House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano denied Monday that a delay in his chamber's action over bills seeking the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN Corp. was meant to put the country's largest media and entertainment company under the control of politicians.
ABS-CBN's franchise expires on May 4. Cayetano earlier said the House might tackle the franchise bills that month or after President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address in July.
"‘Yung sinasabi namang iimpluwensiyahan sila, bakit? Wala namang eleksyon e... Ibang usapan kung sasabihin naming sa inyo, hanggang eve ng eleksyon, walang franchise ang ABS-CBN," Cayetano told reporters.
(Why will people say that ABS-CBN will be influenced? There is no election. It will be a different issue if until the eve of the elections, ABS-CBN has no franchise.)
With 65 years in service, ABS-CBN "know how to resist politicians," added the lawmaker.
"I will do all I can ma-prevent that anyone will take advantage of the situation and try to dictate or influence ‘yung news ng ABS-CBN," he said.
ELECTION MEDDLING?
The franchise renewal of media outlets GMA-7 and 5 did not encounter any problem because they did not face any complaint of election meddling, said Cayetano.
"Sa ABS-CBN, it’s a perennial complaint," he said.
ABS-CBN "does not and will not have its own political agenda," its president and CEO Carlo Katigbak last week told a Senate hearing into the network's franchise compliance.
Katigbak in the same hearing apologized “if we offended the President” over a 2016 election ad that showed video of Duterte cursing and making inappropriate gestures with clips of children asking if his actions were right.
The network was “just abiding by the laws and regulations that surround the airing of political ads,” he said.
ABS-CBN regularly paid taxes and was not facing any complaint or investigation, officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission told senators. With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/02/20/cayetano-denies-franchise-delay-to-put-abs-cbn-on-politicians-leash
Monday, March 2, 2020
9 senators seek extension of ABS-CBN operations pending franchise renewal
Nine senators on Monday filed a concurrent resolution seeking to allow ABS-CBN to operate as the 18th Congress tackles bills on the renewal of its franchise, which is set to expire in May this year.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, and Senators Lito Lapid, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, and Manny Pacquiao filed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 “to express the sense of the Congress that ABS-CBN Corporation should be allowed to operate under the terms of its existing franchise pending final determination of the renewal of its franchise by the 18th Congress and for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue ABS-CBN Corporation the appropriate provisional authority.”
There are currently several bills in both chambers of Congress seeking to extend the media giant’s franchise for another 25 years.
In filing the resolution, the senators pointed out that the “non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise will result in the loss of thousands of jobs as the network has over 11,000 employees including its artists, independent contractors, content creators who are spread out in ABS-CBN’s information and entertainment group of companies.”
The senators said that the “the removal of a market leader such as ABS-CBN” would significantly impact “not only on competition within the broadcasting industry, but also “on the economy as a whole.”
“In fact, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia was quoted as saying that the non-renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN may affect investor confidence and get in the way of promoting diversity in the economy and fostering competition,” the resolution read.
The senators said there “is an urgent need to devise government interventions to ensure that ABS-CBN will continue its operations pending Congress’ deliberations of the network’s franchise renewal.”
The resolution noted that there had been instances where franchise holders like GMA Network, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), TV5 Network, Inc., among others, had been allowed to operate under the terms of their existing franchise even after its lapse and pending its renewal.
“In the case of CBCP, it was allowed to operate for a period of almost two years from the lapse of its franchise in 2017 until its renewal in 2019,” the senators noted.
The five senators filed the said resolution following last week’s Senate public services committee hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN where Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Congress—through a concurrent resolution—could direct the NTC to grant provisional authority to ABS-CBN to continue its operations pending deliberation on bills on the network’s franchise renewal.
“Secretary Guevarra noted that Congress may not be able to act on pending bills before expiration of the franchise on May 4, 2020, given that Congress only has two weeks remaining before adjournment of session,” the resolution further read.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has already filed a joint resolution and a separate concurrent resolution seeking the extension of ABS-CBN’s operations as bills on the renewal of its franchise remain pending in the 18th Congress.
Congress will go on break on March 12 and will resume session on May 4.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1235542/9-senators-seek-extension-of-abs-cbn-operations-pending-franchise-renewal
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, and Senators Lito Lapid, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, and Manny Pacquiao filed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 “to express the sense of the Congress that ABS-CBN Corporation should be allowed to operate under the terms of its existing franchise pending final determination of the renewal of its franchise by the 18th Congress and for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue ABS-CBN Corporation the appropriate provisional authority.”
There are currently several bills in both chambers of Congress seeking to extend the media giant’s franchise for another 25 years.
In filing the resolution, the senators pointed out that the “non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise will result in the loss of thousands of jobs as the network has over 11,000 employees including its artists, independent contractors, content creators who are spread out in ABS-CBN’s information and entertainment group of companies.”
The senators said that the “the removal of a market leader such as ABS-CBN” would significantly impact “not only on competition within the broadcasting industry, but also “on the economy as a whole.”
“In fact, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia was quoted as saying that the non-renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN may affect investor confidence and get in the way of promoting diversity in the economy and fostering competition,” the resolution read.
The senators said there “is an urgent need to devise government interventions to ensure that ABS-CBN will continue its operations pending Congress’ deliberations of the network’s franchise renewal.”
The resolution noted that there had been instances where franchise holders like GMA Network, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), TV5 Network, Inc., among others, had been allowed to operate under the terms of their existing franchise even after its lapse and pending its renewal.
“In the case of CBCP, it was allowed to operate for a period of almost two years from the lapse of its franchise in 2017 until its renewal in 2019,” the senators noted.
The five senators filed the said resolution following last week’s Senate public services committee hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN where Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Congress—through a concurrent resolution—could direct the NTC to grant provisional authority to ABS-CBN to continue its operations pending deliberation on bills on the network’s franchise renewal.
“Secretary Guevarra noted that Congress may not be able to act on pending bills before expiration of the franchise on May 4, 2020, given that Congress only has two weeks remaining before adjournment of session,” the resolution further read.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has already filed a joint resolution and a separate concurrent resolution seeking the extension of ABS-CBN’s operations as bills on the renewal of its franchise remain pending in the 18th Congress.
Congress will go on break on March 12 and will resume session on May 4.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1235542/9-senators-seek-extension-of-abs-cbn-operations-pending-franchise-renewal
Groups hold protest in support of franchise renewal
Support for embattled media giant ABS-CBN growing louder as more groups call on lawmakers to hear the franchise renewal bid of the network.
https://cnnphilippines.com/videos/2020/3/2/Groups-hold-protest-in-support-of-franchise-renewal.html
Muntinlupa’s road to cityhood
YESTERDAY (March 1, 2020) Muntinlupa marked its 25th anniversary as a highly urbanised city.
When I assumed office as OIC Mayor in June 1986, Muntinlupa was still classified as a fifth class municipality. It was earning approximately P28 million per year which was hardly sufficient to pay for the salaries of municipal employees.
Thus, during my first two years (as OIC), I focused on growing Muntinlupa’s income, employing best practices to improve tax collection. We were among the very first local government units (LGUs) to computerize, to adopt the One Stop Shop system for paying taxes, and the Real Property Tax Administration system (RPTA) recommended by the Department of Finance (DOF).
Thereafter, for years in a row, the DOF rated Muntinlupa as Best in Realty Tax Collection Efficiency.
Muntinlupa’s income grew rapidly so that by the time we applied for cityhood in 1994 our yearly income based on 1991 constant prices was P88 million plus – way above the minimum requirement. At that time, the minimum income qualification to convert to a city was only P50 million for two consecutive years. The threshold was raised later to P100 million.
With our qualification, we were able to aim for the status of a first-class highly urbanized city (HUC). As HUC, Muntinlupa would be entitled to more autonomy (compared to a component city (CC)). A component city remains part of a larger government unit, like a province. On the other hand, Muntinlupa would have its own city charter, (thus independent of any province) and would also be entitled to its own legislative district.
Becoming a city has its advantages, in terms of added prestige, greater autonomy, better representation in Congress and, regardless of classification whether HUC or CC, a bigger share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). If memory serves, just by converting into a city, Muntinlupa’s share of the IRA immediately increased by P100 million yearly.
The process of applying for cityhood started with the passage of a resolution passed by the municipal council, accompanied by the municipal treasurer’s certification to Congress that Muntinlupa possessed the minimum qualification, as to income. A certification from the Statistics Office, regarding population (at least 150,000), was also needed. The resolution was immediately provided by the municipal council which was then headed by Vice Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi. The local political opposition, however, strongly opposed cityhood in the mistaken belief that cityhood would allow me to run as city mayor after 1998, when my third term as municipal mayor would have ended.
The proposed cityhood of Muntinlupa was actively supported in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ciriaco Alfelor (Camarines Sur), chair of the Local Government Committee, and Elias Lopez (Davao City) and Ceferino Padua (Agusan del Sur), members. Sen. Raul Roco sponsored the counterpart bill in the Senate.
To give credit where credit is due, Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro, then the municipal attorney, quarterbacked the whole process from start to finish – from the solicitation of legislative sponsors to preparing the groundwork for the public hearings that were held in Muntinlupa. He also participated actively in the public information campaign leading to the plebiscite which approved cityhood. If I am the Father of the Cityhood of Muntinlupa, Atty. Raul Corro is its architect.
The approval of the House version of the cityhood bill went without any hitch. But the final proceeding at the Senate was intense with drama and suspense. The cityhood bill was calendared for third and final reading on the very last day of the session of the Senate before Congress adjourned. It was now or never.
I, then Vice Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi, majority of the council, and the department head attended in full regalia, expecting easy sailing for our cityhood. We could not have been more wrong.
What we all thought would be a walk in the park turned into a tortuous wait. Earlier in the day, around 9 a.m., a senator told me: “Your cityhood is as good as dead!” I dismissed the remark. I thought he was just kidding. After all, he was my Aquila Legis fraternity brod at the Ateneo law school. The remark, however, started to assume the proportion of an actual threat when we were made to wait for hours and hours.
At 15 minutes to midnight (!), my brod approached me. He said: “Brod, you can still save your cityhood. That is, if you will agree that Muntinlupa’s representation in Congress will be effective in 1998 and not in 1995, as originally provided in the bill.”
I had to make a quick decision. After consulting with Vice Mayor Fresnedi and the councilors present, I agreed to the proposal. At two minutes before midnight, a motion to approve Muntinlupa’s cityhood was made and, thereafter, unanimously approved.
President Fidel V. Ramos, Muntinlupa’s favorite resident, signed the Muntinlupa Cityhood Law on March 1, 1995. He was not aware, however, of the drama that happened on the Senate floor.
***
Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article via Facebook, Twitter or Linked-In./PN
https://www.panaynews.net/muntinlupas-road-to-cityhood/
When I assumed office as OIC Mayor in June 1986, Muntinlupa was still classified as a fifth class municipality. It was earning approximately P28 million per year which was hardly sufficient to pay for the salaries of municipal employees.
Thus, during my first two years (as OIC), I focused on growing Muntinlupa’s income, employing best practices to improve tax collection. We were among the very first local government units (LGUs) to computerize, to adopt the One Stop Shop system for paying taxes, and the Real Property Tax Administration system (RPTA) recommended by the Department of Finance (DOF).
Thereafter, for years in a row, the DOF rated Muntinlupa as Best in Realty Tax Collection Efficiency.
Muntinlupa’s income grew rapidly so that by the time we applied for cityhood in 1994 our yearly income based on 1991 constant prices was P88 million plus – way above the minimum requirement. At that time, the minimum income qualification to convert to a city was only P50 million for two consecutive years. The threshold was raised later to P100 million.
With our qualification, we were able to aim for the status of a first-class highly urbanized city (HUC). As HUC, Muntinlupa would be entitled to more autonomy (compared to a component city (CC)). A component city remains part of a larger government unit, like a province. On the other hand, Muntinlupa would have its own city charter, (thus independent of any province) and would also be entitled to its own legislative district.
Becoming a city has its advantages, in terms of added prestige, greater autonomy, better representation in Congress and, regardless of classification whether HUC or CC, a bigger share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). If memory serves, just by converting into a city, Muntinlupa’s share of the IRA immediately increased by P100 million yearly.
The process of applying for cityhood started with the passage of a resolution passed by the municipal council, accompanied by the municipal treasurer’s certification to Congress that Muntinlupa possessed the minimum qualification, as to income. A certification from the Statistics Office, regarding population (at least 150,000), was also needed. The resolution was immediately provided by the municipal council which was then headed by Vice Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi. The local political opposition, however, strongly opposed cityhood in the mistaken belief that cityhood would allow me to run as city mayor after 1998, when my third term as municipal mayor would have ended.
The proposed cityhood of Muntinlupa was actively supported in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ciriaco Alfelor (Camarines Sur), chair of the Local Government Committee, and Elias Lopez (Davao City) and Ceferino Padua (Agusan del Sur), members. Sen. Raul Roco sponsored the counterpart bill in the Senate.
To give credit where credit is due, Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro, then the municipal attorney, quarterbacked the whole process from start to finish – from the solicitation of legislative sponsors to preparing the groundwork for the public hearings that were held in Muntinlupa. He also participated actively in the public information campaign leading to the plebiscite which approved cityhood. If I am the Father of the Cityhood of Muntinlupa, Atty. Raul Corro is its architect.
The approval of the House version of the cityhood bill went without any hitch. But the final proceeding at the Senate was intense with drama and suspense. The cityhood bill was calendared for third and final reading on the very last day of the session of the Senate before Congress adjourned. It was now or never.
I, then Vice Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi, majority of the council, and the department head attended in full regalia, expecting easy sailing for our cityhood. We could not have been more wrong.
What we all thought would be a walk in the park turned into a tortuous wait. Earlier in the day, around 9 a.m., a senator told me: “Your cityhood is as good as dead!” I dismissed the remark. I thought he was just kidding. After all, he was my Aquila Legis fraternity brod at the Ateneo law school. The remark, however, started to assume the proportion of an actual threat when we were made to wait for hours and hours.
At 15 minutes to midnight (!), my brod approached me. He said: “Brod, you can still save your cityhood. That is, if you will agree that Muntinlupa’s representation in Congress will be effective in 1998 and not in 1995, as originally provided in the bill.”
I had to make a quick decision. After consulting with Vice Mayor Fresnedi and the councilors present, I agreed to the proposal. At two minutes before midnight, a motion to approve Muntinlupa’s cityhood was made and, thereafter, unanimously approved.
President Fidel V. Ramos, Muntinlupa’s favorite resident, signed the Muntinlupa Cityhood Law on March 1, 1995. He was not aware, however, of the drama that happened on the Senate floor.
***
Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article via Facebook, Twitter or Linked-In./PN
https://www.panaynews.net/muntinlupas-road-to-cityhood/
Protest to continue ‘til ABS-CBN franchise renewed
WITH ABS-CBN's broadcasting operation still uncertain following its franchise renewal remain pending in Congress, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) will continue its Black Friday protest nationwide until the government acts on it.
NUJP-Davao Chapter spearheaded its first Black Friday protest in front of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Complex in Shrine Hills, Matina on February 28.
The journalist union recently announced that all ABS-CBN stations in Mindanao namely, General Santos City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga del Sur, and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, will take part in the solidarity process, which calls for the government to act on the network’s franchise renewal immediately.
NUJP national directorate Kath Cortez, during the protest rites, said they are continuously calling for the government, particularly the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other concerned government agencies, to grant the network another 25-year franchise operation for the sake of the 11,000 employees nationwide, both regular and contractual.
Cortez said the delaying tactics in ABS-CBN's franchise renewal is an attack against press freedom, not only in the media community, but for the entire Filipino.
Despite several bills already pending in Congress, she said it is alarming that the broadcasting firm’s franchise renewal is not being prioritized considering it is set to end in March 2020.
"Nagatuo kita nga samtang padulong na ang deadline sa pagpaso sa franchise sa ABS-CBN, ug nagaduol na ang break sa Kongreso sa ilahang Congressional hearing, nagatuo kita nga kinahanglan i-pressure ang gobyerno, mga politiko, ug other concerned agencies nga naay kalambigitan sa franchise renewal, nga tan-awon usab ang job security sa atong mga kaigsuonan sa ABS-CBN," Cortez said.
(We must pressure the government, especially those politicians who have the legislative authority and other concerned agencies, to look into the job security of our fellow comrades in ABS-CBN especially now that the network's franchise is nearing its end, and the congress would barely be able to include it in their agenda as they will be having a Congressional break.)
She added the issued Quo Warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) against the network is a blatant and arrogant show of abuse of power and authority.
As of now, Cortez said they are planning to do the Black Friday protest weekly until there would be positive development with ABS-CBN's franchise application.
NUJP initiated in January 2020 the protest in front of ABS-CBN's national headquarters in Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City as a solidarity to the network.
Meanwhile, employees of ABS-CBN Davao also had its own activity.
In some online posts, the local network employees conducted their own candlelight vigil inside the compound, wearing a white t-shirt with a #foreverkapamilya and a red, blue, and green ribbon print design symbolizing the networks color trademark.
An ABS-CBN Davao employee, who opted not to be named due to the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court, said the management is thankful for the support of the NUJP and some of their viewers who voiced out their support.
ABS-CBN chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak apologized recently to President Duterte for the network’s failure to air his P7 million worth of campaign. Duterte was a former Davao City mayor who won the presidency in 2016.
Katigbak also apologized for airing a political advertisement paid for by the camp of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, one of the President’s most vocal critics, showing children questioning Duterte who issued a death threat and cursed the pope, among others.
Duterte already accepted the network official's apology, but he said he could not do anything to stop the quo warranto petition filed by the OSG against the television network.
The petition, which seeks to revoke the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN, is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court en banc on March 10, 2020.
Recently, Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio voiced out her support to the network's franchise renewal.
Duterte-Carpio said her constituents in Davao City are in favor of ABS-CBN's renewal.
The President’s daughter said she is hopeful that issues surrounding the franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network will be resolved “in a very positive way.”
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1846601
NUJP-Davao Chapter spearheaded its first Black Friday protest in front of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Complex in Shrine Hills, Matina on February 28.
The journalist union recently announced that all ABS-CBN stations in Mindanao namely, General Santos City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga del Sur, and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, will take part in the solidarity process, which calls for the government to act on the network’s franchise renewal immediately.
NUJP national directorate Kath Cortez, during the protest rites, said they are continuously calling for the government, particularly the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other concerned government agencies, to grant the network another 25-year franchise operation for the sake of the 11,000 employees nationwide, both regular and contractual.
Cortez said the delaying tactics in ABS-CBN's franchise renewal is an attack against press freedom, not only in the media community, but for the entire Filipino.
Despite several bills already pending in Congress, she said it is alarming that the broadcasting firm’s franchise renewal is not being prioritized considering it is set to end in March 2020.
"Nagatuo kita nga samtang padulong na ang deadline sa pagpaso sa franchise sa ABS-CBN, ug nagaduol na ang break sa Kongreso sa ilahang Congressional hearing, nagatuo kita nga kinahanglan i-pressure ang gobyerno, mga politiko, ug other concerned agencies nga naay kalambigitan sa franchise renewal, nga tan-awon usab ang job security sa atong mga kaigsuonan sa ABS-CBN," Cortez said.
(We must pressure the government, especially those politicians who have the legislative authority and other concerned agencies, to look into the job security of our fellow comrades in ABS-CBN especially now that the network's franchise is nearing its end, and the congress would barely be able to include it in their agenda as they will be having a Congressional break.)
She added the issued Quo Warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) against the network is a blatant and arrogant show of abuse of power and authority.
As of now, Cortez said they are planning to do the Black Friday protest weekly until there would be positive development with ABS-CBN's franchise application.
NUJP initiated in January 2020 the protest in front of ABS-CBN's national headquarters in Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City as a solidarity to the network.
Meanwhile, employees of ABS-CBN Davao also had its own activity.
In some online posts, the local network employees conducted their own candlelight vigil inside the compound, wearing a white t-shirt with a #foreverkapamilya and a red, blue, and green ribbon print design symbolizing the networks color trademark.
An ABS-CBN Davao employee, who opted not to be named due to the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court, said the management is thankful for the support of the NUJP and some of their viewers who voiced out their support.
ABS-CBN chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak apologized recently to President Duterte for the network’s failure to air his P7 million worth of campaign. Duterte was a former Davao City mayor who won the presidency in 2016.
Katigbak also apologized for airing a political advertisement paid for by the camp of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, one of the President’s most vocal critics, showing children questioning Duterte who issued a death threat and cursed the pope, among others.
Duterte already accepted the network official's apology, but he said he could not do anything to stop the quo warranto petition filed by the OSG against the television network.
The petition, which seeks to revoke the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN, is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court en banc on March 10, 2020.
Recently, Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio voiced out her support to the network's franchise renewal.
Duterte-Carpio said her constituents in Davao City are in favor of ABS-CBN's renewal.
The President’s daughter said she is hopeful that issues surrounding the franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network will be resolved “in a very positive way.”
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1846601
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