resource persons would be required to physically appear before the committee, provided social distancing and other health protocols are observed.

Other hearings would have to be conducted via videoconference, he added.

The committee on legislative franchises, chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, is scheduled to meet later Thursday to agree on the details of its hearing schedule and other matters.

Cayetano reiterated that the House is committed to conducting impartial and comprehensive hearings on the proposed franchise.

Shortly before his interview, he addressed his colleagues and spelled out ground rules for the consideration of the ABS-CBN franchise and the eventual vote.

“First, we must not forget our bigger concern, which is to defeat COVID-19 and provide hope to our countrymen. We must continue to focus on measures that will ensure saving of lives and livelihood of our countrymen,” he said.

“Second, as I’ve said time and again, the hearings must be fair, impartial, comprehensive, and thorough. All voices must be heard and all issues for and against will be discussed…this will require a lot of time--time we do not have. And so, there will be sacrifices on our part if we hope to finish this without delay,” he said.

“Three, that we all vote according to our conscience and not our politics. For those who are calling for an outright approval or denial, I ask that you suspend your extreme views until all the facts have been presented, and all the testimonies have been heard,” he said.

A minority bloc in the House urged their colleagues to make a common stand on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)'s cease and desist order issued to shut down the operations of radio-TV network ABS-CBN.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun made the call after the Supreme Court asked the House of Representatives, Senate, along with the NTC, to comment on the petition filed by the ABS-CBN Corp. versus NTC.

"Now that the Supreme Court has opted to ask Congress to respond to the ABS-CBN petition for certiorari and prohibition against the NTC cease and desist order, I appeal to my colleagues in the minority bloc that we express to the Supreme Court our collective wisdom on the issues presented in the pending petitions concerning the ABS-CBN legislative franchise," said Fortun.

"By collective wisdom, I mean the consensus of the House minority and the commonalities in the positions of the House majority and the minority," Fortun said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday the fate of ABS-CBN and its 11,000 employees who face possible retrenchment in August lies with the Supreme Court with Congress adjourning sine die in six days,

The broadcast network had asked the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the cease-and-desist order issued by the NTC.

The Court has given the NTC 10 days to reply and another five days for ABS-CBN to respond accordingly.

Drilon said ABS-CBN should just hope for a speedy intervention from the Supreme Court.

He also said the ball was in the court of the House of Representatives.

“If they do not send us anything, then we cannot debate, consider and pass it," Drilon said.

"We cannot pass the franchise of ABS-CBN unless the House passes its version first. That is in the Constitution. This is a private bill and, therefore, it must originate from the House of Representatives," he said.

https://www.manilastandard.net/index.php/news/national/324192/cayetano-sees-abs-cbn-back-on-air-by-august.html

Lawmaker says ABS-CBN may remain off-air for at least 3 months

Amidst Lockdown, Philippines's Largest TV Network Goes Off Air | The Lis...

Pagdinig sa mga panukala para sa ABS-CBN franchise sisimulan sa Mayo 26

Sisimulan nang dinggin sa Kamara sa Mayo 26 ang 13 panukalang para sa renewal ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN at ang resolusyong imbestigahan ang mga umano'y naging paglabag sa 1995 franchise ng kompanya.

Ito ay gagawin mahigit 2 buwan matapos ang inisyal na deliberasyon noong Marso 10.

Isasalang sa House Committee on Legislative Franchises ang mga isyung ikinahaharap ng dati at bagong prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.

Wala pang ibang detalye na binigay ang komite pero ayon sa agenda na inilatag ng kamara, via Zoom teleconference ang gagawing pagdinig.

Gabi ng Martes nang tiyakin ni House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano na uumpisahan na sa susunod na linggo ang pagdinig, na hindi hihinto hanggang makapagsalita ang lahat ng panig.

“I foresee that the hearings would not go beyond July, and by August, after President Duterte’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), we should be ready to decide,” ani Cayetano.

Tantiya ni Cayetano, pinakamatagal na ang Agosto bago sila makapagdesisyon para sa prangkisa ng ABS-CBN, na napaso na noong Mayo 4.

Pinapaspasan naman ni House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante ang deliberasyon alang-alang sa mga tao na walang ibang mapanood kung hindi ang ABS-CBN at mga empleyado na nanganganib ang kabuhayan sa tigil-ere ng network.

"Doon po sa Mindanao mga kaibigan ay walang masyadong network kung hindi ABS-CBN lamang... The lives and livelihood of 11,000 of our constituents hang in the balance sana po isipin natin ang kapakanan nila," ani Abante.

Umaasa si Abante na makukumbinse ng Kamara ang Korte Suprema na pabalikin sa ere ang ABS-CBN sa bisa ng temporary restraining order kontra sa National Telecommunications Commission - na nagbaba ng cease and desist order laban sa pag-ere ng ABS-CBN isang araw matapos mapaso ang prangkisa nito.

"Ang Supreme Court ay umaasa na ang Kongreso po ay magsalita tungkol po sa pinag-uusapan ngayong ABS-CBN sana naman eh makumbinse ng ating leadership na ang SC ay kampihan ang ABS-CBN as a TRO is concerned para ito ay magpatuloy habang pinag-uusapan ang prangkisa," ani Abante.

Hinimok naman ni Agusan Del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun ang buong Kamara na magkaroon ng isang paninindigan matapos pagkomentuhin ng Kamara sa petisyon ng ABS-CBN kontra cease and desist order ng NTC. -- Ulat ni RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/20/20/pagdinig-sa-mga-panukala-para-sa-abs-cbn-franchise-sisimulan-sa-mayo-26

Embattled ABS-CBN’s future shrouded in doubt, but newsroom fights on

Two weeks ago on May 5, the Philippines’ leading TV network ABS-CBN was ordered by the government’s telecommunications agency to cease operations, sparking outcry both in the country and across the world.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) filed an immediate ‘cease and desist’ order after the network’s 25-year franchise licence had expired, pending an ongoing renewal hearing in congress.

The broadcaster’s news channel, however, is one of the few branches of ABS-CBN allowed to continue operating and Ging Reyes, Head of Integrated News and Current Affairs, painted a picture of a newsroom that is emboldened.

“Our team is still working as hard as possible, we’re all running on adrenaline,” said Reyes. “I can see it across the team, this renewed energy and never say die spirit.”

But on May 19, two decisions further compounded the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the broadcaster.

The first came in the Supreme Court, where the judges chose to defer on a plea from ABS-CBN to resume operations immediately, in what the broadcaster said would help prevent “irreparable injury”.

The court voted unanimously to give the NTC, as well as both chambers of Congress, the chance to comment within 10 days, and another five days for ABS-CBN to give additional response, further obscuring the immediate future of the broadcaster.

There was further confusion in the House of Representatives the day before on May 18. In what had looked like a formality to pass, House Bill 6732, granting ABS-CBN a temporary franchise agreement, was unexpectedly recalled by the House on the 2nd reading approval with consitionallity issues cited.

While the bill would have had to pass the Senate before being signed off by the president, it would have allowed ABS-CBN to immediately resume operations on a temporary basis until October 31.

On May 19, the House threw another curve ball and abandoned the bill to give ABS-CBN a temporary franchise, opting instead to immediately resume hearings on granting the broadcaster a new 25-year franchise. This, however, will see ABS-CBN remain off-air while potentially lengthy deliberations take place.

Edcel Lagman, member of the House for the province of Albay, said that the bill to grant a temporary franchise had “stalled like a misdirected locomotive”, before being abandoned all together. He said that the abandonment will “gravely compound the inordinate delay in the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise.”

ABS-CBN’s president and CEO, Carlo Katigbak, said that it may have to start retrenchment processes, including letting workers go, by August if it is not allowed to resume normal operations soon.

In a country ruled under what many observers regard as an increasingly autocratic leader, who has repeatedly reiterated threats to block the renewal of the network’s licence, the ultimate fate of ABS-CBN’s is still shrouded in uncertainty.

However, while the highly popular free-to-air broadcasting content has been pulled, some subsidiaries of the network were not affected by the cease and desist order and continue to operate, albeit in a very different environment than before.

The network continues to produce content on its popular online and streaming platforms, while the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) can continue broadcasting as the NTC order does not cover cable news channels. TV Patrol, the broadcaster’s flagship news programme, has now also returned via streaming.

With some shows still running and a fight in the courts to return to the air, ABS-CBN is not leaving silently. In an interview with the Globe, Reyes said that the newsroom staff at ANC are working as hard as before, even during an unprecedented period for the network.

“You want to prove something, you want to prove that we are never going to be silent,” Reyes explained. “We are continuing the work that we do because it is an important service for our fellow Filipinos.”

Reyes, however, admitted that the network’s reach has been curtailed. Even though online and streaming platforms are significant, it requires strong broadband or enough data to access it – which isn’t always available across the vast Philippines archipelago.

“It’s just not enough, as people need strong internet access in all parts of the country to use these platforms,” Reyes admitted. “Ultimately, it’s the public who also lose out.”

While the events of May 5 came as a shock to outside observers, there was a sense of impending dread within the newsroom that being taken off air was a serious possibility. But it was still a hard moment for Reyes and her colleagues, however well they had prepared.

“We had this sense of dread – but we carried on with our work, of course,” she remembered.

On May 5, the day of the cease and desist order, Reyes said that everyone was on alert, checking with sources to see if word had escaped from the NTA. A member of the editorial team first received news from a source that the NTA was to decide unfavourably on the ABS issue.

“We still hadn’t got confirmation when another reporter got in touch and said, ‘I wish that I had better news – the cease and desist is on its way,’” she recalled.

Reyes said that the shock within the newsroom could be seen through masks, being worn in the office because of Covid-19.

“You know that feeling when you plan for something, but you still don’t believe that it will actually happen,” Reyes asked. “But when it does, you have to muster all your energy and courage and deal with it in the right way – but at the same time, you are in shock.”

Shock had to be channelled into grit as the newsroom started breaking news about their own network. “You know that journalists are averse to doing stories on themselves,” said Reyes. “But we knew that this was a huge story and had to be covered in full. Because it wasn’t just about us, it was also about our millions of viewers and listeners.” 

Two weeks since the closure, the newsroom at ABS-CBN continues to provide coverage, vital during the continuing pandemic and lockdown in the Philippines. And while their resources are now stretched, Reyes and colleagues continue working as if nothing has changed – so when Typhoon Ambo hit the country early on May 15, ANC reporters were on the scene filling stories.

“We’re very grateful for the support we’ve been getting, and I believe that good will prevail – I still have faith in our democratic systems,” said Reyes. And driven by the ethos of the organisation, The Kapamilya Way (kapamilya meaning ‘family’ in Tagalog), the newsroom is continuing to work for the people it attempts to serve.

“These are of course unprecedented times. But we are not giving up on our commitment to be of service.”

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/abs-cbn-closure-decision/

PH Lawmaker: ABS-CBN may remain off air for 3 more months while House ta...

House 'ready to decide' on ABS-CBN franchise by August

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said the House of Representatives would be "ready to decide" on a new 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN Corp. by August, the same month that the network said it might "consider" retrenchment of its 11,000-strong workforce.

The Lower House stopped deliberations for the proposed 5-month provisional permit for the broadcaster and opted to hear bills seeking to give it a 25-year franchise.

Deliberations by the House franchises committee will continue during the Congress recess starting in June, said Cayetano.

"They will not stop until they are finished so that no one can say we’re stopping the process or dragging our feet," he told ABS-CBN News.

"I foresee that the hearings would not go beyond July, and by August, after President Duterte’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), we should be ready to decide," he added.

Lawmakers will hold 2 or 3 hearings per week to tackle "no more than 10 issues" related to the franchise. Some witnesses and resource persons would be required to physically appear before the committee, provided social distancing and other health protocols are observed, he said.

House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Franz Alvarez said the franchise hearing is set on May 26, 9:30 a.m.

"The hearings must be fair, impartial, comprehensive, and thorough. All voices must be heard and all issues for and against will be discussed…this will require a lot of time - time we do not have. And so, there will be sacrifices on our part if we hope to finish this without delay," said Cayetano.

"For those who are calling for an outright approval or denial, I ask that you suspend your extreme views until all the facts have been presented, and all the testimonies have been heard," he said.

ABS-CBN said it has been losing P30-35 million in advertising revenues daily since regulators forced it off air last May 5, a day after its franchise expired.

The 65-year-old media outfit promised it "would not take away any jobs for 3 months." However, it may "consider" retrenching workers by August if it fails to resume broadcast soon, President and CEO Carlo Katigbak told senators.

The National Telecommunication Commission told lawmakers in March that it would let the country's top broadcaster operate provisionally beyond the May 4 expiration of its license, while bills for its franchise renewal stalled in Congress for years.

But days after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned NTC officials that they could face graft charges if they gave ABS-CBN a provisional permit, the regulator ordered the outfit to stop broadcasting.

news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/20/20/house-ready-to-decide-on-abs-cbn-franchise-by-august

Census to be moved from May to September

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) plan to move the decade census to September this year due to the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said they will be writing to the House of Representatives and Senate of the Philippines regarding the matter.

According to Batas Pambansa 72, the government needs to conduct a population census every 10 years beginning 1980. The census should be conducted starting on the first day of May.

“We will be writing to both Houses of Congress to seek your indulgence [regarding this matter] at this difficult time,” Chua said.

Chua said the decision to move the census takes into consideration the safety of enumerators and households at this time.

The 2020 CPH will be the 15th census of population and 7th census of  housing  to  be undertaken  in  the  country  since  the first census in 1903.

The CPH refers to the entire process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing, publishing and disseminating data about the  population and living quarters in a country.

It entails the listing and recording of the characteristics of each individual and each living quarter as of a specified time and within a specified territory.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/05/20/census-to-be-moved-from-may-to-september/

National ID system: 5 million registrants eyed this year

The government is eyeing the registration of the heads of five million low-income families for the national ID system by December to ensure a more efficient distribution of relief assistance in the future.

In his eighth report to Congress on the government’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic, President Duterte said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is fasttracking the implementation of the national ID system to improve targeting and distribution of financial aid to poor and low-income households.

Duterte said the PSA aims to open the registration process in October with 6,500 registration kits in 46 permanent registration centers and 1,170 mobile registration centers nationwide.

The PSA is coordinating with the Land Bank of the Philippines for the use of the bank’s 126 branches as registration centers.

Duterte had earlier said the implementation of the national ID system could have facilitated the distribution of assistance to those affected by the community quarantine due to COVID-19.

The President said the Philippine Institute for Development Studies is  also working on the implementing rules of the Community-Based Monitoring System Act.

“The accelerated nationwide implementation of a community-based monitoring system shall allow the government to profile and identify households vulnerable to certain risks as well as qualified beneficiaries of targeted programs,” Duterte said.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/05/20/2015260/national-id-system-5-million-registrants-eyed-year

Gov't 'can't rush' National ID System due to risks: NEDA chief

The government "cannot rush" the implementation of the National ID System this year as there are "privacy, security and COVID" risks that have to be ironed out, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said Tuesday.

The government plans to finish the procurement of equipment by August, and begin the registration of household heads by the last quarter of 2020, Chua told senators in a hybrid hearing.

"Ang National ID po kasi hindi po natin puwede i-rush, baka magkamali kasi mayroon po tayong security, privacy at COVID risk," he said.

"Kung mag-mass registration po tayo, 'yung iris scan, 'yung fingerprint, 'yung ballpen, lahat po yan, yung papel ay puwede mag spread ng virus," he said.

While the country is still under different levels of quarantine, the government is trying to develop the registration software procured from India, the NEDA chief said.

"Ang maganda po dito we are not developing from scratch... Once we have that system developed, then we would be ready to begin registration by the end of the year," he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority expects to have 5 million household heads registered by the end of this year, and have 90 million Filipinos under the system by the end of 2022.

"Ang bata hindi pa puwede mag-ID kasi hindi pa natin maca-capture yung iris at yung fingerprint kung batang-bata pa... pero bibigyan na po sila ng ID number upon birth," Chua said.

The National ID System Act was was enacted into law in 2018, giving the PSA an annual allocation of P2 billion for the program.

Senators earlier filed a resolution seeking an investigation on why the implementation of the program has been delayed for 2 years, as the system was expected to fast-track the delivery of cash aid to those hit by the coronavirus crisis.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/19/20/govt-cant-rush-national-id-system-due-to-risks-neda-chief

Lawmakers lament abandonment of ABS-CBN provisional franchise bill

Some members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday lamented the dropping of a provisional franchise bill for ABS-CBN's broadcast operations, after the majority of the House decided instead to hear bills for a 25-year franchise.

Rep. Edcel Lagman said the abandonment of the provisional franchise bill will greatly affect the company and its employees.

"This abandonment underscores the failure of leadership in the House after no less than Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano principally authored and passionately sponsored the ill-fated interim franchise whose approval was recommended by the 'Committee of the Whole,' which is rarely constituted," he said in a statement.

"The abandonment of HB No. 6732 quashes the hope for the resumption of ABS-CBN’s operations, albeit on a provisional franchise, for the benefit of the public and the networks’ employees," Lagman said.

According to Lagman, the provisional franchise was an ideal compromise to allow the company to resume operations while deliberations on its full 25-year franchise are ongoing.

"There is no overriding reason to abandon HB No. 6732 except for a furtive and sinister outside interference in the discharge of the constitutional duty of the House," he said.

Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, for her part, urged her fellow lawmakers to act on ABS-CBN's broadcast franchise renewal as soon as possible for the benefit of the public.

"Bakit tila iniiwan natin sa ere ang libo-libong manggagawa ng ABS-CBN na apektado rin ng pandemya?" she said in her manifestation.

(Why does it seem like we just left thousands of ABS-CBN employees hanging, when they are also affected by the pandemic?)

She added the House of Representatives is doing the public a disservice if it would continue to sit on the issue of the company's franchise.

"Walang mawawala sa gobyerno at sambayanan sa ngayon kung hahayaan na makabalik sa ere ang ABS-CBN hanggang Oktubre. (The government and the public will not lose anything if we let ABS-CBN to go back on air until October.) On the contrary, the House would be doing a disservice to the Filipino people if it will continue to sit on the network’s franchise, as millions of Filipinos in far-flung areas are deprived of vital news and information amid the pandemic," Brosas said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, likewise, said the House should act on the matter urgently and prove Congress' jurisdiction on the issue.

"We must act urgently on this matter, as we also similarly act with urgency on the other pressing matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it spawned, in the service of the Filipino," Zarate said in a statement.

Zarate said he, along with other Makabayan lawmakers, filed a bill for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, yet he could have voted in favor of the provisional franchise as it would allow the company to resume operations.

"Together with the Makabayan representatives, I filed House Bill No. 6052 on January 27, 2020, which bill sought to grant Applicant another 25 years of franchise. Yet, I supported HB 6732, if only to allow ABS-CBN to immediately go back on air while the renewal bills are still being deliberated," he said.

"While I can no longer cast yes vote for House Bill 6732 granting provisional franchise to ABS CBN which would be valid only until October 2020, I now strongly urge my colleagues in Congress, particularly the Committee on Legislative Franchise, to immediately and urgently hear and resolve the renewal bills pertaining to the grant of a fresh franchise to ABS CBN Corporation," Zarate added.

In his proposal last week, Cayetano said granting ABS-CBN provisional franchise would allow Congress to focus on response to the coronavirus pandemic and time to thoroughly discuss issues against ABS-CBN.

On Monday, lawmakers raised charges ABS-CBN has already answered in a Senate hearing in February, including tax and labor issues of which government officials have themselves cleared the network.

ABS-CBN's broadcast operations were halted on May 5 on orders of the National Telecommunications Commission, which issued a cease and desist order after the network's franchise lapsed on May 4.

Bills for the renewal of ABS-CBN's broadcast license have been pending for years. Its shutdown puts at risk some 11,000 jobs, with the network's President and CEO Carlo Katigbak telling a Senate hearing earlier Tuesday that it may consider layoffs by August if it remains off the air.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/19/20/lawmakers-lament-abandonment-of-abs-cbn-provisional-franchise-bill

House drops ABS-CBN's provisional franchise, to tackle bills for 25-year license

(3rd UPDATE) - The House of Representatives on Tuesday decided to stop deliberations on a provisional franchise for ABS-CBN Corp, opting instead to hear bills for a 25-year franchise.

Speaking to the plenary, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said they have decided to forego the provisional franchise- a proposal he led giving ABS-CBN license until October 2020- citing the divisiveness it has brought to the chamber.

"Because of all this divisiveness and after consulting with the members of the House, the political parties, and the regional groups… I, together with the House of Representatives leadership have decided to forego with the provisional franchise, and immediately proceed with the hearings for the full 25-year renewal application of the ABS-CBN franchise," he said.

The proposed provisional franchise was passed on first and second reading on the same day last week, but the House opted to reopen the period of debates and amendments Monday to avoid possible legal questions.

Cayetano said the bills for the ABS-CBN franchise renewal will be tackled by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises.

He said the panel should "immediately and continuously hold hearings until everyone is heard."

The chamber is set to go on break on June 5 and will come back when session reopens on the fourth week of July, when the President delivers his State of the Nation Address.

"And after everyone is heard, then we can decide," he said.

The Speaker later said in an interview with ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo that hearings would continue even during the session break.

"Magsisimula na po next week (ang hearings) at hindi po sila titigil hanggang tapos na. Hinihiling ko po na lahat makapagsalita, pati po 'yung maanghang ang salita, we will ask them to follow the right decorum. But we will allow them to speak," he said.

(The hearings will start next week and they won't stop until this issue is finished. I'm asking that everyone will be able to speak, even those who have harsh words, we will ask them to follow the right decorum. But we will allow them to speak.)

Cayetano said that the House hearings on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal will be similar to special sessions the chamber had conducted for the government's COVID-19 response.

"Katulad naman nung ginawa naman natin sa disease COVID-19 committee, kahit na break nung 6 weeks during ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), tuloy-tuloy ang hearing natin. So, there'll be probably be a hybrid (session), minsan kailangan 'yung resource person nandito mismo. Ba't yung ibang hearing, we can do in Zoom or teleconferencing," he said.

(What we did at the COVID-19 committee, even if we had 6 weeks of break during the ECQ, our hearings will be continuous. So, there'll probably be a hybrid session, sometimes the resource person will be on the floor himself. But other hearings, we can do in Zoom or teleconferencing.)

Cayetano said the hearings likely won't reach the end of July.

"Napakahaba na nun (That's too long)," he said, adding issues surrounding the broadcast giant's franchise renewal won't need lengthy deliberations.

Hearings on the franchise renewal bills will be held 2 to 3 times a week along with other bills, Cayetano said in another interview on ABS-CBN's TV Patrol.

The Speaker admitted the issue on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal is "emotionally heavy" for the network's workers, viewers and supporters, but he stressed that the country is still facing the threat of the fast-spreading COVID-19, forcing the chamber to allot some of their time on programs against the pandemic.

"Sana po magkaisa tayo dito. Pagdasal niyo din po kami, baka makahanap po tayo ng isang paraan na magsama-sama tayo kahit sa issue na 'to. But in the meantime po, we will have the hearings," he said.

(I hope all of us will unite on this. Please also pray for us, that we may find a solution that will unite us on this issue. But in the meantime, we will have the hearings.)

Opposition to bill abandonment

Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers lamented the dropping of the provisional franchise bill.

In a statement, Rep. Edcel Lagman said the abandonment of House Bill 6732 underscores the failure of the House leadership, considering that it was Cayetano himself who sponsored the bill.

"This abandonment underscores the failure of leadership in the House after no less than Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano principally authored and passionately sponsored the ill-fated interim franchise whose approval was recommended by the “Committee of the Whole”, which is rarely constituted," he said.

He also said that the abandonment of the provisional franchise will greatly affect the company and its employees.

"The abandonment of HB No. 6732 quashes the hope for the resumption of ABS-CBN’s operation, albeit on a provisional franchise, for the benefit of the public and the networks’ employees," Lagman said.

Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, for her part, urged her fellow lawmakers to act on the company's franchise renewal as soon as possible for the benefit of the public.

"What the House did was to suspend the hopes of the 11,000 ABS-CBN workers in mid-air while the country’s largest network will remain off-air. Ang panawagan natin sa Gabriela Women’s Party: Ibalik sa ere ang ABS-CBN. Subalit bakit tila iniiwan natin sa ere ang libo-libong manggagawa ng ABS-CBN na apektado rin ng pandemya?" she said in her manifestation.

(We in Gabriel Women's Party call for ABS-CBN to be back on air, but why does it seem like we just left thousands of ABS-CBN employees hanging, when they and their families are also affected by the pandemic?)

She added the House of Representatives is doing the public a disservice if it would continue to sit on the issue of the company's franchise.

"Walang mawawala sa gobyerno at sambayanan sa ngayon kung hahayaan na makabalik sa ere ang ABS-CBN hanggang Oktubre. (The government and the public will not lose anything if we let ABS-CBN to go back on air until October.) On the contrary, the House would be doing a disservice to the Filipino people if it will continue to sit on the network’s franchise, as millions of Filipinos in far-flung areas are deprived of vital news and information amid the pandemic," Brosas said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, likewise, said the House should act on the matter urgently and prove the Congress' jurisdiction on the issue.

"Let us prove to the public and to other government agencies that Congress has indeed primary jurisdiction over franchises of this nature," he said in a statement.

"We must act urgently on this matter, as we also similarly act with urgency on the other pressing matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it spawned, in the service of the Filipino," Zarate added.

In his proposal last week, Cayetano said granting ABS-CBN provisional franchise would allow Congress to focus on response to the coronavirus pandemic and time to thoroughly discuss issues against ABS-CBN.

On Monday, lawmakers raised charges ABS-CBN has already answered in a Senate hearing in February, including tax and labor issues of which government officials have themselves cleared the network.

ABS-CBN's broadcast operations were halted on May 5 on orders of the National Telecommunications Commission, which issued a cease and desist order after the network's franchise lapsed on May 4.

Bills for the renewal of ABS-CBN's broadcast license have been pending for years. Its shutdown puts at risk some 11,000 jobs, with the network's President and CEO Carlo Katigbak telling a Senate hearing earlier Tuesday that it may consider layoffs by August if it remains off the air.

- reports from Rose Carmelle Lacuata and Gabriel Agcaoili, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/19/20/house-drops-abs-cbns-provisional-franchise-to-tackle-bills-for-25-year-license