A new bill seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a 25-year franchise to operate television and radio broadcasting stations has been filed in the House of Representatives.
House Ways and Means Committee chairperson Joey Salceda introduced House Bill 11252 on Tuesday, marking an effort to revive the network’s franchise after its denial in June 2020.
Salceda’s Case for Renewal
Salceda justified his proposal by emphasizing the need for a competitive media landscape to ensure the free exchange of ideas.
“A virtual monopoly will not do as far as disseminating ideas and keeping the public informed is concerned,” Salceda said.
He also pointed out that during the 2020 deliberations, both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) testified that ABS-CBN did not violate ownership restrictions or have outstanding tax liabilities.
“Given the merits of renewing the franchise and clarifications made by government agencies, I urge Congress to reconsider the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise by the previous Congress,” Salceda stated in his explanatory note.
The 2020 Denial
ABS-CBN’s franchise bid was denied by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises in 2020 following allegations of:
- Dual citizenship of former chairman Eugenio Lopez III.
- Issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts favoring foreigners.
- Inappropriate program content and political interference.
- Tax avoidance and labor practice concerns.
The Technical Working Group (TWG), in its report at the time, concluded that ABS-CBN was undeserving of a legislative franchise, describing it as a “privilege granted by the State” and not a matter of press freedom.
ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5, 2020, following a cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) due to the absence of a franchise.
Future Prospects
Salceda’s bill signals a renewed push to address unresolved debates surrounding the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise and its implications for media competition in the Philippines. The proposal awaits deliberation in the House.