The House Committee on Legislative Franchises will begin deliberating on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal on March 10.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano announced it yesterday after the House of Congress received criticisms and public calls to renew the franchise of Kapamilya network.
“The House of Representatives will start taking up the bills seeking to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN on March 10,” said Cayetano.
It is learned that 11 bills are pending in the said committee for the ABS-CBN franchise renewal for the next 25 years.
Meanwhile, Palawan Representative Franz Alvarez, head of the committee, said the hearing that they are about to conduct is not yet formal.
He said they would only set out the rules that would form the basis of the hearings.
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Congress to deliberate ABS-CBN franchise renewal on March 10
It is possible to hold a formal hearing in May on the resumption of the Congress session following their Lenten break.
The giant TV network was first given its 25-year legislative franchise in 1995, which is about to expire this may.
Meanwhile, GMA Network, ABS-CBN’s main rival, issued a statement clarifying their franchise was renewed even days before its expiration.
Formerly known as Republic Broadcasting System, Inc., GMA Network obtained its original 25-year franchise through Republic Act No. 7252 or “An Act Granting the Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. a Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Philippines.”
On April 21, 2017 – 22 days before the expiry of the original franchise – President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 10925 or “An Act Renewing For Another Twenty-Five (25) Years The Franchise Granted To Republic Broadcasting System, Inc., Presently Known As GMA Network, Inc., Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 7252, Entitled An Act Granting The Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. a Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Philippines.”