Since regulators handed a cease and desist order on ABS-CBN's broadcast operations last May 5, supporters of the network have flooded social media with messages of solidarity. The network on Sunday released a statement thanking the public. Here is ABS-CBN's statement in full:
STATEMENT OF ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN is grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from our Kapamilya.
We trust that Congress will be able to act on our pending application for a franchise renewal at the soonest possible time. We are thankful for the efforts of both the House and the Senate leaderships to ensure that the network will continue to operate while the bills are being deliberated upon. During this pandemic, our services are needed most.
It is unfortunate that despite Senate Resolution No. 40, the House of Representatives' committee on legislative franchises' letter, and the favorable legal opinion of the Department of Justice, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) still issued their cease and desist order prohibiting ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately.
This is a challenging time for the network. But we have found strength and inspiration in the many acts of kindness and support shown to us by the public. Thank you for letting us know that we matter to you. In return, we reiterate our commitment to continue to be in your service. Maraming salamat po, mga Kapamilya!
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/10/20/abs-cbn-grateful-for-public-support-as-network-bats-for-franchise-renewal
Sunday, May 10, 2020
No date yet for Palawan plebiscite — Comelec
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the poll body has no decision yet as to when the plebiscite in Palawan will be held.
“No date has been decided yet by the @COMELEC as to when will be the plebiscite in Palawan,” she said in her Twitter account @rowena_guanzon.
Guanzon said the plebiscite in Palawan will push through months from now if the province is not on lockdown.
She added that the plebiscite will be held when it is already safe to conduct it.
“We have to wait until it is safe. To ensure that people can cast their votes without fear of contamination,” Guanzon said.
It was last month when the Comelec suspended the May 11, 2020 plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon.
The en banc agreed with the recommendation of its Law Department that holding of a free and honest plebiscite on May 11, 2020 is impossible at the height of the spread of the COVID-19.
“In a health crisis as the COVID-19, the Commission is more importantly mandated to protect not only its personnel but the registered voters of the 23 municipalities of the province of Palawan,” the Law Department said in its recommendation.
The Law Department also said that it is logistically impossible to deploy personnel and election paraphernalia necessary for the conduct of the plebiscite.
According to the poll body, pursuant to Section 5 of the Omnibus Election Code, the plebiscite shall be postponed to a date which should be reasonably close to May 11, 2020 but not later than 30 days after the cessation of the cause for such postponement or until the ECQ is lifted.
The poll body set the conduct of the plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur on May 11 last November.
This is in accordance to Republic Act No. 11259 which provides that the plebiscite should be held on the second Monday of May 2020.
RA 11259 was signed into law by President Duterte in April last year.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/10/no-date-yet-for-palawan-plebiscite-comelec/
“No date has been decided yet by the @COMELEC as to when will be the plebiscite in Palawan,” she said in her Twitter account @rowena_guanzon.
Guanzon said the plebiscite in Palawan will push through months from now if the province is not on lockdown.
She added that the plebiscite will be held when it is already safe to conduct it.
“We have to wait until it is safe. To ensure that people can cast their votes without fear of contamination,” Guanzon said.
It was last month when the Comelec suspended the May 11, 2020 plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon.
The en banc agreed with the recommendation of its Law Department that holding of a free and honest plebiscite on May 11, 2020 is impossible at the height of the spread of the COVID-19.
“In a health crisis as the COVID-19, the Commission is more importantly mandated to protect not only its personnel but the registered voters of the 23 municipalities of the province of Palawan,” the Law Department said in its recommendation.
The Law Department also said that it is logistically impossible to deploy personnel and election paraphernalia necessary for the conduct of the plebiscite.
According to the poll body, pursuant to Section 5 of the Omnibus Election Code, the plebiscite shall be postponed to a date which should be reasonably close to May 11, 2020 but not later than 30 days after the cessation of the cause for such postponement or until the ECQ is lifted.
The poll body set the conduct of the plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur on May 11 last November.
This is in accordance to Republic Act No. 11259 which provides that the plebiscite should be held on the second Monday of May 2020.
RA 11259 was signed into law by President Duterte in April last year.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/10/no-date-yet-for-palawan-plebiscite-comelec/
CBCP calls for resumption of ABS-CBN operations
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) weighed in on the ABS-CBN Corp. issue, saying it should be allowed to resume regular operations for the sake of its employees and the public.
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president, said the suspension of the network’s operations affected more than 11,000 employees and their families, and it might lead to the workers’ permanent job displacement.
He added that the government should consider the welfare of common people, saying also that his thoughts were with the employees displaced amid these “extremely difficult and trying times.”
Valles also said he hoped “that the media giant may be allowed to resume its broadcast the soonest to the benefit of our people.”
“I sincerely hope and pray that our government, especially our Congress, will work together to resolve the issue.”
During this health crisis, people need information more than ever, Valles said.
The network went off-air after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order on May 4 when ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise expired.
Despite the NTC’s order, ABS-CBN has been using the frequency of another broadcaster that allows it to air four of its digital-television channels.
Meanwhile, the franchise renewal remains pending in the House of Representatives.
The CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications (ESCS) also urged the legislators “to act expeditiously and judiciously” on the renewal.
“And we hope that the lawmakers do the same on all the other franchise applications of other media networks already on their desk for passing and renewal,” said ECSC Chairman Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit of Boac.
“We value and uphold press freedom, and thus believe that the delay of renewal and the closure of any recognized media channel jeopardize this same freedom and deprive our people of their right to access news and information,” he said.
The Association of Major Religious in the Philippines said, “These are dangerous times for democracy which call for courage and vigilance. We wait for the resurrection of the ABS-CBN.”
ABS-CBN on digital TV
In a statement issued on Saturday, ABS-CBN said it had leased airtime from unnamed broadcasters in Metro Manila, Laguna, Iloilo, Bacolod and some parts of Baguio through a block-time arrangement.
The lease allows the network to air its movie channel Cinemo, kids’ channel Yey, news channel DZMM “Teleradyo,” and pay-per-view movie service Kapamilya Box Office (KBO).
“The TVplus box, which is a digital receiver, allows viewers to watch other free to air channels as long as they broadcast on digital signal,” the announcement said.
Its cable news channel, ANC, continues to air despite the shutdown, as it is not covered by the order that only regulates public airwaves.
Its national news program, “TV Patrol,” resumed airing on Thursday on ANC, as well as on its social media pages, reaching a total of 8.3 million views on Facebook and 870,737 views on YouTube, the statement said.
The network also announced that “TV Patrol” would also air on Teleradyo and Cinemo channels on TVplus, in addition to the platforms mentioned earlier.
The network has appealed to the public for understanding as it continues to resolve its issues in order for them to resume operations while urging congress to resolve its franchise renewal.
Up to Congress to abolish NTC
Also on Saturday, Malacañang reiterated that it was neutral in the franchise issue, addressing calls to abolish the NTC saying that only Congress had the power to do that.
In a virtual press briefing, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Constitution was clear in saying that only Congress could give a franchise, and that no other government body has that power.
ABS-CBN has filed for a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, and Roque said the public should wait for its reply.
The spokesman was reacting to the statement by House Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who had filed a bill to abolish the NTC.
Abante cited the NTC’s “failure all these years to involve sanctions against the companies poorly serving the people’s telecommunications needs.”
“Our National Telecommunications Commission, supposedly in charge of regulating and promoting the telecommunications industry has turned out to be one of the most inept and useless agencies whose only relevance lies in being another model for sheer wastage of taxpayer money,” congressman wrote in his explanatory note.
“But the latest act of the NTC in issuing a cease and desist order against broadcast company ABS-CBN is a slap in the face of Congress and an outright act of defiance,” he added.
With reports from RED MENDOZA AND CATHERINE S. VALENTE
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/05/10/news/top-stories/cbcp-calls-for-resumption-of-abs-cbn-operations/723846/
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president, said the suspension of the network’s operations affected more than 11,000 employees and their families, and it might lead to the workers’ permanent job displacement.
He added that the government should consider the welfare of common people, saying also that his thoughts were with the employees displaced amid these “extremely difficult and trying times.”
Valles also said he hoped “that the media giant may be allowed to resume its broadcast the soonest to the benefit of our people.”
“I sincerely hope and pray that our government, especially our Congress, will work together to resolve the issue.”
During this health crisis, people need information more than ever, Valles said.
The network went off-air after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order on May 4 when ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise expired.
Despite the NTC’s order, ABS-CBN has been using the frequency of another broadcaster that allows it to air four of its digital-television channels.
Meanwhile, the franchise renewal remains pending in the House of Representatives.
The CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications (ESCS) also urged the legislators “to act expeditiously and judiciously” on the renewal.
“And we hope that the lawmakers do the same on all the other franchise applications of other media networks already on their desk for passing and renewal,” said ECSC Chairman Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit of Boac.
“We value and uphold press freedom, and thus believe that the delay of renewal and the closure of any recognized media channel jeopardize this same freedom and deprive our people of their right to access news and information,” he said.
The Association of Major Religious in the Philippines said, “These are dangerous times for democracy which call for courage and vigilance. We wait for the resurrection of the ABS-CBN.”
ABS-CBN on digital TV
In a statement issued on Saturday, ABS-CBN said it had leased airtime from unnamed broadcasters in Metro Manila, Laguna, Iloilo, Bacolod and some parts of Baguio through a block-time arrangement.
The lease allows the network to air its movie channel Cinemo, kids’ channel Yey, news channel DZMM “Teleradyo,” and pay-per-view movie service Kapamilya Box Office (KBO).
“The TVplus box, which is a digital receiver, allows viewers to watch other free to air channels as long as they broadcast on digital signal,” the announcement said.
Its cable news channel, ANC, continues to air despite the shutdown, as it is not covered by the order that only regulates public airwaves.
Its national news program, “TV Patrol,” resumed airing on Thursday on ANC, as well as on its social media pages, reaching a total of 8.3 million views on Facebook and 870,737 views on YouTube, the statement said.
The network also announced that “TV Patrol” would also air on Teleradyo and Cinemo channels on TVplus, in addition to the platforms mentioned earlier.
The network has appealed to the public for understanding as it continues to resolve its issues in order for them to resume operations while urging congress to resolve its franchise renewal.
Up to Congress to abolish NTC
Also on Saturday, Malacañang reiterated that it was neutral in the franchise issue, addressing calls to abolish the NTC saying that only Congress had the power to do that.
In a virtual press briefing, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Constitution was clear in saying that only Congress could give a franchise, and that no other government body has that power.
ABS-CBN has filed for a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, and Roque said the public should wait for its reply.
The spokesman was reacting to the statement by House Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who had filed a bill to abolish the NTC.
Abante cited the NTC’s “failure all these years to involve sanctions against the companies poorly serving the people’s telecommunications needs.”
“Our National Telecommunications Commission, supposedly in charge of regulating and promoting the telecommunications industry has turned out to be one of the most inept and useless agencies whose only relevance lies in being another model for sheer wastage of taxpayer money,” congressman wrote in his explanatory note.
“But the latest act of the NTC in issuing a cease and desist order against broadcast company ABS-CBN is a slap in the face of Congress and an outright act of defiance,” he added.
With reports from RED MENDOZA AND CATHERINE S. VALENTE
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/05/10/news/top-stories/cbcp-calls-for-resumption-of-abs-cbn-operations/723846/