ABS-CBN Corp on Monday urged the Supreme Court to immediately act on its plea to resume its broadcast operation in a bid to stop millions of pesos in revenue loss and protect the jobs of 11,000 workers.
The country's top broadcaster said it had lost P30 to P35 million in advertising revenues daily since the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) forced it off air last May 5 over its stalled franchise renewal in Congress.
"If this severe financial hemorrhage is not stopped, ABS-CBN may be constrained to eventually let go of workers, reduce salaries and benefits, and substantially cut down on costs and expenses," the network said in a motion filed before the Supreme Court.
ABS-CBN on May 7 filed petition for the high court to stop the NTC's cease and desist order. The Supreme Court will tackle the petition on Tuesday, May 19.
In its motion, the media giant said the Court had granted temporary restraining orders (TRO) in the past where it found irreparable damage which could lead to tremendous loss or even closure of a business and where there is no assurance that a company can recover from the losses.
It also cited public interest as a ground for the issuance of the TRO or a writ of preliminary injunction, noting that ABS-CBN employed 11,000 workers throughout its various subsidiaries and affiliates.
Its shutdown, its lawyers argued, also affects third parties like talents, content creators, security guards, canteen helpers, drivers, utility personnel, even the multibillion-peso advertising industry which spends 75 percent of its P151-billion business into television.
ABS-CBN also invoked its contributions to Philippine society: P70.5 billion in taxes paid from 2003 to 2020; providing needed information to 99 percent of households in the Philippine, 70% of whom tuned in to ABS-CBN in 2019.
"With ABS-CBN's unparalleled reach, it is imperative that ABS-CBN be on air to give timely and reliable information to the public, especially in light of the current public health emergency and the natural calamities that regularly threaten the country, such as typhoons, earthquakes and floods," it said.
The network also noted that is has raised P237 million to fund response to the coronavirus pandemic but fund raising efforts have been curtailed by the CDO.
ABS-CBN shares fell by 9.6 percent as it resumed trading on Monday, down to P15.82 per share from P17.50 on May 5 when the CDO was served. Analysts predict it could go as low as P12.25 per share.
PROVISIONAL FRANCHISE BILL
While the network acknowledged efforts in Congress to pass a provisional franchise to allow it to operate until October 31 this year, it said it would still take time before House Bill No. 6732 is passed into law and it will still go through approval in the Senate and by the President as well as publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
"Moreover, ABS-CBN will, thereafter, have to seek and obtain from the NTC the necessary permits to operate. This may take some week, if not months," it said.
"In the meantime, ABS-CBN, its employees, various stakeholders, and the general public will continue to suffer grave and irreparable injury as a result of the Cease and Desist Order issued by the NTC."
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez earlier said he would ask House leaders on Monday to recall the approval of the bill on second reading to prevent questions on its constitutionality.
Rodriguez also said he wanted to amend a provision that required ABS-CBN to allot 10 percent of its advertisement airtime to "public service time for the judiciary, for the executive, for the legislature, for the constitutional commission."
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/20/abs-cbn-urges-supreme-court-to-stop-shutdown-immediately-protect-11000-workers
Monday, May 18, 2020
House bill on Kapamilya franchise a welcome development
Thank you, Our Lady of Fatima! On May 13, her feast day, ABS-CBN got its Provisional License from Congress with House Bill 6732, authored by Congressmen Alan Peter Cayetano, Boyet Gonzalez, Raneo Abu, Robbie Puno, Dan Fernandez, LRay Villafuerte, Martin Romualdez and Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado.
The bill allows the network to operate until Oct. 31, 2020. An optimistic and expeditious timeline starts today, May 18, where congress is expected to have its third and final reading, after which the bill will be transmitted to the Senate tomorrow, May 19. On May 20, the Senate will have its first hearing, its second reading on May 25, and its third and final reading on June 1.
Hopefully, both houses will ratify the bill by June 3 and then submit it to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for his signature. The president then has three options: One, sign it into law; two, veto it; and three, not sign it and wait 30 days until it automatically becomes a law. Barring any delays or objections, ABS-CBN will be back on air by the first week of June. In the interim, the House of Representatives and the Senate will start deliberating on the franchise renewal good for 25 years.
This is a very welcome development since ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5. Social media was flooded with messages of sympathy, support and love for the network. On the other hand, many netizens also gloated and criticized the network, rejoicing at ABS-CBN’s plight. The network became a divisive issue that added more stress and anxiety during this pandemic, especially to loyal viewers and listeners of ABS-CBN and DZMM who only have free TV and radio to rely on for their news and entertainment. At least TV Patrol and Teleradyo are still available online and on SkyCable Channel 26 and TV Plus Channel 5.
There is also a chance that ABS-CBN can go back on air sooner if the Supreme Court issues a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) earlier filed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against the network. Several legal luminaries have expressed that what NTC did was a clear violation of due process. It blatantly disregarded the power of Congress, which has the sole authority to revoke and issue franchises. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will come out with a favorable decision.
The clamor for ABS-CBN to return has been overwhelming. As I write this (on May 15), signal No. 3 has been raised over Samar and Sorsogon because of Typhoon Ambo, which has brought heavy rains and strong winds. There are some remote areas in these regions that rely solely on the radio for news. Sadly, because ABS-CBN is off the air there, those who reside in these remote areas will not be getting the accurate weather updates and pandemic situationers. They count on us to deliver. The loyal viewers of our teleseryes are also undoubtedly restless at this time, the hours seeming longer because entertainment options are limited or absent.
At this point, however, all we can do is wait for our lawmakers to conduct fair and impartial hearings, and pray fervently and relentlessly that our lawmakers are blessed with discernment, propriety and compassion for the majority.
OKS gives Kapamilya a new viewing experience
Beginning May 20, Kapamilya will be able to enjoy a new digital channel called OKS (Online Kapamilya Shows), a straight-to-digital website housed in abscbn.com. Because the globe is going digital, the Kapamilya network is pioneering our country’s efforts to produce original online content. When the COVID-19 pandemic halted the production of taped shows, an opportunity arose to focus the network’s efforts on the creation of short-form web content. Thirty shows were approved for the May 20 launch, all of which are edgy, experimental, interactive and highly entertaining. Of course, the shows will all bear the “tatak Kapamilya” seal since they are topbilled by ABS-CBN artists. According to Digital Content head Richard Reynante, OKS will be a new viewing experience.
https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2020/05/18/2014664/house-bill-kapamilya-franchise-welcome-development-pat-p
The bill allows the network to operate until Oct. 31, 2020. An optimistic and expeditious timeline starts today, May 18, where congress is expected to have its third and final reading, after which the bill will be transmitted to the Senate tomorrow, May 19. On May 20, the Senate will have its first hearing, its second reading on May 25, and its third and final reading on June 1.
Hopefully, both houses will ratify the bill by June 3 and then submit it to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for his signature. The president then has three options: One, sign it into law; two, veto it; and three, not sign it and wait 30 days until it automatically becomes a law. Barring any delays or objections, ABS-CBN will be back on air by the first week of June. In the interim, the House of Representatives and the Senate will start deliberating on the franchise renewal good for 25 years.
This is a very welcome development since ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5. Social media was flooded with messages of sympathy, support and love for the network. On the other hand, many netizens also gloated and criticized the network, rejoicing at ABS-CBN’s plight. The network became a divisive issue that added more stress and anxiety during this pandemic, especially to loyal viewers and listeners of ABS-CBN and DZMM who only have free TV and radio to rely on for their news and entertainment. At least TV Patrol and Teleradyo are still available online and on SkyCable Channel 26 and TV Plus Channel 5.
There is also a chance that ABS-CBN can go back on air sooner if the Supreme Court issues a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) earlier filed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against the network. Several legal luminaries have expressed that what NTC did was a clear violation of due process. It blatantly disregarded the power of Congress, which has the sole authority to revoke and issue franchises. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will come out with a favorable decision.
The clamor for ABS-CBN to return has been overwhelming. As I write this (on May 15), signal No. 3 has been raised over Samar and Sorsogon because of Typhoon Ambo, which has brought heavy rains and strong winds. There are some remote areas in these regions that rely solely on the radio for news. Sadly, because ABS-CBN is off the air there, those who reside in these remote areas will not be getting the accurate weather updates and pandemic situationers. They count on us to deliver. The loyal viewers of our teleseryes are also undoubtedly restless at this time, the hours seeming longer because entertainment options are limited or absent.
At this point, however, all we can do is wait for our lawmakers to conduct fair and impartial hearings, and pray fervently and relentlessly that our lawmakers are blessed with discernment, propriety and compassion for the majority.
OKS gives Kapamilya a new viewing experience
Beginning May 20, Kapamilya will be able to enjoy a new digital channel called OKS (Online Kapamilya Shows), a straight-to-digital website housed in abscbn.com. Because the globe is going digital, the Kapamilya network is pioneering our country’s efforts to produce original online content. When the COVID-19 pandemic halted the production of taped shows, an opportunity arose to focus the network’s efforts on the creation of short-form web content. Thirty shows were approved for the May 20 launch, all of which are edgy, experimental, interactive and highly entertaining. Of course, the shows will all bear the “tatak Kapamilya” seal since they are topbilled by ABS-CBN artists. According to Digital Content head Richard Reynante, OKS will be a new viewing experience.
https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2020/05/18/2014664/house-bill-kapamilya-franchise-welcome-development-pat-p
House panel to probe ABS-CBN violations
A key leader of the House of Representatives served notice to the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN that the chamber will still look into alleged violations of the TV giant’s legislative franchise even if a new franchise is already underway.
Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chairman of the House committee on legislative franchises, made it clear that they will take up all House resolutions related to the renewal, “including” that of Davao City Rep. and Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte’s House Resolution 853.
The resolution, co-authored by Reps. Abraham Tolentino (Tagaytay) – brother of Sen. Francis Tolentino – and ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Go Yap, wants the House leadership to conduct “an investigation into ABS-CBN’s alleged violations of its franchise.”
Both Tolentino and Yap are allies of the Duterte administration – Tolentino heads the House accounts committee while Yap sits as chairman of the committee on appropriations.
“Whereas, ABS-CBN Corp. is operating a pay-per-view channel through free-to-air signals in violation of its legislative franchise. By charging the public with this pay-per-view Kapamilya Box Office channel through TV Plus, it has been gaining huge profits at the expense of the public while using the air frequencies provided by the government for free,” they declared.
The Alvarez committee was tasked to investigate the alleged franchise violations as ABS-CBN tries to renew its expired May 4 franchise, hoping to extend it for another 25 years, or until 2045.
The House has constituted itself into a committee of the whole and approved on second reading a bill giving the broadcast network franchise that will be valid until Oct. 31 this year, subject to the lawmakers’ final decision to issue a 25-year franchise or not.
Last week, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has asked their counterparts in the Senate to respect the discretion and actions of the House on the franchise renewal application of broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
“We want to work with you, to build our nation, but respect our timing and manner of holding our hearings. In other words, let’s all play nice and not just pretend to be nice,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“Allow us to do our jobs. Remember it is always easier to get 24 people to agree than 300. Remember we represent specific constituencies and sectors and that is why the 1987 Constitution provides that franchise bills will exclusively emanate from the House,” he said.
The Speaker made the appeal as several senators questioned the bill passed by the House allowing the network to return on air by granting a provisional franchise until October while Congress deliberates on its franchise renewal application.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, meantime, called on Cayetano to “cure” what he called as “defective passage of interim franchise” that may eventually be passed on third reading in the chamber.
“Exigency or even good motives cannot excuse or validate the repetition of an unconstitutional act or procedure,” he said, calling on the House leader to “desist from intransigence to cure defective passage of interim franchise.”
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/05/18/2014788/house-panel-probe-abs-cbn-violations
Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chairman of the House committee on legislative franchises, made it clear that they will take up all House resolutions related to the renewal, “including” that of Davao City Rep. and Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte’s House Resolution 853.
The resolution, co-authored by Reps. Abraham Tolentino (Tagaytay) – brother of Sen. Francis Tolentino – and ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Go Yap, wants the House leadership to conduct “an investigation into ABS-CBN’s alleged violations of its franchise.”
Both Tolentino and Yap are allies of the Duterte administration – Tolentino heads the House accounts committee while Yap sits as chairman of the committee on appropriations.
“Whereas, ABS-CBN Corp. is operating a pay-per-view channel through free-to-air signals in violation of its legislative franchise. By charging the public with this pay-per-view Kapamilya Box Office channel through TV Plus, it has been gaining huge profits at the expense of the public while using the air frequencies provided by the government for free,” they declared.
The Alvarez committee was tasked to investigate the alleged franchise violations as ABS-CBN tries to renew its expired May 4 franchise, hoping to extend it for another 25 years, or until 2045.
The House has constituted itself into a committee of the whole and approved on second reading a bill giving the broadcast network franchise that will be valid until Oct. 31 this year, subject to the lawmakers’ final decision to issue a 25-year franchise or not.
Last week, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has asked their counterparts in the Senate to respect the discretion and actions of the House on the franchise renewal application of broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
“We want to work with you, to build our nation, but respect our timing and manner of holding our hearings. In other words, let’s all play nice and not just pretend to be nice,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“Allow us to do our jobs. Remember it is always easier to get 24 people to agree than 300. Remember we represent specific constituencies and sectors and that is why the 1987 Constitution provides that franchise bills will exclusively emanate from the House,” he said.
The Speaker made the appeal as several senators questioned the bill passed by the House allowing the network to return on air by granting a provisional franchise until October while Congress deliberates on its franchise renewal application.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, meantime, called on Cayetano to “cure” what he called as “defective passage of interim franchise” that may eventually be passed on third reading in the chamber.
“Exigency or even good motives cannot excuse or validate the repetition of an unconstitutional act or procedure,” he said, calling on the House leader to “desist from intransigence to cure defective passage of interim franchise.”
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/05/18/2014788/house-panel-probe-abs-cbn-violations
Friday, May 15, 2020
Closure of ABS-CBN broadcast operations affects Filipinos in far-flung areas amid Ambo’s onslaught
Some checkpoint authorities in the border of Aurora Province were hopeful that media giant ABS-CBN will resume its broadcasting operations as the country faces its first typhoon, claiming it is the only network that has signal in far-flung areas.
Jeff Canoy, one of the network’s broadcast journalists who cover disasters, shared that he and his team encountered these police officers when they reached Aurora for the Typhoon “Ambo” (international name: “Vongfong”) coverage.
He narrated that when the authorities listed their names as they presented their identification cards issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force, one of the police officers asked him if he is one of the reporters who usually cover natural disasters.
Canoy confirmed this and he was later asked, “Babalik na ba kayo, sir?”
The reporter told the police officer that he and his team are just on their way to Aurora but the cop later clarified that he was referring to the network’s broadcasting operations and not their itinerary.
“Hindi sir. ‘Yung ABS, babalik na ba?” the officer asked.
Canoy answered that he is hoping the network can resume its broadcasting operations soon.
The police officer then told him that he is likewise hopeful for the network’s return, citing mobile signal woes.
“Facebook na lang ba kayo? Hirap ng data dito sa bundok, sir,” the officer said.
ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5, a day after its 25-year legislative franchise granted by the Congress on March 30, 1995 expired.
This was in compliance with the cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission on May 5.
The network shifted its broadcasts to online platforms and other properties not affected by the closure order on May 7, where viewers can watch and listen to its news provided they have a stable internet connection.
The police officer claimed that in Aurora, only ABS-CBN has a strong network signal.
“ABS lang ang malakas ang signal dito. May bagyo ngayon, ‘di namin malaman kung ano nangyayari,” he told the reporter.
“Sana makabalik na kayo sir,” the police officer added.
Aurora is one of the provinces directly affected by Typhoon “Ambo” which has since made six landfalls ever since it entered the Philippine area of responsibility and initially landed on Eastern Samar on Thursday.
As of 11 a.m. today, parts of the province are under tropical cyclone wind signal number three which carries winds measuring 121 to 170 km/h expected in 18 hours.
The typhoon has so far complicated the country’s response in fighting the novel coronavirus as authorities enforce physical distancing measures in evacuation centers, among others.
Meanwhile, Canoy shared the whole story of the incident on Facebook, where it has gone viral with more than 6,000 shares and 39,000 reactions. He also shared this on Twitter.
Struggle of getting news updates
Other Filipinos in the comments section shared similar stories of residents supposedly having a hard time receiving news updates, citing that ABS-CBN is the only channel which their television and radios can pick signals from, living in far-flung areas.
“I got a tweet with similar concerns. Nag-aalala daw siya sa parents niya kasi malayo siya at sa lugar ng parents niya, ABS lang ang meron,” a Facebook user wrote and then shared a screengrab of the tweet.
The tweet reads, “Namomroblema po tuloy ang parents ko sa Sorsogon kasi sa munisipyo pa kami, malayo sa (siyudad). Wala silang mapapanoodan. Hay naku. Ngayon pa talaga. Without consideration ang NTC.”
Similar sentiments on the issue could also be found on the microblogging platform where Filipinos shared concerns about getting information while a typhoon is ravaging some parts of the country.
Another ABS-CBN broadcast journalist, Jervis Manahan, shared his fears over families affected by the typhoon whose only source of information is Channel 2.
“Nakakaiyak basahin ang mga comments at tweets ng mga taong nangangamba para sa mga kapamilya nilang taga-malayong lugar o isla ngayong may bagyo at walang ABS-CBN. Akala kasi ng publiko, lahat ng Pinoy may data, signal, o access sa social media. Hindi pala,” he said on Facebook.
“Nalalagay tuloy sa panganib ang mga tao. Sa halip na maging ligtas, mas nalalapit sila sa peligro. Paano kung hindi sila nakapaghanda sa bagyo?” Manahan added.
He recalled a past coverage where he interviewed a group of fishermen in Palawan who was nearly victimized by Typhoon “Vinta” which claimed more than 200 lives.
“Noong January 2018, sa Palawan, may mga na-interview akong mangingisda. Inabutan ng bagyo sa dagat. Na-radiohan naman noong malapit na ang Bagyong Vinta,” Manahan said.
“Pero nasira pa rin ang bangka, mabuti na lang at nakaligtas sila.Kaya naman napakahalaga ang access sa impormasyon at balita, kasi minsan, buhay ang nakataya,” he continued.
Manahan hoped that people who are against the network would consider others in far-flung areas whose only means of information is through television or radio which could only gather signals transmitted by Channel 2, especially in times of disasters.
Franchise renewal woes
The ABS-CBN shutdown affected 42 analog television stations, including the network’s flagship Channel 2, ten digital broadcasting channels, 18 FM radio stations and five AM radio stations.
The network’s franchise was supposed to be renewed by the legislative body this year but it has since languished in the Congress, particularly the lower House, where at least 11 of different bills have already been filed.
A blame game occurred among some members of the House of Representatives in which House Speaker Alan Cayetano accused the NTC of “ambushing” the lower House who he claimed was supposed to tackle the bill.
The NTC was reportedly threatened by Solicitor General Jose Calida prior to the issuance of the cease-and-desist order.
The lower chamber has since approved a bill giving the network provisional franchise up to December 31, 2020. Latest reports indicate that ABS-CBN’s provisional franchise has already been approved on the second reading.
Once it gets the House’s nod on the third deliberation, it would then be tackled by the Senate and will later be up for the president’s approval.
https://www.interaksyon.com/politics-issues/2020/05/15/168549/closure-abs-cbn-broadcast-operations-affects-filipinos-in-far-flung-areas-amid-ambos-onslaught/
Jeff Canoy, one of the network’s broadcast journalists who cover disasters, shared that he and his team encountered these police officers when they reached Aurora for the Typhoon “Ambo” (international name: “Vongfong”) coverage.
He narrated that when the authorities listed their names as they presented their identification cards issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force, one of the police officers asked him if he is one of the reporters who usually cover natural disasters.
Canoy confirmed this and he was later asked, “Babalik na ba kayo, sir?”
The reporter told the police officer that he and his team are just on their way to Aurora but the cop later clarified that he was referring to the network’s broadcasting operations and not their itinerary.
“Hindi sir. ‘Yung ABS, babalik na ba?” the officer asked.
Canoy answered that he is hoping the network can resume its broadcasting operations soon.
The police officer then told him that he is likewise hopeful for the network’s return, citing mobile signal woes.
“Facebook na lang ba kayo? Hirap ng data dito sa bundok, sir,” the officer said.
ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5, a day after its 25-year legislative franchise granted by the Congress on March 30, 1995 expired.
This was in compliance with the cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission on May 5.
The network shifted its broadcasts to online platforms and other properties not affected by the closure order on May 7, where viewers can watch and listen to its news provided they have a stable internet connection.
The police officer claimed that in Aurora, only ABS-CBN has a strong network signal.
“ABS lang ang malakas ang signal dito. May bagyo ngayon, ‘di namin malaman kung ano nangyayari,” he told the reporter.
“Sana makabalik na kayo sir,” the police officer added.
Aurora is one of the provinces directly affected by Typhoon “Ambo” which has since made six landfalls ever since it entered the Philippine area of responsibility and initially landed on Eastern Samar on Thursday.
As of 11 a.m. today, parts of the province are under tropical cyclone wind signal number three which carries winds measuring 121 to 170 km/h expected in 18 hours.
The typhoon has so far complicated the country’s response in fighting the novel coronavirus as authorities enforce physical distancing measures in evacuation centers, among others.
Meanwhile, Canoy shared the whole story of the incident on Facebook, where it has gone viral with more than 6,000 shares and 39,000 reactions. He also shared this on Twitter.
Struggle of getting news updates
Other Filipinos in the comments section shared similar stories of residents supposedly having a hard time receiving news updates, citing that ABS-CBN is the only channel which their television and radios can pick signals from, living in far-flung areas.
“I got a tweet with similar concerns. Nag-aalala daw siya sa parents niya kasi malayo siya at sa lugar ng parents niya, ABS lang ang meron,” a Facebook user wrote and then shared a screengrab of the tweet.
The tweet reads, “Namomroblema po tuloy ang parents ko sa Sorsogon kasi sa munisipyo pa kami, malayo sa (siyudad). Wala silang mapapanoodan. Hay naku. Ngayon pa talaga. Without consideration ang NTC.”
Similar sentiments on the issue could also be found on the microblogging platform where Filipinos shared concerns about getting information while a typhoon is ravaging some parts of the country.
Kahit dito sa Bicol sa Bulan Sorsogon ABS-CBN ang pinapanuod sobrang hirap kasi di Alam balita sa bagyo 😢#AmboPH https://t.co/793ax1NbXM— Sandrex (@drexgmiranda) May 14, 2020
nakakalungkot, Sa panahon pa tlaga ngaun nawala ang ABS CBN, isa ito sa pinagkukunan ng impormasyon sa isla nmin. kase ito ang may malakas na signal dun. nangangapa kung ano na, at gaano kalakas ang bagyo. mabibigla nalang na humahagupit na. @ANCALERTS @ABSCBNNews— Mikmik (@mikayfabian) May 15, 2020
Malaking tulong sana kung nagbabalita ngayon ang ABS-CBN. May bagyo tapos ang iba dito saamin, channel 2 lang ang abot ng signal. Awinduh baga san. 😪— death the kid (@yjjyx) May 14, 2020
Another ABS-CBN broadcast journalist, Jervis Manahan, shared his fears over families affected by the typhoon whose only source of information is Channel 2.
“Nakakaiyak basahin ang mga comments at tweets ng mga taong nangangamba para sa mga kapamilya nilang taga-malayong lugar o isla ngayong may bagyo at walang ABS-CBN. Akala kasi ng publiko, lahat ng Pinoy may data, signal, o access sa social media. Hindi pala,” he said on Facebook.
“Nalalagay tuloy sa panganib ang mga tao. Sa halip na maging ligtas, mas nalalapit sila sa peligro. Paano kung hindi sila nakapaghanda sa bagyo?” Manahan added.
He recalled a past coverage where he interviewed a group of fishermen in Palawan who was nearly victimized by Typhoon “Vinta” which claimed more than 200 lives.
“Noong January 2018, sa Palawan, may mga na-interview akong mangingisda. Inabutan ng bagyo sa dagat. Na-radiohan naman noong malapit na ang Bagyong Vinta,” Manahan said.
“Pero nasira pa rin ang bangka, mabuti na lang at nakaligtas sila.Kaya naman napakahalaga ang access sa impormasyon at balita, kasi minsan, buhay ang nakataya,” he continued.
Manahan hoped that people who are against the network would consider others in far-flung areas whose only means of information is through television or radio which could only gather signals transmitted by Channel 2, especially in times of disasters.
Franchise renewal woes
The ABS-CBN shutdown affected 42 analog television stations, including the network’s flagship Channel 2, ten digital broadcasting channels, 18 FM radio stations and five AM radio stations.
The network’s franchise was supposed to be renewed by the legislative body this year but it has since languished in the Congress, particularly the lower House, where at least 11 of different bills have already been filed.
A blame game occurred among some members of the House of Representatives in which House Speaker Alan Cayetano accused the NTC of “ambushing” the lower House who he claimed was supposed to tackle the bill.
The NTC was reportedly threatened by Solicitor General Jose Calida prior to the issuance of the cease-and-desist order.
The lower chamber has since approved a bill giving the network provisional franchise up to December 31, 2020. Latest reports indicate that ABS-CBN’s provisional franchise has already been approved on the second reading.
Once it gets the House’s nod on the third deliberation, it would then be tackled by the Senate and will later be up for the president’s approval.
https://www.interaksyon.com/politics-issues/2020/05/15/168549/closure-abs-cbn-broadcast-operations-affects-filipinos-in-far-flung-areas-amid-ambos-onslaught/
ABS-CBN says 'all conditions, qualifications' present for franchise renewal
ABS-CBN Corp told the stock Friday that it has "all the conditions and qualifications" to renew its franchise, adding its shutdown would significantly affect media, networks and studio entertainment operations.
The country's largest media and entertainment company said it "has not committed any violation" of its franchise that would merit its non-renewal or the suspension of its broadcast operations.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed on second reading a bill that would grant ABS-CBN a temporary franchise until Oct. 31. This will give lawmakers time to deliberate on pending bills for a fresh 25-year license.
ABS-CBN signed off on May 5, a day after after its franchise expired, on orders from the National Telecommunications Commission. The NTC later apologized to the House for failing to notify lawmakers of the shutdown order.
The MNSE or Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainments (MNSE) operations tallied revenues of P23.3 billion at the end of September 2019, of which, P15.9 billion or approximately 68 percent was from free-to-air advertising, ABS-CBN said.
Free-to-air advertising accounted for half of consolidated revenue fo the same period.
"Even as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Philippine and global economy is yet to be fully realized, the Order will put additional financial burden on the company," it said.
ABS-CBN is "exploring alternative means to reach its audience and substitute sources of revenues," which includes expanding its digital footprint, according to the disclosure.
The network's flagship newscast, TV Patrol, started airing on YouTube and Facebook, gaining millions of views.
The company will implement cost control measures reduce overhead expenses and rationalize capital expenditures. It is also formulating measures to protect the welfare and interest of its employees, according to the disclosure.
Below is the full text of ABS-CBN Corp's disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on May 15, 2020:
Under the Order, the Company was directed to immediately cease and desist from operating its radio and television stations in Metro Manila and other regional stations (Channel 2, Sports and Action, DZMM, and MOR). On the same day, the Company advised its audience of the development and thereafter, signed off-air its television and radio stations in compliance with the Order of the NTC.
The Order will significantly impact the Company’s Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainments (MNSE) operations. For the period ended September 30, 2019, the revenues of this segment amounted to Php23.3B, of which, Php15.9B or approximately 68% of MSNE revenues, was free to-air advertising.
On a consolidated basis, free-to-air advertising was approximately 50% of the Company’s consolidated revenue for the period ended September 30, 2019. The actual impact on MNSE operations is difficult to estimate at this point since it will depend, among other things, on the duration of the time its television and radio stations are off-air, and its ability to generate alternative sources of revenues to make up for the shortfall.
Even as the impact of the CoVID19 pandemic on the Philippine and global economy is yet to be fully realized, the Order will put additional financial burden on the Company. As developments on these are still quickly evolving and changing from day-to-day, the Company finds that the transforming scenarios make assumptions, assessments and projections challenging and may not necessarily be valid or accurate for future scrutiny. Nonetheless, the Company has already undertaken and will continue to undertake measures to mitigate this impact and effect. Thus:
A. The Company continues to operate the following:
1. Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainment:
Content Creation – entertainment, news, sports, movie, music, channels, other content.
Content Distribution –The Filipino Channel (TFC), ABS CBN News Channel (ANC), Teleradyo, Cinema One, Metro Channel, Myx, Cinemo, Jeepney TV, and Yey
2. Cable, Satellite, and Broadband – Sky Cable, Sky Broadband, Sky Direct, and Sky on Demand
3. Digital and Interactive Media –iWant, abs-cbn.com, YouTube, Facebook, and other digital and other social media platforms
4. Consumer Products and Experiences – merchandise and promotional licensing, and physical experience business
B. The Company is exploring alternative means to reach its audience and substitute sources of revenues, such as but not limited to, expanding its digital platforms and developing new products.
C. The Company will continue to implement cost control measures, reducing general administrative expenses (GAEX) or overhead and rationalizing capital expenditures.
D. The Company is formulating measures to protect the welfare and interest of its employees.
As of September 30, 2019, the Company’s long-term debts amounted to Php21.336B. In light of the Order, the creditor banks have been apprised and are aware of the Company’s situation.
During these challenging and unprecedented times, the Company is committed to honor all existing obligations for goods delivered and services rendered by its third party suppliers.
Currently, we expect to pay all our bank debts in accordance with the existing payment schedule.
The Company intends to pursue such courses of action and shall exhaust all legal remedies available to it in order to resume its broadcasting operations. On May 7, 2020, the Company filed with the Supreme Court a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition (the “Petition”), with urgent application of the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order and/or a Writ of Preliminary Injunction (G.R Case No. 352119). In the Petition, the Company sought relief from the Supreme Court, as follows: (i) issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order, (ii) the issuance of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction after proceedings held and while the Petition is pending; and (iii) after further proceedings, the annulment and setting aside of the Order and declaration of permanent injunction, against the implementation of the Order. The following basic arguments were put forth and extensively discussed in the Petition in support of its prayer:
1. Direct resort to the Supreme Court is necessary and justified given the urgency and transcendental importance of the subject matter, and the grave and irreparable repercussions on public interest brought about by the issuance of the Order;
2. There is no plain, speedy and adequate remedy available to ABS-CBN other than the Petition;
3. Congress has the plenary power to grant and renew legislative franchises. Thus, instead of issuing the Order, the NTC should have just deferred to Congress;
4. The issuance of the Order deviated from past practice and violated the Company's right to equal protection of the law;
5. The Order likewise violates the Company's right to due process, because it was issued without due notice and hearing; violates the right of the public to information and curtail freedom of speech as well as cause serious and irreparable damage on ABS-CBN and thousands of its employees. Thus, strong public interest and equity demand that the Company be allowed to continue its operations.
Even as this Petition is pending, the Company is actively pursuing the renewal of its franchise from Congress and is ready to participate in any hearings or proceedings that may be scheduled at
any time.
In the current (or 18th) Congress, there are eleven bills, seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, which are currently pending with the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, as well as three (3) Resolutions in relation to the renewal or extension of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
As of May 11, 2020, the following developments transpired in the House of Representatives:
a. included in its Order of Business on said date the first reading of House Bill No. 6694, entitled: An Act granting the ABS-CBN Corporation (formerly ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation) a franchise to construct, install, operate and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines, and for other purposes.
b. issued an Order, dated May 11, 2020, requiring the NTC and its Commissioners to explain why they should not be cited for contempt or proceeded against for issuing the Order.
c. three (3) Congressmen filed a resolution seeking an investigation on the alleged violations of ABS-CBN Corporation of its legislative franchise.Then, on May 13, 2020, the House of Representatives Committee of the Whole approved on second reading House Bill No. 6732 (HB 6732) or “An Act Granting the ABS-CBN Corporation A Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Philippines, and For Other Purposes”, which bill grants ABS-CBN Corporation a franchise valid until October 31, 2020.
In the Senate, two (2) Bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, as well as a bill seeking to extended the term of the franchise, have also been introduced before and pending with the
Senate Committee on Rules. Upon approval of HB6732 on third reading, it is expected that the bill will be transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.
The Company is confident that it is has not committed any violation of the terms of its franchise, permits and licenses or any applicable law or regulations as to merit the non-renewal of its franchise or suspension of its broadcast operations as a consequence.
Thus, the Company believes that while a franchise is a privilege which is the sole prerogative of Congress to grant, it possesses all the conditions and qualifications to have its franchise renewed.
We are prepared to update this disclosure in due course and as soon as new developments arise.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/15/20/abs-cbn-says-all-conditions-qualifications-present-for-franchise-renewal
The country's largest media and entertainment company said it "has not committed any violation" of its franchise that would merit its non-renewal or the suspension of its broadcast operations.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed on second reading a bill that would grant ABS-CBN a temporary franchise until Oct. 31. This will give lawmakers time to deliberate on pending bills for a fresh 25-year license.
ABS-CBN signed off on May 5, a day after after its franchise expired, on orders from the National Telecommunications Commission. The NTC later apologized to the House for failing to notify lawmakers of the shutdown order.
The MNSE or Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainments (MNSE) operations tallied revenues of P23.3 billion at the end of September 2019, of which, P15.9 billion or approximately 68 percent was from free-to-air advertising, ABS-CBN said.
Free-to-air advertising accounted for half of consolidated revenue fo the same period.
"Even as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Philippine and global economy is yet to be fully realized, the Order will put additional financial burden on the company," it said.
ABS-CBN is "exploring alternative means to reach its audience and substitute sources of revenues," which includes expanding its digital footprint, according to the disclosure.
The network's flagship newscast, TV Patrol, started airing on YouTube and Facebook, gaining millions of views.
The company will implement cost control measures reduce overhead expenses and rationalize capital expenditures. It is also formulating measures to protect the welfare and interest of its employees, according to the disclosure.
Below is the full text of ABS-CBN Corp's disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on May 15, 2020:
Under the Order, the Company was directed to immediately cease and desist from operating its radio and television stations in Metro Manila and other regional stations (Channel 2, Sports and Action, DZMM, and MOR). On the same day, the Company advised its audience of the development and thereafter, signed off-air its television and radio stations in compliance with the Order of the NTC.
The Order will significantly impact the Company’s Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainments (MNSE) operations. For the period ended September 30, 2019, the revenues of this segment amounted to Php23.3B, of which, Php15.9B or approximately 68% of MSNE revenues, was free to-air advertising.
On a consolidated basis, free-to-air advertising was approximately 50% of the Company’s consolidated revenue for the period ended September 30, 2019. The actual impact on MNSE operations is difficult to estimate at this point since it will depend, among other things, on the duration of the time its television and radio stations are off-air, and its ability to generate alternative sources of revenues to make up for the shortfall.
Even as the impact of the CoVID19 pandemic on the Philippine and global economy is yet to be fully realized, the Order will put additional financial burden on the Company. As developments on these are still quickly evolving and changing from day-to-day, the Company finds that the transforming scenarios make assumptions, assessments and projections challenging and may not necessarily be valid or accurate for future scrutiny. Nonetheless, the Company has already undertaken and will continue to undertake measures to mitigate this impact and effect. Thus:
A. The Company continues to operate the following:
1. Media, Networks, and Studio Entertainment:
Content Creation – entertainment, news, sports, movie, music, channels, other content.
Content Distribution –The Filipino Channel (TFC), ABS CBN News Channel (ANC), Teleradyo, Cinema One, Metro Channel, Myx, Cinemo, Jeepney TV, and Yey
2. Cable, Satellite, and Broadband – Sky Cable, Sky Broadband, Sky Direct, and Sky on Demand
3. Digital and Interactive Media –iWant, abs-cbn.com, YouTube, Facebook, and other digital and other social media platforms
4. Consumer Products and Experiences – merchandise and promotional licensing, and physical experience business
B. The Company is exploring alternative means to reach its audience and substitute sources of revenues, such as but not limited to, expanding its digital platforms and developing new products.
C. The Company will continue to implement cost control measures, reducing general administrative expenses (GAEX) or overhead and rationalizing capital expenditures.
D. The Company is formulating measures to protect the welfare and interest of its employees.
As of September 30, 2019, the Company’s long-term debts amounted to Php21.336B. In light of the Order, the creditor banks have been apprised and are aware of the Company’s situation.
During these challenging and unprecedented times, the Company is committed to honor all existing obligations for goods delivered and services rendered by its third party suppliers.
Currently, we expect to pay all our bank debts in accordance with the existing payment schedule.
The Company intends to pursue such courses of action and shall exhaust all legal remedies available to it in order to resume its broadcasting operations. On May 7, 2020, the Company filed with the Supreme Court a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition (the “Petition”), with urgent application of the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order and/or a Writ of Preliminary Injunction (G.R Case No. 352119). In the Petition, the Company sought relief from the Supreme Court, as follows: (i) issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order, (ii) the issuance of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction after proceedings held and while the Petition is pending; and (iii) after further proceedings, the annulment and setting aside of the Order and declaration of permanent injunction, against the implementation of the Order. The following basic arguments were put forth and extensively discussed in the Petition in support of its prayer:
1. Direct resort to the Supreme Court is necessary and justified given the urgency and transcendental importance of the subject matter, and the grave and irreparable repercussions on public interest brought about by the issuance of the Order;
2. There is no plain, speedy and adequate remedy available to ABS-CBN other than the Petition;
3. Congress has the plenary power to grant and renew legislative franchises. Thus, instead of issuing the Order, the NTC should have just deferred to Congress;
4. The issuance of the Order deviated from past practice and violated the Company's right to equal protection of the law;
5. The Order likewise violates the Company's right to due process, because it was issued without due notice and hearing; violates the right of the public to information and curtail freedom of speech as well as cause serious and irreparable damage on ABS-CBN and thousands of its employees. Thus, strong public interest and equity demand that the Company be allowed to continue its operations.
Even as this Petition is pending, the Company is actively pursuing the renewal of its franchise from Congress and is ready to participate in any hearings or proceedings that may be scheduled at
any time.
In the current (or 18th) Congress, there are eleven bills, seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, which are currently pending with the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, as well as three (3) Resolutions in relation to the renewal or extension of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
As of May 11, 2020, the following developments transpired in the House of Representatives:
a. included in its Order of Business on said date the first reading of House Bill No. 6694, entitled: An Act granting the ABS-CBN Corporation (formerly ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation) a franchise to construct, install, operate and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines, and for other purposes.
b. issued an Order, dated May 11, 2020, requiring the NTC and its Commissioners to explain why they should not be cited for contempt or proceeded against for issuing the Order.
c. three (3) Congressmen filed a resolution seeking an investigation on the alleged violations of ABS-CBN Corporation of its legislative franchise.Then, on May 13, 2020, the House of Representatives Committee of the Whole approved on second reading House Bill No. 6732 (HB 6732) or “An Act Granting the ABS-CBN Corporation A Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Philippines, and For Other Purposes”, which bill grants ABS-CBN Corporation a franchise valid until October 31, 2020.
In the Senate, two (2) Bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, as well as a bill seeking to extended the term of the franchise, have also been introduced before and pending with the
Senate Committee on Rules. Upon approval of HB6732 on third reading, it is expected that the bill will be transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.
The Company is confident that it is has not committed any violation of the terms of its franchise, permits and licenses or any applicable law or regulations as to merit the non-renewal of its franchise or suspension of its broadcast operations as a consequence.
Thus, the Company believes that while a franchise is a privilege which is the sole prerogative of Congress to grant, it possesses all the conditions and qualifications to have its franchise renewed.
We are prepared to update this disclosure in due course and as soon as new developments arise.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/15/20/abs-cbn-says-all-conditions-qualifications-present-for-franchise-renewal
Multiply Tries for a Comeback Seven Years After Closed
KEY POINTS
- When Multiply ceasing all business operations on May 31, 2013, its lenders took over its intellectual property, including the Multiply brand name.
- Magdalinski is owning the company itself, which will operate the business supporting those brand.
- Much of their business plan remains uncertain. It is exploring many options, including offices and partnerships.
Some former Multiply executives are looking to bring back the iconic website and all.
Multiply closed as a social networking site on December 1, 2012 and close down last May 6 and ceasing all business operations on May 31, 2013 along with the official online channels for the site had been removed along with all their content, including its YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, after years of financial and managerial turmoil and following a failed bid to reinvent itself from being a social networking site to a vibrant e-commerce destination in Southeast Asia.
“We regret to announce that Multiply will be closing on May 6, 2013, and ceasing all business operations by May 31, 2013,” it announced Friday on its website.
After May 6, the rest of the month will be used to ensure that all accounts are settled and merchants get full payment for their transactions, it said.
Multiply said the month-long grace period will provide its users enough time to find and migrate to alternative e-commerce platforms, settle all payments on items bought and delivered, and minimize disruption to businesses of its users.
“Multiply will ensure that you receive all funds you earned on the platform no later than May 31, 2013. We will close the actual marketplace sooner, on May 6, 2013, to ensure that all orders have sufficient time to complete and be delivered to your customers before the end of the month,” it said.
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 to withdraw liquidation petition against the company.
Mainland investor Si Rongbin’s China Culture Media, 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 June 12, 2013, 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.
On June 9, 2014 the company had earlier declared bankruptcy, saying it owes some $800 million from Philippine banks aside from $10 billion in debts from lenders in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
The company expected the financial restructuring to reduce its debt by $30 billion, as well as adding $3 billion of new investment, and refinancing other debt.
It was scheduled to announce the launch of a mobile application that allows to download and view their old photos and videos from Friendster, Multiply and Webshots accounts on the computers, smartphones and tablets.
As of May 15, 2020, Multiply Media LLC based in Saint Louis, Missouri to own and manage the website, when the website itself to become its flagship brand.
Multiply is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia. Other employees include former Multiply workers, though it will be a "much tighter team overall" than those employed.
The full business plan for Multiply is still a work in progress, Magdalinski told CNBC. The new company is exploring multiple options, including offices. When asked whether Multiply would partner with Instagram, Magdalinski said he would “not take anything off the table at all.”
Its focus will be on growing the Multiply name. Globally, the website continues to operate worldwide, not just Indonesia and the Philippines, generating more than $20 billion in overall business operations in 2013.
“The Philippines is the biggest social networking market in the world,” said Magdalinski. “Fundamentally, this is the place where the business began Peter Pezaris.”
Multiply will look to avoid some of the pitfalls that brought down its predecessor. Unlike Multiply, which was criticized for failing to invest in its website and digital strategy, Multiply will put an emphasis on technology, Magdalinski said.
Still, to be successful, Multiply will need to win over social networking sites, many of which had fractured relations with Instagram following its closure. During its closure, the company had continued to operate from June 1, 2013 up to June 30, 2028.
“We fully appreciate the impact the bankruptcy had on our partners, and fact that it left our vendors impaired,” said Magdalinski. Although they were upset, Magdalinski said social networking users “recognize the value” Multiply brought to the industry.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Plebiscite on division of Palawan into 3 provinces may be held in July
By Aira Genesa Magdayao
Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez said he is expecting the plebiscite on the division of Palawan into three provinces to be held in July.
The polling, which was originally scheduled last May 10, was sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his “Pakimanan ta si Gob” live address, Alvarez said the lifting of the GCQ in Palawan will prompt the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold the plebiscite.
“I believe that sometime in July, matutuloy ang plebisito,” he said.
Alvarez said the Comelec en banc will decide on the new schedule of the plebiscite when everything returns back to normal.
He emphasized that the activity will happen in accordance with the law.
“Matutuloy yan dahil may batas yan. Immediately after this emergency ay Comelec will issue a resolution, I think June or July matutuloy ‘yan. Comelec en banc na ang magde-decide. Imbis na isang araw ay gagawing dalawang araw, medyo magastos lang, but we are ready. Of course, matutuloy yan this year,” Alvarez said.
Under the Omnibus Election Code and established jurisprudence, the Comelec has the authority to suspend plebiscites if needed.
The Comelec ordered the immediate suspension of ongoing preparatory activities for the holding of the plebiscite in May on the planned division, taking note of the quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In a memorandum dated March 25 addressed to Malacañang, the poll body stated that they decided to approve the recommendations to suspend the preparations “effective immediately.”
“The Comelec en banc, after due deliberation, has approved the suspension of all preparatory activities relative to the conduct of plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan upon the recommendation, citing the ongoing ECQ declared by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The suspension of the preparatory activities of the Palawan plebiscite is effective immediately,” the memorandum signed by acting Comelec secretary Consuelo B. Diola stated.
Republic Act No. 11259 was approved and signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in April 2019.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/14/plebiscite-on-division-of-palawan-into-3-provinces-may-be-held-in-july/
Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez said he is expecting the plebiscite on the division of Palawan into three provinces to be held in July.
The polling, which was originally scheduled last May 10, was sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his “Pakimanan ta si Gob” live address, Alvarez said the lifting of the GCQ in Palawan will prompt the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold the plebiscite.
“I believe that sometime in July, matutuloy ang plebisito,” he said.
Alvarez said the Comelec en banc will decide on the new schedule of the plebiscite when everything returns back to normal.
He emphasized that the activity will happen in accordance with the law.
“Matutuloy yan dahil may batas yan. Immediately after this emergency ay Comelec will issue a resolution, I think June or July matutuloy ‘yan. Comelec en banc na ang magde-decide. Imbis na isang araw ay gagawing dalawang araw, medyo magastos lang, but we are ready. Of course, matutuloy yan this year,” Alvarez said.
Under the Omnibus Election Code and established jurisprudence, the Comelec has the authority to suspend plebiscites if needed.
The Comelec ordered the immediate suspension of ongoing preparatory activities for the holding of the plebiscite in May on the planned division, taking note of the quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In a memorandum dated March 25 addressed to Malacañang, the poll body stated that they decided to approve the recommendations to suspend the preparations “effective immediately.”
“The Comelec en banc, after due deliberation, has approved the suspension of all preparatory activities relative to the conduct of plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan upon the recommendation, citing the ongoing ECQ declared by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The suspension of the preparatory activities of the Palawan plebiscite is effective immediately,” the memorandum signed by acting Comelec secretary Consuelo B. Diola stated.
Republic Act No. 11259 was approved and signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in April 2019.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/14/plebiscite-on-division-of-palawan-into-3-provinces-may-be-held-in-july/
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Excerpt: Cignal - BENCH/ Under the Stars 2017 Teaser
"Swimmer and 3-time UAAP Swimming Championships MVP Enchong Dee is wearing JINS Airframe U377 (Spider), 2009 Adidas DLSU hoodie (green), 2011 Nike exclusive De La Salle Dri-Fit tee (white), BENCH/ body Hipster Brief - White (BUB2032WH3), BENCH/ Skinny Jeans - Black (LAM6000) and DC Shoes Men's AT-3 Mid Sneaker (Royal Blue/Armor) would be exhibited at BENCH/ stores nationwide because he was in Bench Uncut: A Bolder Look at the Future also got wild cheers from the audience and he shows his athletic side with these dance moves, and doing workouts at Bodyworx Spa & Fitness Club instead of Anytime Fitness Dona Hemady before doing a photo shoot at BENCH/ Tower."
"The colorful Brazil portion was inspired by exotic birds of the Amazon, according to designer Val Taguba. The most action-packed segment featuring accidental porn star Katrina Halili and young heartthrob Enchong Dee." ('Bench Uncut': It's a tradition!', CHUVANESS By Cecile Van Straten, The Philippine Star, July 7, 2010)
“When Enchong Dee made his entrance at this year’s Bench Universe show, he owned the night in no less than an aerial canoe, looking every bit the gladiator with his toned body and feisty stance.” (Metro Magazine, November 2012)
Provisional franchise for ABS-CBN will shield network from political pressure: Cayetano
A provisional franchise for ABS-CBN valid until October pending deliberations on its 25-year license renewal bid will shield the network from succumbing to "political pressure" ahead of the 2022 presidential elections, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday constituted itself as a Committee of the Whole to tackle House Bill No. 6732, Cayetano's proposal which would grant ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years.
In an interview with TV Patrol, Cayetano defended the length of the proposed provisional franchise, saying this would prevent the network from playing "kingmaker" in 2022.
At least 13 senators on Monday filed a bill that will grant ABS-CBN Corp. "provisional franchise" until June 30, 2022 while Congress is still tackling the media giant's bid for a fresh 25-year broadcast license.
"Para sa akin freedom of the press and freedom of expression is so important in the democracy but if you have a giant network playing kingmaker, na-endanger din 'yung democracy. So sa akin kung bibigyan natin ng until end of 2022 or middle of 2022 ang ABS, lalong mapupunta under political pressure ang ABS," Cayetano said.
(For me, freedom of the press and freedom of expression is so important in the democracy but if you have a giant network playing kingmaker, democracy is endangered. So for me, if we give ABS until the end or middle of 2022, it will be under political pressure.)
He said the provisional franchise will also put pressure on lawmakers to speed up hearings that would thresh out the issues hounding the media giant.
"Sa loob ng 6 months wala naman pong eleksyon at sa loob po ng 6 months ang pressure comes from all sides... I would rather that the whole 2021 and going into 2022 may 25-year franchise na kayo kung ibibigay para you can guarantee independence of the newsroom," said Cayetano.
(Within 6 months there will be no elections and within 6 months pressure comes from all sides... I would rather that the whole 2021 and going into 2022 you already have a 25-year franchise, if it is granted, so you can guarantee independence in the newsroom.)
ABS-CBN, the country's largest broadcast company, was forced to go off the air on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) walked back on its commitment to allow the network's continued operations following the lapse of its franchise.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/provisional-franchise-for-abs-cbn-will-shield-network-from-political-pressure-cayetano
The House of Representatives on Wednesday constituted itself as a Committee of the Whole to tackle House Bill No. 6732, Cayetano's proposal which would grant ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years.
In an interview with TV Patrol, Cayetano defended the length of the proposed provisional franchise, saying this would prevent the network from playing "kingmaker" in 2022.
At least 13 senators on Monday filed a bill that will grant ABS-CBN Corp. "provisional franchise" until June 30, 2022 while Congress is still tackling the media giant's bid for a fresh 25-year broadcast license.
"Para sa akin freedom of the press and freedom of expression is so important in the democracy but if you have a giant network playing kingmaker, na-endanger din 'yung democracy. So sa akin kung bibigyan natin ng until end of 2022 or middle of 2022 ang ABS, lalong mapupunta under political pressure ang ABS," Cayetano said.
(For me, freedom of the press and freedom of expression is so important in the democracy but if you have a giant network playing kingmaker, democracy is endangered. So for me, if we give ABS until the end or middle of 2022, it will be under political pressure.)
He said the provisional franchise will also put pressure on lawmakers to speed up hearings that would thresh out the issues hounding the media giant.
"Sa loob ng 6 months wala naman pong eleksyon at sa loob po ng 6 months ang pressure comes from all sides... I would rather that the whole 2021 and going into 2022 may 25-year franchise na kayo kung ibibigay para you can guarantee independence of the newsroom," said Cayetano.
(Within 6 months there will be no elections and within 6 months pressure comes from all sides... I would rather that the whole 2021 and going into 2022 you already have a 25-year franchise, if it is granted, so you can guarantee independence in the newsroom.)
ABS-CBN, the country's largest broadcast company, was forced to go off the air on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) walked back on its commitment to allow the network's continued operations following the lapse of its franchise.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/provisional-franchise-for-abs-cbn-will-shield-network-from-political-pressure-cayetano
ABS-CBN thanks House leaders for approving provisional authority bill
ABS-CBN Corp. on Wednesday welcomed the approval of House Bill 6732 by the House of Representatives Committee of the Whole granting the country's largest network a 6-month provisional franchise to operate.
In a statement following the approval of HB 6732 on second reading via viva voce voting, ABS-CBN thanked the sponsors of the bill led by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez "for recognizing the role we play in providing for the needs of the people in terms of access to news, information, entertainment, and public service at this crucial time."
ABS-CBN had been broadcasting news and information about the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic via free television and radio before it was ordered shut by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) after its franchise expired on May 4.
The company also said it was looking "forward to participating in the process of our franchise renewal and stand[s] ready to respond to the issues that have been raised against the network, its owners, management and employees."
Among the issues raised are alleged violations of labor laws and the constitution, election bias, tax liabilities, and foreign ownership.
ABS-CBN said it remains "open to opinions and constructive suggestions on how to improve the organization and better serve the Filipino people."
It also thanked the various individuals and groups "who have expressed their love and support," saying "You inspire us."
HB 6732 still has to be approved on 3rd and final reading before it is sent to the Senate where senators have committed to supporting the measure.
ABS-CBN Corp. last Thursday asked the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the NTC.
“The public needs the services of ABS-CBN now more than ever, as the country grapples with the effects of COVID-19. In this time of public health emergency, ABS-CBN plays a significant role in providing continued employment to thousands of employees and delivering valuable information and entertainment to millions of Filipinos locked down in their homes,” ABS-CBN said in its petition.
The 46-page petition for certiorari and prohibition also asked the high court to set aside the CDO and declare a permanent injunction against its implementation.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/abs-cbn-thanks-house-leaders-for-approving-provisional-authority-bill
In a statement following the approval of HB 6732 on second reading via viva voce voting, ABS-CBN thanked the sponsors of the bill led by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez "for recognizing the role we play in providing for the needs of the people in terms of access to news, information, entertainment, and public service at this crucial time."
ABS-CBN had been broadcasting news and information about the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic via free television and radio before it was ordered shut by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) after its franchise expired on May 4.
The company also said it was looking "forward to participating in the process of our franchise renewal and stand[s] ready to respond to the issues that have been raised against the network, its owners, management and employees."
Among the issues raised are alleged violations of labor laws and the constitution, election bias, tax liabilities, and foreign ownership.
ABS-CBN said it remains "open to opinions and constructive suggestions on how to improve the organization and better serve the Filipino people."
It also thanked the various individuals and groups "who have expressed their love and support," saying "You inspire us."
HB 6732 still has to be approved on 3rd and final reading before it is sent to the Senate where senators have committed to supporting the measure.
ABS-CBN Corp. last Thursday asked the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the NTC.
“The public needs the services of ABS-CBN now more than ever, as the country grapples with the effects of COVID-19. In this time of public health emergency, ABS-CBN plays a significant role in providing continued employment to thousands of employees and delivering valuable information and entertainment to millions of Filipinos locked down in their homes,” ABS-CBN said in its petition.
The 46-page petition for certiorari and prohibition also asked the high court to set aside the CDO and declare a permanent injunction against its implementation.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/abs-cbn-thanks-house-leaders-for-approving-provisional-authority-bill
ABS-CBN may be back on air by June: Cayetano
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Wednesday ABS-CBN Corp may be back on air by the first week of June, amid swift proceedings on his proposed measure granting the network a temporary broadcast franchise until October.
Speaking on Teleradyo, Cayetano said the network may be able to broadcast again by next month.
"If everything goes well, God willing, Monday matapos namin on final reading, Tuesday nasa Senado. Kung kaya ng Senado one week, the week after next, latest first week ng June, on the air na ulit," Cayetano said.
(God willing, we will finish the final reading on Monday, and transmit this on Tuesday. If the Senate can finish in a week, the week after next, then ABS-CBN may be back on air by the first week of June.)
He also believes President Rodrigo Duterte will be fair and approve the provisional license.
"Ang ating Pangulo po ay abogado. Kung ako ang tanungin niya, ang sasabihin ko 'sir, pang ano lang 'to eh, pang-due process'," Cayetano said.
(Our President is a lawyer. If he asks me, I'll tell him that this is for due process.)
Cayetano said he believes the President would choose fairness and due process in deciding whether to sign the provisional authority into law.
"Hindi ko alam kung ive-veto niya o hindi, pero sa pagkakilala ko sa ating pangulo, abogado eh, fairness, due process," he said.
(I'm not sure if he will veto it or not, but I know the President, he is a lawyer and he will choose fairness and due process.)
The House of Representatives Committee of the Whole on Wednesday approved a bill that gives ABS-CBN provisional franchise until October 2020.
Cayetano filed the bill, as he cited the need for Congress to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis and giving it sufficient time to tackle the network's "controversial" application for a fresh 25-year franchise.
The Senate also said it would "work expeditiously" to pass ABS-CBN's provisional franchise before Congress adjourns in the first week of June, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.
House Bill No. 6732 grants ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years.
The interim license will "give both the House of Representatives and the Senate [time] to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years."
"We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug," read the bill's explanatory note.
ABS-CBN's halt in broadcast last week was the first time it was forced to sign off since the Marcos dictatorship. The shutdown imperils an estimated 11,000 jobs.
It has asked the Supreme Court to stop the NTC shutdown order.
The network, which reached millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it did not violate the law in its 66 years of service. - with reports from Jauhn Villaruel, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/abs-cbn-may-be-back-on-air-by-june-cayetano
Speaking on Teleradyo, Cayetano said the network may be able to broadcast again by next month.
"If everything goes well, God willing, Monday matapos namin on final reading, Tuesday nasa Senado. Kung kaya ng Senado one week, the week after next, latest first week ng June, on the air na ulit," Cayetano said.
(God willing, we will finish the final reading on Monday, and transmit this on Tuesday. If the Senate can finish in a week, the week after next, then ABS-CBN may be back on air by the first week of June.)
He also believes President Rodrigo Duterte will be fair and approve the provisional license.
"Ang ating Pangulo po ay abogado. Kung ako ang tanungin niya, ang sasabihin ko 'sir, pang ano lang 'to eh, pang-due process'," Cayetano said.
(Our President is a lawyer. If he asks me, I'll tell him that this is for due process.)
Cayetano said he believes the President would choose fairness and due process in deciding whether to sign the provisional authority into law.
"Hindi ko alam kung ive-veto niya o hindi, pero sa pagkakilala ko sa ating pangulo, abogado eh, fairness, due process," he said.
(I'm not sure if he will veto it or not, but I know the President, he is a lawyer and he will choose fairness and due process.)
The House of Representatives Committee of the Whole on Wednesday approved a bill that gives ABS-CBN provisional franchise until October 2020.
Cayetano filed the bill, as he cited the need for Congress to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis and giving it sufficient time to tackle the network's "controversial" application for a fresh 25-year franchise.
The Senate also said it would "work expeditiously" to pass ABS-CBN's provisional franchise before Congress adjourns in the first week of June, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.
House Bill No. 6732 grants ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years.
The interim license will "give both the House of Representatives and the Senate [time] to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years."
"We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug," read the bill's explanatory note.
ABS-CBN's halt in broadcast last week was the first time it was forced to sign off since the Marcos dictatorship. The shutdown imperils an estimated 11,000 jobs.
It has asked the Supreme Court to stop the NTC shutdown order.
The network, which reached millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it did not violate the law in its 66 years of service. - with reports from Jauhn Villaruel, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/abs-cbn-may-be-back-on-air-by-june-cayetano
House okays ABS-CBN's provisional franchise bill on 2nd reading
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a measure seeking to grant media giant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise valid until Oct. 31, 2020.
During the plenary session, the lower chamber passed through voice voting House Bill No. 6732, which seeks to grant the ABS-CBN Corporation a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the Philippines.
In his sponsorship speech, Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the main rationale of the bill is to enable Congress to have an “impartial, comprehensive, and extensive” hearing to address the issues surrounding the ABS-CBN franchise.
He pertained to the network’s issues of taxes, labor conditions, foreign ownership, pay-per-view service, and Philippine Depositary Receipts.
“If we do not extensively hear the issues surrounding this franchise, we will be reneging on our constitutional duty and mandate to ensure a due process that will enable us, members of Congress, to decide freely and objectively whether to approve or deny this franchise,” Villafuerte said.
“We want to grant a temporary provisional franchise until October of this year because this is a contentious bill… We have to hear all sides,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the House Committee of the Whole approved the provisional franchise measure.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who is a principal author of the bill, said the sudden turn-around of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from its earlier commitment during a March 10 House hearing to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority has distracted Congress from focusing on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The NTC issued a cease and desist order on May 5 against ABS-CBN to stop the operations of its television and radio stations after the broadcast firm’s legislative franchise expired on May 4.
“This distraction is the reason why we must not allow the betrayal of NTC and the unconstitutional meddling of the Solicitor General in this exclusive power of Congress to go unchallenged,” he said,, referring to the power to grant or cancel any franchise.
“Their actions are not only an upfront to this institution, it also delays the discussion and passage of crucial legislation that our people sorely need,” he added.
He said the grant of a provisional franchise to ABS-CBN would give Congress time to assess with complete impartiality and fairness whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years.
“We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug and proceed as if nothing happened. As we have always promised, these hearings will be fair, impartial, and above all, thorough,” Cayetano said.
“There will be no rush to judgment. Both the praise for and the charges against the network will be heard and will be put on public record,” he added.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1102787
During the plenary session, the lower chamber passed through voice voting House Bill No. 6732, which seeks to grant the ABS-CBN Corporation a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the Philippines.
In his sponsorship speech, Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the main rationale of the bill is to enable Congress to have an “impartial, comprehensive, and extensive” hearing to address the issues surrounding the ABS-CBN franchise.
He pertained to the network’s issues of taxes, labor conditions, foreign ownership, pay-per-view service, and Philippine Depositary Receipts.
“If we do not extensively hear the issues surrounding this franchise, we will be reneging on our constitutional duty and mandate to ensure a due process that will enable us, members of Congress, to decide freely and objectively whether to approve or deny this franchise,” Villafuerte said.
“We want to grant a temporary provisional franchise until October of this year because this is a contentious bill… We have to hear all sides,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the House Committee of the Whole approved the provisional franchise measure.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who is a principal author of the bill, said the sudden turn-around of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from its earlier commitment during a March 10 House hearing to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority has distracted Congress from focusing on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The NTC issued a cease and desist order on May 5 against ABS-CBN to stop the operations of its television and radio stations after the broadcast firm’s legislative franchise expired on May 4.
“This distraction is the reason why we must not allow the betrayal of NTC and the unconstitutional meddling of the Solicitor General in this exclusive power of Congress to go unchallenged,” he said,, referring to the power to grant or cancel any franchise.
“Their actions are not only an upfront to this institution, it also delays the discussion and passage of crucial legislation that our people sorely need,” he added.
He said the grant of a provisional franchise to ABS-CBN would give Congress time to assess with complete impartiality and fairness whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years.
“We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug and proceed as if nothing happened. As we have always promised, these hearings will be fair, impartial, and above all, thorough,” Cayetano said.
“There will be no rush to judgment. Both the praise for and the charges against the network will be heard and will be put on public record,” he added.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1102787
Senators eye passing ABS-CBN's provisional license before session adjourns in June
The Senate will "work expeditiously" to pass ABS-CBN's provisional franchise before Congress adjourns in the first week of June, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday, as the House of Representatives swiftly acted on a measure that would allow the Philippines' largest media network to operate until December 31, 2020.
The Senate will begin committee deliberations for a counterpart measure early next week and vote on ABS-CBN's temporary license "by Wednesday afternoon," Zubiri told reporters in a text message.
"Hopefully we can pass the measure the week after. We will work expeditiously to pass the measure up to ratification before the June 3 break," he said.
At least 13 senators earlier filed a bill granting ABS-CBN 'provisional franchise' until June 2022.
Under the law, franchise bills must emanate from the House of Representatives before the Senate can tackle it in plenary.
Under Senate rules, a bill approved on committee level can only be taken to the plenary after 3 days to give lawmakers enough time to study the measure, unless the President certifies it as urgent.
More details to follow.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/senators-eye-passing-abs-cbns-provisional-license-before-session-adjourns-in-june
The Senate will begin committee deliberations for a counterpart measure early next week and vote on ABS-CBN's temporary license "by Wednesday afternoon," Zubiri told reporters in a text message.
"Hopefully we can pass the measure the week after. We will work expeditiously to pass the measure up to ratification before the June 3 break," he said.
At least 13 senators earlier filed a bill granting ABS-CBN 'provisional franchise' until June 2022.
Under the law, franchise bills must emanate from the House of Representatives before the Senate can tackle it in plenary.
Under Senate rules, a bill approved on committee level can only be taken to the plenary after 3 days to give lawmakers enough time to study the measure, unless the President certifies it as urgent.
More details to follow.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/20/senators-eye-passing-abs-cbns-provisional-license-before-session-adjourns-in-june
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
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Senate panel eyes law to 'automatically extend' franchises pending in Congress
The Senate Committee on Public Services "will look" at the possibility of crafting a bill that would "automatically extend for a certain period" expired franchises provided that a renewal bid is still pending in Congress, the panel's chair Sen. Grace Poe said Tuesday.
Lawmakers have to solve a "gap in the law" to ensure that networks and their employees are not left in limbo should Congress fail to act on their franchise applications, Poe told reporters in an online press conference.
"Hindi naman natin puwede sabihin na open-ended forever. Baka ang mangyari kasi mawalan kami ng sense of urgency, kaming mga mambabatas," the senator said.
(We cannot leave it open-ended forever. If we do that, we lawmakers might lose our sense of urgency.)
"So kailangan natin ilagay sa isang batas ang kinakailangan na 'pag ang prangkisa mo ay mag-e-expire na, puwede kang automatically extended for a certain period," she said.
(So we have to put in place a law that will automatically extend your franchise for a certain period if it is about to expire.)
The proposed policy has yet to be drafted but it would likely contain "remedial measures" for companies with nearly-expired franchises, Poe said, noting that Congress cannot be compelled to prioritize tackling franchise bills.
The plan followed the shutdown of ABS-CBN Corp's broadcast operations after its franchise lapsed on May 4. Its bid for franchise renewal has been pending for years.
Sen. Lito Lapid filed a separate bill that would provide provisional licenses to radio stations with pending franchise renewal applications before Congress.
Under Lapid's Senate Bill No. 1522, the "validity of the provisional renewal shall be until the next adjournment of Congress."
"Malinaw na may pagkukulang o butas sa ating batas kaugnay sa pagrenew ng prangkisa ng isang kumpanya pero kaya naman itong remedyuhan ng isa ring batas," he said in a statement.
(It is clear that there is a loophole or gap in our law with regards to franchise renewals, but this can also be remedied by another law.)
Lapid did not explain why his bill was limited to radio stations.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara first pointed out the legal loophole when Poe's committee tackled ABS-CBN's franchise issue in February.
"The DOJ stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Guevarra said.
In March, the House of Representatives and the Senate issued resolutions directing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue a temporary permit for ABS-CBN, whose 25-year franchise renewal bid has languished in the House Legislative Franchises Committee since 2014.
The NTC did not heed Congress' directive and ordered the Philippines' largest media network off the air on May 5 without due process.
At least 13 senators have authored a bill seeking to allow ABS-CBN to operate until June 2022, while Congress is still deliberating on its renewal application.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/20/senate-panel-eyes-law-to-automatically-extend-franchises-pending-in-congress
Lawmakers have to solve a "gap in the law" to ensure that networks and their employees are not left in limbo should Congress fail to act on their franchise applications, Poe told reporters in an online press conference.
"Hindi naman natin puwede sabihin na open-ended forever. Baka ang mangyari kasi mawalan kami ng sense of urgency, kaming mga mambabatas," the senator said.
(We cannot leave it open-ended forever. If we do that, we lawmakers might lose our sense of urgency.)
"So kailangan natin ilagay sa isang batas ang kinakailangan na 'pag ang prangkisa mo ay mag-e-expire na, puwede kang automatically extended for a certain period," she said.
(So we have to put in place a law that will automatically extend your franchise for a certain period if it is about to expire.)
The proposed policy has yet to be drafted but it would likely contain "remedial measures" for companies with nearly-expired franchises, Poe said, noting that Congress cannot be compelled to prioritize tackling franchise bills.
The plan followed the shutdown of ABS-CBN Corp's broadcast operations after its franchise lapsed on May 4. Its bid for franchise renewal has been pending for years.
Sen. Lito Lapid filed a separate bill that would provide provisional licenses to radio stations with pending franchise renewal applications before Congress.
Under Lapid's Senate Bill No. 1522, the "validity of the provisional renewal shall be until the next adjournment of Congress."
"Malinaw na may pagkukulang o butas sa ating batas kaugnay sa pagrenew ng prangkisa ng isang kumpanya pero kaya naman itong remedyuhan ng isa ring batas," he said in a statement.
(It is clear that there is a loophole or gap in our law with regards to franchise renewals, but this can also be remedied by another law.)
Lapid did not explain why his bill was limited to radio stations.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara first pointed out the legal loophole when Poe's committee tackled ABS-CBN's franchise issue in February.
"The DOJ stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Guevarra said.
In March, the House of Representatives and the Senate issued resolutions directing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue a temporary permit for ABS-CBN, whose 25-year franchise renewal bid has languished in the House Legislative Franchises Committee since 2014.
The NTC did not heed Congress' directive and ordered the Philippines' largest media network off the air on May 5 without due process.
At least 13 senators have authored a bill seeking to allow ABS-CBN to operate until June 2022, while Congress is still deliberating on its renewal application.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/20/senate-panel-eyes-law-to-automatically-extend-franchises-pending-in-congress
Cayetano urged to 'immediately' conduct House hearings on ABS-CBN franchise
At least 14 lawmakers on Tuesday urged House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to "immediately convene" the chamber's committee on legislative franchises to tackle ABS-CBN's bid for a fresh 25-year license to operate, a week after it was forced off air by the country's telecoms body.
Cayetano earlier said the committee would conduct hearings that are "fair, impartial, thorough, and comprehensive," but he did not say when.
The group of lawmakers said it was now the chamber's "primary duty and responsibility to put an end to the uncertainties and confusion" on the network's franchise.
"We understand that there are more important measures that the House leadership has to attend to in this extraordinary time. However, we believe too that resolving the ABS-CBN issue the soonest is equally important given the impact, economically and politically, of its continued shutdown in this time of crisis," they said in a letter to Cayetano.
ABS-CBN halted its broadcast operations last week after the National Telecommunications Commission went back on its commitment to allow the network to operate beyond its lapsed franchise.
The cease-and-desist order from the NTC came a few days after the Office of the Solicitor General warned the telecoms body against issuing a provisional authority to ABS-CBN.
"The Committee and the House are now being blamed and vilified for the shutdown of the network and for being off the air since then, as well as the displacement of thousands of its employees and workers," they said.
"That the citizenry also lost one of their main sources of credible and efficient news and information in this time of crisis brought by the COVID-10 pandemic was also largely blamed on our chamber."
Among lawmakers who signed the petition are:
Rodriguez last week filed a joint resolution that would grant ABS-CBN a temporary franchise until the end of the 18th Congress or June 30, 2022. At least 13 senators have filed a measure seeking the same.
ABS-CBN has asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the NTC's order.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/20/cayetano-urged-to-immediately-conduct-house-hearings-on-abs-cbn-franchise
Cayetano earlier said the committee would conduct hearings that are "fair, impartial, thorough, and comprehensive," but he did not say when.
The group of lawmakers said it was now the chamber's "primary duty and responsibility to put an end to the uncertainties and confusion" on the network's franchise.
"We understand that there are more important measures that the House leadership has to attend to in this extraordinary time. However, we believe too that resolving the ABS-CBN issue the soonest is equally important given the impact, economically and politically, of its continued shutdown in this time of crisis," they said in a letter to Cayetano.
ABS-CBN halted its broadcast operations last week after the National Telecommunications Commission went back on its commitment to allow the network to operate beyond its lapsed franchise.
The cease-and-desist order from the NTC came a few days after the Office of the Solicitor General warned the telecoms body against issuing a provisional authority to ABS-CBN.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers said they "take strong exceptions to NTC’s trickery and the Office of the Solicitor General’s interventionist action."READ: Letter to Speaker Cayetano and Joint Statement of Authors of ABS-CBN Franchise bills to register strong frustrations with the non-issuance of a provisional authority to the network by the National Telecommunications Commission pic.twitter.com/eNB1zcuO0J— RG Cruz (@R_G_Cruz888) May 12, 2020
"The Committee and the House are now being blamed and vilified for the shutdown of the network and for being off the air since then, as well as the displacement of thousands of its employees and workers," they said.
"That the citizenry also lost one of their main sources of credible and efficient news and information in this time of crisis brought by the COVID-10 pandemic was also largely blamed on our chamber."
Among lawmakers who signed the petition are:
- Pangasinan 3rd District Rep. Rose Marie Arenas
- Surigao Del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel
- Batangas 6th District Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto
- Bayan Muna Partylist Representatives Carlos Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat, Ferdinand Gaite
- Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas
- ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro
- Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones
- Cagayan De Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez
- Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato
- Paranaque 2nd District Rep. Joy Tambunting
- Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago
- Nueva Ecija 2nd SItrict Rep. Micaela Violago
Rodriguez last week filed a joint resolution that would grant ABS-CBN a temporary franchise until the end of the 18th Congress or June 30, 2022. At least 13 senators have filed a measure seeking the same.
ABS-CBN has asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the NTC's order.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/20/cayetano-urged-to-immediately-conduct-house-hearings-on-abs-cbn-franchise
Ayala may take interest in ABS-CBN frequencies
Conglomerate Ayala Corp. may take interest in the frequencies of ABS-CBN Corp. that might be recalled by the government after the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the shutdown of the Lopez-led broadcast network over the lack of a congressional franchise, according to sources.
Sources said Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Inc., which is owned by Betlehem Holdings Inc., the holding company of Globe Telecom’s group retirement fund, may be used by the Ayala Group to bid for the frequencies of ABS-CBN Channel 2, DZMM 630 AM radio and MOR 101.9 FM radio.
BEAM is a broadcast company in the Philippines that operates free-to-air Channel 31. The company’s primary focus is on UHF broadcasting, but is upgrading its DTT for use in multimedia convergence.
BEAM has transmitter facilities in Davao, Cebu City, Zamboanga City, Baguio City, Naga City and Iloilo City.
Sources said the Ayala and Lopez groups have a history of partnership in telecom and broadcast industries, as Globe Telecom completed the acquisition of Bayan Telecommunications from the Lopez family in 2015. Globe also entered a network sharing agreement with ABS-CBN Corp. to offer ABS-CBN Mobile, but the mobile service was discontinued on Nov. 30, 2018.
Sources also said members of the Makati Business Club saw a deal between the Ayala and Lopez groups coming even before the closure of ABS-CBN. “In fact, they see this as a strategic move to save the Lopez company from its maturing P28-billion bank loans from BDO, BPI, PNB, UnionBank whose owners are all members of the MBC,” sources said.
BPI, the banking arm of the Ayala Group, has more than P10 billion in loan exposure to ABS-CBN, according to reports.
An executive of ABS-CBN denied any ongoing talks between the two parties. “It is not true,” the executive said.
Sought for comment, Yolanda Crisanto, spokesperson of Globe, also denied there were discussions between Globe and ABS-CBN. “We wish to clarify that there is no ongoing discussion between BEAM and ABS-CBN. Also Globe has no equity stake on ABS Convergence. What we had was an MVNO agreement.”
Astro del Castillo, managing director at First Grade Finance, said such transaction “would be a surprise.”
“The Ayala Group has never been in the news that they are really interested [in broadcasting business]. After the tiff with the president regarding the water, would it boldly invest in another controversial investment at this time,” Del Castilo said.
“If indeed true the public, particularly the financial analysts would be excited to hear the side of Ayala on their business model and how it would add value to its businesses,” he said.
Sources said the rumors became more possible after Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, chairman of Udenna Corp., issued a statement to deny that he wanted to acquire ABS-CBN. “Let me be clear once and for all and say that we in Udenna Corp. have no intention to acquire ABS-CBN. Being in the business of broadcasting is not part of our corporate direction,” Uy said.
Sources said that once the government auctions the frequencies of ABS-CBN, BEAM is in the best position to acquire them estimated to be worth billions because it is backed by the Ayala Group.
Sources said those who may join the bidding for ABS-CBN’s frequencies are Aliw Broadcasting Corp., Manila Broadcasting Corp., Radio Mindanao Network, Bombo Radyo Holdings Inc. and Sunshine Media Network of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy.
Sources believe that given the high valuation of the ABS-CBN frequencies, BEAM will have the upper hand in the auction.
https://manilastandard.net/business/it-telecom/323498/ayala-may-take-interest-in-abs-cbn-frequencies.html
Sources said Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Inc., which is owned by Betlehem Holdings Inc., the holding company of Globe Telecom’s group retirement fund, may be used by the Ayala Group to bid for the frequencies of ABS-CBN Channel 2, DZMM 630 AM radio and MOR 101.9 FM radio.
BEAM is a broadcast company in the Philippines that operates free-to-air Channel 31. The company’s primary focus is on UHF broadcasting, but is upgrading its DTT for use in multimedia convergence.
BEAM has transmitter facilities in Davao, Cebu City, Zamboanga City, Baguio City, Naga City and Iloilo City.
Sources said the Ayala and Lopez groups have a history of partnership in telecom and broadcast industries, as Globe Telecom completed the acquisition of Bayan Telecommunications from the Lopez family in 2015. Globe also entered a network sharing agreement with ABS-CBN Corp. to offer ABS-CBN Mobile, but the mobile service was discontinued on Nov. 30, 2018.
Sources also said members of the Makati Business Club saw a deal between the Ayala and Lopez groups coming even before the closure of ABS-CBN. “In fact, they see this as a strategic move to save the Lopez company from its maturing P28-billion bank loans from BDO, BPI, PNB, UnionBank whose owners are all members of the MBC,” sources said.
BPI, the banking arm of the Ayala Group, has more than P10 billion in loan exposure to ABS-CBN, according to reports.
An executive of ABS-CBN denied any ongoing talks between the two parties. “It is not true,” the executive said.
Sought for comment, Yolanda Crisanto, spokesperson of Globe, also denied there were discussions between Globe and ABS-CBN. “We wish to clarify that there is no ongoing discussion between BEAM and ABS-CBN. Also Globe has no equity stake on ABS Convergence. What we had was an MVNO agreement.”
Astro del Castillo, managing director at First Grade Finance, said such transaction “would be a surprise.”
“The Ayala Group has never been in the news that they are really interested [in broadcasting business]. After the tiff with the president regarding the water, would it boldly invest in another controversial investment at this time,” Del Castilo said.
“If indeed true the public, particularly the financial analysts would be excited to hear the side of Ayala on their business model and how it would add value to its businesses,” he said.
Sources said the rumors became more possible after Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, chairman of Udenna Corp., issued a statement to deny that he wanted to acquire ABS-CBN. “Let me be clear once and for all and say that we in Udenna Corp. have no intention to acquire ABS-CBN. Being in the business of broadcasting is not part of our corporate direction,” Uy said.
Sources said that once the government auctions the frequencies of ABS-CBN, BEAM is in the best position to acquire them estimated to be worth billions because it is backed by the Ayala Group.
Sources said those who may join the bidding for ABS-CBN’s frequencies are Aliw Broadcasting Corp., Manila Broadcasting Corp., Radio Mindanao Network, Bombo Radyo Holdings Inc. and Sunshine Media Network of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy.
Sources believe that given the high valuation of the ABS-CBN frequencies, BEAM will have the upper hand in the auction.
https://manilastandard.net/business/it-telecom/323498/ayala-may-take-interest-in-abs-cbn-frequencies.html
Pandemic lockdown gives Philippine province time to rethink planned split-up
The plebiscite, initially set for Monday, May 11, would have given nearly half a million voters in Palawan the choice of whether or not to accept Republic Act 11259, which would split the biggest province in the country into three smaller ones: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur
PALAWAN, Philippines — A landmark vote on dividing the biodiverse Philippine province of Palawan into three smaller provinces has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s given critics of the move a chance to press their case that splitting up the province could prove harmful to natural resources management and the welfare of indigenous groups.
The plebiscite, initially set for May 11, would have given nearly half a million voters in Palawan the choice of whether or not to accept Republic Act 11259, which would split the 1.5-million-hectare (3.7-million-acre) province — the biggest in the country — into three smaller ones: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.
Proponents of the act, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in April 2019, say dividing the province will fast-track public access to government services and spark growth in this region of the country known for its rich biodiversity and model ecotourism practices.
Once ratified, the towns of Brooke’s Point, Roxas and Taytay would be upgraded into the respective capitals of the new provinces, and Puerto Princesa, the current capital, would be an independent city. Residents of Puerto Princesa would not be eligible to vote in the plebiscite or in any elections for provincial positions, according to Republic Act 11259.
Pushing through with the plebiscite as scheduled, however, is “impossible at the height of the spread of the COVID-19,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in a memorandum dated April 7.
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines reached 10,794 with 719 deaths as of May 10. In Palawan, there have only been two confirmed cases as of April 26, but the entire province has been under lockdown, known as an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), since March 17.
Under the restrictions imposed by the lockdown, the deployment of personnel and election materials is “logistically impossible,” Comelec said, meaning the plebiscite is suspended indefinitely. As early as March 25, the commission had already suspended all preparatory activities leading up to the plebiscite, shelving the 80 million pesos ($1.6 million) allotted for the preparations.
Anti-division coalition One Palawan has welcomed the announcement to delay the vote. “The quarantine period can be useful for the Palawan people to contemplate on what is happening around them,” campaigner Cynthia Del Rosario told Mongabay. “Dividing the province has become irrelevant [at this time] as it could only spell another bureaucratic bloat and waste.”
One Palawan and other opponents of the partition say the plan was borne out of political maneuvering instead of popular demand. Proper public consultations and feasibility studies supporting it were not carried out, they say.
Critics say they are concerned that dividing the province would cement control of resources with oligarchic families and weaken environmental authorities’ ability to protect the natural ecosystems in the province. These sensitive areas could potentially be shared by different provinces, One Palawan says.
Palawan boasts 690,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of natural-growth forest that is home to 422 species, 39 of them endemic. It also has the largest marine protected areas and critical habitats in the Philippines, and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The province’s keen attention to sustainable development has prompted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow local authorities to manage key protected areas under the oversight of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).
The division plan isn’t clear on how these management schemes will be affected, anti-division groups say, as studies have not been publicized. Some civil society groups were not invited for public consultations, and online and offline debates between politicians and local environmentalists unfold against the backdrop of aggressive development. This fight that started on social media has since reached the nation’s highest court.
Micromanaging poverty, development
The province’s scale is the main reason for the division, says Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez. “We experience difficulty in managing our large province,” Alvarez said on the cable news show Rundown on April 13, 2019. “Today, the whole province [is] the biggest province in the whole country. We are doing what is best for the province. It’s not gerrymandering.”
The size makes it difficult for the provincial government to provide basic services like public health care, education and transportation to the most remote villages. These amenities are concentrated in the provincial capital Puerto Princesa, declared a highly urbanized city since 2007. With a population of more than 255,000, out of the total 1.3 million in Palawan, it’s also the province’s economic hub, home to more advanced health care facilities, international airport and seaport, national government agencies’ field offices, universities, and malls.
Access to social services is not the same for residents in other towns across the sprawling archipelago, many of whom must travel four to five hours by sea and another eight hours by land to experience these services.
“From our house atop a mountain, we would walk for more than three hours to the national road to catch a bus for another four- to five-hour trip to the city,” Beto Calman, a penglima (customary leader) of the Palaw’an indigenous group, told Mongabay. “But life’s difficult so that rarely happens here. Going to the city is already a luxury for us who don’t always have money and just subsist on forest resources to survive.”
The province is home to 100,000 indigenous families who rely largely on the region’s natural environment. The Palaw’ans live in the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL) in southern Palawan. The mountain is the province’s largest terrestrial protected area, spanning 120,457 hectares (297,656 acres) across five towns. It’s also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Palawan isn’t lacking in either fiscal or natural resources. The province banks on its tourism prowess, which generated 83 billion pesos ($1.6 billion) in tourism services and investments in 2018 alone. The province’s revenue share from the national government — provincial allotment from earnings from large-scale industries — is 3.2 billion pesos ($63 million) this year. With total assets of more than 11.27 billion pesos ($223 million) as of 2018, Palawan is the ninth-richest province in the Philippines.
But the poverty incidence rate is 54%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Local officials point at geography as the prime driver of poverty. Under a divided Palawan, new sets of local government officials can focus on the most vulnerable and abandoned sectors, Alvarez said.
Each political subdivision would downscale each provincial government’s constituents to around 400,000. According to Alvarez, this will give rise to new capitals with additional elective, appointive and support staff positions to fast-track the delivery of services to the remotest areas. The provinces will also receive higher revenue allotments from the national government of at least 1.5 billion to 2 billion pesos ($30 million to $40 million) every year, according to Alvarez.
“Having three provinces in more compact geographic areas with fewer constituents to serve and equally fewer municipalities to supervise will be better suited to pursue the general welfare than a single province,” he said in a press statement, adding that the move will allow the “micromanagement of poverty and development.”
Civil society groups, in doubt
Dividing Palawan is not a new idea; it was introduced in the 1960s by Monching Mitra, a Palawan congressional representative. Similar proposals were echoed in the early 1990s up to the late 2000s, with provincial lawmakers passing measures calling for the division. Each time they were thwarted by lack of support in both houses of Congress.
Alvarez mounted a strong push to revive the proposal in 2016. Reportedly the country’s richest governor in 2015, thanks to a logging business in neighboring Indonesia in the 1970s, Alvarez met with municipal mayors, barangay (ward) heads, and local business people to gather support for the bid. At the same time, three Palawan congressional representatives pushed for the division at the House of Representatives.
In December 2017, the provincial legislature passed a resolution in support of the move. The bill breezed through Congress, passed by the House in August 2018 and the Senate in November that same year. President Duterte signed the bill into law on April 13, 2019, setting into motion a rigorous debate among residents.
“There will always be a cost, it’s not just benefits,” environmental lawyer Grizelda Mayo-Anda, executive director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, told Mongabay. “Without these studies, how can you plausibly, logically state that the division of Palawan will ultimately result in the economic development of the three provinces? This is still wishful thinking.”
The Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI), the province’s largest coalition of civil society groups, called the law “problematic” and said it would perpetuate nepotism and political dynasties.
PNNI and the provincial government have been at loggerheads for years over a string of environmental issues, in particular the latter’s support for high-impact projects: from palm oil and coconut investments in forested tribal lands, to building a coal-fired power plant near a protected area, to a six-lane highway for which trees had to be cut down.
“If the motive for this division is good, then its results will be sound,” PNNI executive director Robert Chan told Mongabay, “but if its intent is evil, then nothing good can come out of it.”
“What is the motive for dividing the province? Is it to provide better basic services? Or to prolong the dynasty of the incumbent?” Chan said. “Note that this is the governor’s last term. And to divide means he can run anew in any of the divided portions. And put his kin in the other two.” (Under Philippine law, elected officials can only serve a maximum of three consecutive terms in the same position.)
One of Alvarez’s daughter, Amy Alvarez, is the mayor of the Palawan municipality of San Vicente; another daughter, Pie Alvarez, was the previous mayor. The governor’s nephews also hold pivotal posts: Franz Alvarez is a congressman, while Juan Alvarez is a provincial board member.
Alvarez denied the allegation that he planned to use the division to run for another term. “I asked framers of the law to remove a provision which says after my third term I can still run as governor,” Alvarez said in the Rundown interview. “I said no. It’s not a matter of political convenience.”
Another of PNNI’s objections centers on public participation — or lack thereof — leading up to the passage of the division act. There was a series of “public consultations” in municipalities, but PNNI says these were “not much-publicized, massive and inclusive” to get the real pulse of the majority of locals.
“Why is civil society doubtful? Throughout the whole process, from its inception in the Provincial Board to deliberations in Congress, we have never been invited to present our side much less interpolate this legislation, despite PNNI’s board resolution opposing the same,” Chan said.
Critics: pandemic negates geography bottleneck
On June 26, 2019, One Palawan took its case to the Supreme Court, hoping a writ of prohibition would render Republic Act 11259 null and void.
The coalition alleges the law contains provisions that go against the Philippine Constitution and the Local Government Code, including amendments to the natural wealth-sharing agreement, non-consultation of the general public, and exclusion of Puerto Princesa residents in the consultation and in the plebiscite.
The court has yet to decide on the petition. One Palawan also launched an online petition nearly two years ago that has since gathered more than 48,000 signatures. On the ground, residents are split over whether to divide. But with the cancellation of the vote amid the pandemic, residents have more time to consider the move, groups say.
For the indigenous Palaw’an tribe, their decision rests on easy access to public goods and services, infrastructure and industry development, and a steady stream of cash income, among other benefits touted by pro-division groups. But what’s missing, they say, are the trade-offs.
“We want quick access to government services, but we fear that the division plan could negatively affect the way of life of marginalized locals, especially like us natives,” said tribe leader Calman, who is also the president of the Organization of Indigenous People for Action in Palawan. “If aggressive development creeps into this biodiverse mountain range where we live, that could result in the demise of our cultural traditions deeply rooted in the forest.”
The pandemic is also a good time to assess the efficiency of local governments in deploying services to villages in a time of crisis, One Palawan’s Del Rosario says. It also highlights the importance of having unified governance in the deployment of services at such a time, she says.
The pandemic has pushed public officials, from the provincial down to the barangay level, rushing to the aid of their constituents, including indigenous peoples. “Geography isn’t the challenge but political will,” Del Rosario said, adding that political will is what ensures goods and financial assistance can reach even the remotest sites in the province.
“The crisis also shows the people that the quality of leaders they put in office actually matters,” Del Rosario said. “Some local officials have excelled in delivering assistance to their communities while some were just a big disappointment. It also shows that the [current] system in delivering basic services is already in place, underscoring the barangays for being pivotal in the fight against COVID-19.”
Calman and other Palaw’an natives say they are wary that the division plan may open up their home — the “mother province” — to the rest of the world, an unwelcome development they regard as a threat to their culture and survival.
“Now that there’s this contagion, we impose our own lockdown to ensure all of us would survive,” Calman said. “When this is over, the plan might push through. And if it really happens, we expect to see more people, especially from foreign countries who may bring in diseases our body system cannot fight off. This may not be the last pandemic we would experience. What would our future be if there’d be another?” – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/260590-pandemic-lockdown-gives-philippine-province-time-rethink-planned-split-up
PALAWAN, Philippines — A landmark vote on dividing the biodiverse Philippine province of Palawan into three smaller provinces has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s given critics of the move a chance to press their case that splitting up the province could prove harmful to natural resources management and the welfare of indigenous groups.
The plebiscite, initially set for May 11, would have given nearly half a million voters in Palawan the choice of whether or not to accept Republic Act 11259, which would split the 1.5-million-hectare (3.7-million-acre) province — the biggest in the country — into three smaller ones: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.
Proponents of the act, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in April 2019, say dividing the province will fast-track public access to government services and spark growth in this region of the country known for its rich biodiversity and model ecotourism practices.
Once ratified, the towns of Brooke’s Point, Roxas and Taytay would be upgraded into the respective capitals of the new provinces, and Puerto Princesa, the current capital, would be an independent city. Residents of Puerto Princesa would not be eligible to vote in the plebiscite or in any elections for provincial positions, according to Republic Act 11259.
Pushing through with the plebiscite as scheduled, however, is “impossible at the height of the spread of the COVID-19,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in a memorandum dated April 7.
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines reached 10,794 with 719 deaths as of May 10. In Palawan, there have only been two confirmed cases as of April 26, but the entire province has been under lockdown, known as an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), since March 17.
Under the restrictions imposed by the lockdown, the deployment of personnel and election materials is “logistically impossible,” Comelec said, meaning the plebiscite is suspended indefinitely. As early as March 25, the commission had already suspended all preparatory activities leading up to the plebiscite, shelving the 80 million pesos ($1.6 million) allotted for the preparations.
Anti-division coalition One Palawan has welcomed the announcement to delay the vote. “The quarantine period can be useful for the Palawan people to contemplate on what is happening around them,” campaigner Cynthia Del Rosario told Mongabay. “Dividing the province has become irrelevant [at this time] as it could only spell another bureaucratic bloat and waste.”
One Palawan and other opponents of the partition say the plan was borne out of political maneuvering instead of popular demand. Proper public consultations and feasibility studies supporting it were not carried out, they say.
Critics say they are concerned that dividing the province would cement control of resources with oligarchic families and weaken environmental authorities’ ability to protect the natural ecosystems in the province. These sensitive areas could potentially be shared by different provinces, One Palawan says.
Palawan boasts 690,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of natural-growth forest that is home to 422 species, 39 of them endemic. It also has the largest marine protected areas and critical habitats in the Philippines, and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The province’s keen attention to sustainable development has prompted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow local authorities to manage key protected areas under the oversight of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).
The division plan isn’t clear on how these management schemes will be affected, anti-division groups say, as studies have not been publicized. Some civil society groups were not invited for public consultations, and online and offline debates between politicians and local environmentalists unfold against the backdrop of aggressive development. This fight that started on social media has since reached the nation’s highest court.
Micromanaging poverty, development
The province’s scale is the main reason for the division, says Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez. “We experience difficulty in managing our large province,” Alvarez said on the cable news show Rundown on April 13, 2019. “Today, the whole province [is] the biggest province in the whole country. We are doing what is best for the province. It’s not gerrymandering.”
The size makes it difficult for the provincial government to provide basic services like public health care, education and transportation to the most remote villages. These amenities are concentrated in the provincial capital Puerto Princesa, declared a highly urbanized city since 2007. With a population of more than 255,000, out of the total 1.3 million in Palawan, it’s also the province’s economic hub, home to more advanced health care facilities, international airport and seaport, national government agencies’ field offices, universities, and malls.
Access to social services is not the same for residents in other towns across the sprawling archipelago, many of whom must travel four to five hours by sea and another eight hours by land to experience these services.
“From our house atop a mountain, we would walk for more than three hours to the national road to catch a bus for another four- to five-hour trip to the city,” Beto Calman, a penglima (customary leader) of the Palaw’an indigenous group, told Mongabay. “But life’s difficult so that rarely happens here. Going to the city is already a luxury for us who don’t always have money and just subsist on forest resources to survive.”
The province is home to 100,000 indigenous families who rely largely on the region’s natural environment. The Palaw’ans live in the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL) in southern Palawan. The mountain is the province’s largest terrestrial protected area, spanning 120,457 hectares (297,656 acres) across five towns. It’s also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Palawan isn’t lacking in either fiscal or natural resources. The province banks on its tourism prowess, which generated 83 billion pesos ($1.6 billion) in tourism services and investments in 2018 alone. The province’s revenue share from the national government — provincial allotment from earnings from large-scale industries — is 3.2 billion pesos ($63 million) this year. With total assets of more than 11.27 billion pesos ($223 million) as of 2018, Palawan is the ninth-richest province in the Philippines.
But the poverty incidence rate is 54%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Local officials point at geography as the prime driver of poverty. Under a divided Palawan, new sets of local government officials can focus on the most vulnerable and abandoned sectors, Alvarez said.
Each political subdivision would downscale each provincial government’s constituents to around 400,000. According to Alvarez, this will give rise to new capitals with additional elective, appointive and support staff positions to fast-track the delivery of services to the remotest areas. The provinces will also receive higher revenue allotments from the national government of at least 1.5 billion to 2 billion pesos ($30 million to $40 million) every year, according to Alvarez.
“Having three provinces in more compact geographic areas with fewer constituents to serve and equally fewer municipalities to supervise will be better suited to pursue the general welfare than a single province,” he said in a press statement, adding that the move will allow the “micromanagement of poverty and development.”
Civil society groups, in doubt
Dividing Palawan is not a new idea; it was introduced in the 1960s by Monching Mitra, a Palawan congressional representative. Similar proposals were echoed in the early 1990s up to the late 2000s, with provincial lawmakers passing measures calling for the division. Each time they were thwarted by lack of support in both houses of Congress.
Alvarez mounted a strong push to revive the proposal in 2016. Reportedly the country’s richest governor in 2015, thanks to a logging business in neighboring Indonesia in the 1970s, Alvarez met with municipal mayors, barangay (ward) heads, and local business people to gather support for the bid. At the same time, three Palawan congressional representatives pushed for the division at the House of Representatives.
In December 2017, the provincial legislature passed a resolution in support of the move. The bill breezed through Congress, passed by the House in August 2018 and the Senate in November that same year. President Duterte signed the bill into law on April 13, 2019, setting into motion a rigorous debate among residents.
“There will always be a cost, it’s not just benefits,” environmental lawyer Grizelda Mayo-Anda, executive director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, told Mongabay. “Without these studies, how can you plausibly, logically state that the division of Palawan will ultimately result in the economic development of the three provinces? This is still wishful thinking.”
The Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI), the province’s largest coalition of civil society groups, called the law “problematic” and said it would perpetuate nepotism and political dynasties.
PNNI and the provincial government have been at loggerheads for years over a string of environmental issues, in particular the latter’s support for high-impact projects: from palm oil and coconut investments in forested tribal lands, to building a coal-fired power plant near a protected area, to a six-lane highway for which trees had to be cut down.
“If the motive for this division is good, then its results will be sound,” PNNI executive director Robert Chan told Mongabay, “but if its intent is evil, then nothing good can come out of it.”
“What is the motive for dividing the province? Is it to provide better basic services? Or to prolong the dynasty of the incumbent?” Chan said. “Note that this is the governor’s last term. And to divide means he can run anew in any of the divided portions. And put his kin in the other two.” (Under Philippine law, elected officials can only serve a maximum of three consecutive terms in the same position.)
One of Alvarez’s daughter, Amy Alvarez, is the mayor of the Palawan municipality of San Vicente; another daughter, Pie Alvarez, was the previous mayor. The governor’s nephews also hold pivotal posts: Franz Alvarez is a congressman, while Juan Alvarez is a provincial board member.
Alvarez denied the allegation that he planned to use the division to run for another term. “I asked framers of the law to remove a provision which says after my third term I can still run as governor,” Alvarez said in the Rundown interview. “I said no. It’s not a matter of political convenience.”
Another of PNNI’s objections centers on public participation — or lack thereof — leading up to the passage of the division act. There was a series of “public consultations” in municipalities, but PNNI says these were “not much-publicized, massive and inclusive” to get the real pulse of the majority of locals.
“Why is civil society doubtful? Throughout the whole process, from its inception in the Provincial Board to deliberations in Congress, we have never been invited to present our side much less interpolate this legislation, despite PNNI’s board resolution opposing the same,” Chan said.
Critics: pandemic negates geography bottleneck
On June 26, 2019, One Palawan took its case to the Supreme Court, hoping a writ of prohibition would render Republic Act 11259 null and void.
The coalition alleges the law contains provisions that go against the Philippine Constitution and the Local Government Code, including amendments to the natural wealth-sharing agreement, non-consultation of the general public, and exclusion of Puerto Princesa residents in the consultation and in the plebiscite.
The court has yet to decide on the petition. One Palawan also launched an online petition nearly two years ago that has since gathered more than 48,000 signatures. On the ground, residents are split over whether to divide. But with the cancellation of the vote amid the pandemic, residents have more time to consider the move, groups say.
For the indigenous Palaw’an tribe, their decision rests on easy access to public goods and services, infrastructure and industry development, and a steady stream of cash income, among other benefits touted by pro-division groups. But what’s missing, they say, are the trade-offs.
“We want quick access to government services, but we fear that the division plan could negatively affect the way of life of marginalized locals, especially like us natives,” said tribe leader Calman, who is also the president of the Organization of Indigenous People for Action in Palawan. “If aggressive development creeps into this biodiverse mountain range where we live, that could result in the demise of our cultural traditions deeply rooted in the forest.”
The pandemic is also a good time to assess the efficiency of local governments in deploying services to villages in a time of crisis, One Palawan’s Del Rosario says. It also highlights the importance of having unified governance in the deployment of services at such a time, she says.
The pandemic has pushed public officials, from the provincial down to the barangay level, rushing to the aid of their constituents, including indigenous peoples. “Geography isn’t the challenge but political will,” Del Rosario said, adding that political will is what ensures goods and financial assistance can reach even the remotest sites in the province.
“The crisis also shows the people that the quality of leaders they put in office actually matters,” Del Rosario said. “Some local officials have excelled in delivering assistance to their communities while some were just a big disappointment. It also shows that the [current] system in delivering basic services is already in place, underscoring the barangays for being pivotal in the fight against COVID-19.”
Calman and other Palaw’an natives say they are wary that the division plan may open up their home — the “mother province” — to the rest of the world, an unwelcome development they regard as a threat to their culture and survival.
“Now that there’s this contagion, we impose our own lockdown to ensure all of us would survive,” Calman said. “When this is over, the plan might push through. And if it really happens, we expect to see more people, especially from foreign countries who may bring in diseases our body system cannot fight off. This may not be the last pandemic we would experience. What would our future be if there’d be another?” – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/260590-pandemic-lockdown-gives-philippine-province-time-rethink-planned-split-up
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