MANILA – The House of Representatives will hold its first hearing on bills seeking a new franchise for broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Wednesday the House committee on legislative franchise
decided to take up pending bills on the renewal of franchise of the television network on March 10.
According to Cayetano, this is to make it clear to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that they are acting on ABS-CBN’s franchise and that it should grant it provisional authority to operate pending the franchise renewal’s approval.
Cayetano also noted that the hearing aims to set ground rules so the proceedings do not end up a “bull session” or a “sipsipan forum.”
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate suggested that hearings on the network’s franchise renewal should go on even during the congressional break.
“Para matapos na ito, kung hindi mahabol during our regular schedule na matatapos na by March 11, ang last session, then if possible na magkaroon ng hearing during the break,” Zarate said.
“Para by May 4, if we can have a decision to renew or not to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, then it’s better for all the parties,” he added.
Congress is set to go on break beginning March 13. ABS-CBN’s legislative existing franchise will expire on May 4, the same day Congress returns from its seven-week break./PN
