MANILA, Philippines — Nearly five years after ABS-CBN was denied a franchise, a fifth House bill was filed on Tuesday, January 7, seeking to grant the broadcasting giant a 25-year franchise to construct, install, operate and maintain stations across the country.
Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay, 2nd District), chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means, filed House Bill 11252 despite the limited session days remaining before the 19th Congress adjourns in June.
Rep. Joey Salceda, chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means, filed House Bill 11252 seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corp. a franchise “to construct, install, operate, and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations” in the country.
He urged Congress to reconsider… pic.twitter.com/6RBpH3BGDu
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) January 7, 2025
In the bill’s explanatory note, Salceda said ABS-CBN has already been cleared by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of any ownership violations and pending tax liabilities.
He said that ABS-CBN “remains the single most important news source in Albay” despite lacking a franchise, continuing to air its programs online and through block-time agreements with other television networks.
Salceda also cited how over 11,000 ABS-CBN employees lost their jobs after the shutdown, which occurred at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the network served as a vital source of information for the public.
What went before. Prior to the closure in May 2020, former President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to shut down ABS-CBN for alleged “biased coverage.”
After its 25-year franchise lapsed on May 5, 2020, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order.
RELATED: ABS-CBN’s last moments before going off the air for now
Two months later, in July 2020, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, during the 18th Congress under the Duterte administration, voted 70-11 against renewing ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Here is the list of lawmakers who voted for and against the renewal, with those opposing echoing sentiments similar to Duterte’s.
The move faced criticism from civil society groups, media practitioners and labor groups, who raised concerns about the potential threat to press freedom and democracy, particularly during a time when reliable information was crucial.
What the bill requires
According to the bill, if enacted into law, the president will have the power to “temporarily take over” and “operate” ABS-CBN’s stations during times of war, rebellion, calamities and other emergencies.
It also grants the president the right to “temporarily suspend the operation of any station or facility” should there be concerns about public safety, security and public welfare.
The bill also mandates ABS-CBN to practice self-regulation and sell at least 30% of its shares to Filipinos through the Philippine stock market within five years of receiving the franchise.
If a public offering is not feasible, the bill allows for the creation of cooperatives or other methods to encourage public participation. Failure to meet this requirement would result in the revocation of the franchise.
The other four House bills similarly seeking to grant the broadcasting giant a franchise were filed in 2022 by Rep. Gabriel Bordado (Camarines Sur, 3rd District), Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro, 2nd District), Makabayan lawmakers, and Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur, 2nd District).
The bills have been pending with the Committee on Legislative Franchises for the past two years already.
The 19th Congress will resume on January 13, then temporarily adjourn from February 8 to June 1 for the 2025 midterm elections, before reconvening on June 2.
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