On Valentine's Day, hundreds rally for ABS-CBN amid franchise woes

People gather in front of ABS-CBN in Quezon City to show support for the network. The network is facing a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court invalidating its current franchise filed by the Solicitor General. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Hundreds of people gathered on Sgt. Esguerra Ave., Quezon City on Valentine's Day to show their support for the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN Corp., the country's largest broadcast network.

Clad in red shirts, ABS-CBN employees, supporters, and representatives of several groups held placards saying "No To ABS-CBN Shutdown," "Save ABS-CBN Workers," and "Defend Press Freedom."

ABS-CBN's franchise is expiring on March 30, 2020 and Congress has yet to tackle nearly a dozen bills seeking to grant the company a fresh 25-year broadcast franchise.

Danilo Arao, journalism professor at the University of the Philippines, said the administration's move to shut down the broadcast giant would send a chilling message to other media outfits to play by its rules.

"If we allow this to happen, it's ABS-CBN today, tomorrow will be the other networks," he said.

Solicitor General Jose Calida filed last Monday a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to invalidate ABS-CBN's franchise that was approved in 1995.

Responding to the allegations, ABS-CBN said it "did not violate" any law and continues to stay true to its mandate of being "in the service of the Filipino."

For National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) deputy secretary-general Raymund Villanueva, a denial of the network's franchise could also jeopardize ABS-CBN's public service programs.

"We are calling on our lawmakers to grant ABS-CBN a fresh franchise because many Filipinos rely on the network for news, entertainment, and public service," he said in Filipino.

The media giant has received support from various sectors, including ordinary citizens, senators, celebrities, press organizations, journalism educators, and international groups which denounced the administration's moves.

The President has repeatedly said he would block the network's franchise renewal after the company allegedly refused to a political advertisement in the 2016 presidential campaign. Last December, he also urged ABS-CBN's owners to "just sell" the network.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/20/on-valentines-day-hundreds-rally-for-abs-cbn-amid-franchise-woes

ABS-CBN franchise to expire without Congress hearing

By Ben Rosario

There will be no new legislative franchise for network giant ABS-CBN when its existing congressional license expires next month.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano disclosed Friday that the House committee on legislative franchises will wait for the right timing to hear the pros and cons of the nine pending ABS-CBN broadcast network bills and two other franchise renewals of its sister companies.

“This is not a race against time, but a race towards justice and democracy,” Cayetano said as he aired hopes to schedule the franchise hearings in May, two months after the expiration of the Kapamilya network’s existing broadcast license.

In an ambush interview at the sidelines of the Paranaque City mass wedding ceremonies on Friday, Cayetano said he supports the contention of Senate president Vicente Sotto III that ABS-CBN may continue to operate even without a legislative franchise until the adjournment of Congress session in 2022.

He noted that the franchise renewal applications were previously filed during the 16th Congress when Benigno Aquino III was president. Another batch of bills was submitted in the 17th Congress, but in both instances the Lower House did not act on them.

“Hindi ito race. Hindi ito pabilisan. Kailangan po natin ng lamig ng ulo,” he said. (This is not a race. This is not about hurrying up. This calls for cool heads.)

Chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, the legislative franchise panel has continued to dodge calls made by various schools of journalism and reporters organizations for the scheduling of the hearings.

Also inviting protests from various groups was the move of the Office of the Solicitor General to file a petition for quo warranto before the Supreme Court in a bid to stop ABS-CBN from further operating its broadcast stations.

However, Cayetano said the noise generated by the pro- and anti-ABS-CBN groups do not address the controversy, and added that the Lower House will carry out its function of re-assessing the ABS-CBN bid for another 25 years of broadcast operation.

The House leader agreed that press freedom is one issue that will inevitably be raised over the congressional franchise debates.

“Pero question: ‘pag hindi ba binigay ang prangkisa, patay na press freedom? Hindi. Kaya nga may hearing eh. Bakit may prangkisa pa?” the Taguig-Pateros solon said. (Here’s a question: will press freedom die if the franchise is not granted? No. That’s why there are hearings. Why is there still a franchise?)

Cayetano said ABS-CBN has been accused of violating the Fair Elections Law which requires the media to ensure utmost fairness in its reporting of the campaign and elections.

According to him the complaints were raised during the presidential elections of 2010 and 2016.

In the 2016 polls, then-presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte accused the network of being biased against him. He claimed the network did not air his campaign propaganda despite accepting payment from his campaign headquarterss.

Asked when the House leadership plans to schedule the hearings, Cayetano replied that it “definitely” will be set before March 2022 when Congress adjourns.

“Possibly in May, if we have enough time and we have cooler heads and with all the issues. Worst case, after SONA. But, in the meantime, there should not be any reason to hamper or hassle not only the operations of ABS, but also on their news,” Cayetano explained.

“We will get to it in due time. And when we do, I have already guaranteed that it will be impartial and fair.”

In his interview, he emphasized the need to hold ABS-CBN network accountable for some perceived violations but expressed his concern that the hearing on this controversial issue might “suck all the energy of the 18th Congress.”

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/14/abs-cbn-franchise-to-expire-without-congress-hearing/

QC mayor supports ABS-CBN’s bid for fresh franchise deal

By Chito Chavez 

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has strongly supported the pursuit of television network giant ABS-CBN for a fresh 25-year franchise deal to operate.

To recall, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court that sought the revocation of the ABS-CBN franchise presumably due to the violation of existing franchise law.

The franchise deal is set to expire on March 2020.

“Being the home of ABS-CBN, GMA-7 and other media outfits has turned Quezon City into a “City of Stars,” Belmonte said.

Citing her stand, Belmonte said “by tradition, Quezon City is also known as a bastion of freedom, knowledge, and diversity, and the presence of multiple media networks in QC embodies these values’’.

Aside from being one of our city’s top taxpayers, Belmonte noted that ABS-CBN “employs thousands of our city’s constituents, whose families would suffer should its legislative franchise not be renewed’’.

More than this however, Belmonte said ABS-CBN has a long-standing relationship with the city that goes beyond its media identity.

“It has supported many of the city’s most significant programs and projects,’’ she added.

Also Belmonte pointed out that ABS-CBN has shared her “advocacy to educate the youth by building for us the Eugenio Lopez, Jr. Senior High School for Media Arts and has served as the main partner of our city’s street children program through the Bantay Bata 163 Children’s Village’’.

“The city has also entered into several partnerships with the late Gina Lopez in various projects, such as the cleaning of our waterways when the latter was head of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. ABS-CBN’s Bantay Kalikasan is also our partner in protecting and preserving our La Mesa Ecopark,’’ Belmonte said.

“In my first year as an elected official in 2010, ABS-CBN was a Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal awardee for its outstanding contribution to the city through its many corporate social responsibility programs,’’ she noted.

Aside from Lopez, Belmonte mentioned that many ABS-CBN media personalities like Noli de Castro and Tina Monzon-Palma, were also conferred the said award in various years

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/14/qc-mayor-supports-abs-cbns-bid-for-fresh-franchise-deal/

House committee tackles bills splitting Maguindanao into 2 provinces

By Ali Macabalang

COTABATO CITY – The House Committee on Local Government has started deliberations on bills creating two provinces that will be carved out of Maguindanao, and will likely endorse the measures for plenary discussion “in few weeks from now,” one of proponents said on February 14, Friday.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Noel Villanueva of Tarlac, has even approved the measure on first reading last Tuesday, according to Maguindanao second district Rep. Esmael Mangundadatu.

Mangadudatu is the main author of House Bill 3405, seeking to create Southern Maguindanao. His counterpart in the first district, Rep. Ronie Q. Sinsuat, sponsors House Bill 4840 to establish Northen Maguindanao.

Majority of Maguindanao mayors and board members, led by incumbent Governor Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu and Vice Governor Lester Sinsuat, attended Tuesday’s committee hearing.

“The committee is expected to hold its second and third hearings in few weeks from now. It will likely make its report eventually for the plenary deliberation of our bills,” Rep. Mangudadatu said.

Mangudadatu, a former three-term Maguindanao governor, said he was confident the plenary approval may be realized within this year.

In the Senate, he said, Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Cynthia Villar were the sponsors of counterpart bills.

Magundanao, tagged in national statistics as one of the 10 poorest provinces in the country, has a total land area of 9,729.04 square kilometers with a population of 1,173,933 as of 2015 census, according to Wikipedia. It comprises 36 municipalities, with Buluan as its present capital town.

“Logically, the smaller the area to manage, the more focused and faster growth to happen,” Mangudadatu said.

The proposed Northern Maguindanao will be composed of 11 towns, namely Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, Upi, Kabuntalan, Northern Kabuntalan, Matanog, Parang, Buldon and Barira. Datu Odin Sinsuat is being eyed as the capital of the province.

Maguindanao, on the other hand, is being proposed to cover 25 smaller towns, namely Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Anggal Mistimbang, Hoffer Ampatuan, Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Unsay, Salibo, Saudi Ampatuan, Salipada Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Shariff Aguak, Saydona Mustapha, South Upi, Sultan-sa-Barongis, and Talayan.

Buluan, the present provincial capital town, will be retained as seat of Maguindanao.

Officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are reportedly supportive of the proposed split of Maguindanao, saying the proposal would not only draw more focused government attention but also abate intense provincial political rivalries. Maguindanao is presently the votes-richest province in the region.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/14/house-committee-tackles-bills-splitting-maguindanao-into-2-provinces/

KBP says ABS-CBN franchise renewal is for ‘best interest of public’

Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas assures its support and help in the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN amid attempts to close it down

Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) threw support behind the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, days after Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition against the embattled broadcast network.

In a statement on Thursday, February 13, KBP shared it was confident that ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal will be approved despite recent efforts from the government to close down the network.

Claiming it did not run his political ads during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly warned ABS-CBN that its franchise will be revoked, even taunting management to just sell.

Among recent attempts to void the franchise is Calida’s filing of a quo warranto petition against the media company on February 10, as he asked justices to cancel its franchise. The petition comes over a month before the network’s franchise expires on March 30.

NUJP and other groups have called on the public and Congress to defend press freedom and support the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, saying the attacks against the broadcast giant threaten people’s right to know.

KBP assured that it will continue to support and help work for the renewal of the franchises of ABS-CBN and other KBP networks knowing it is “for the best interest of the public.”

The broadcasters’ association explained that 45 applications have been enacted into law, while 9 have been approved by the Congressional Franchise Committee. It added that its history of approved franchise renewal applications might mean the same for its fellow KBP member ABS-CBN.

“The KBP trusts that these pending applications will be favorably acted upon just like all other prior applications for renewal,” it said.

KBP released the statement a day after President Duterte led the oath-taking of their newly-elected officers and board of trustees, and hailed the “vital role” of media, even after Calida moved to void the franchise of ABS-CBN.

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/251784-kbp-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-best-interest-public

CBCP-ECMI supports renewal of ABS-CBN franchise

By Leslie Ann Aquino

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP ECMI) is for the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN.

In a statement, ECMI vice chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos said they support the renewal of the franchise of the television network as it gives joy and hope to overseas Filipino workers via its The Filipino Channel.

“ABS CBN is their hope and joy amidst the pain of separation with their families and hard work from their employers,” he said.

“With TFC, our OFWs can connect themselves with what is happening in our country, and find themselves still united, identified with us here,” added Santos.

With the network, the Balanga prelate said OFWs find themselves still at home, one, and united with their fellow Filipinos even when they are thousand miles away.

Bishop Santos also shared how Filipinos already born in Italy can still speak Tagalog because of TFC.

The franchise of ABS-CBN is set to expire on March 30.

There are at least 10 separate bills calling for the extension of ABS-CBN’s franchise that are pending at the House of Representatives.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/14/cbcp-ecmi-supports-renewal-of-abs-cbn-franchise/