MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte recently granted the 25-year franchise extension of four media companies, including one owned by El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde.
Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11303, extending the franchise of Velarde’s Delta Broadcasting System, Inc., which operates DWXI 1314 kHz AM and DBS TV Channel 35.
Duterte also signed RA 11301, extending the franchise of Ultrasonic Broadcasting System, Inc., a Pasig City-based radio network owned by the SYSU Group Of Companies.
The President also approved the franchise extension of Filipinas Broadcasting Network, Inc. and Peñafrancia Broadcasting Corporation.
Meanwhile, remained hanging was the franchise of ABS-CBN Channel 2, which was berated several times by Duterte for its anti-administration reports, threatening to reject its franchise renewal.
The House of Representatives failed to pass House Bill No. 4349, which seeks to renew the radio-television network’s franchise for another 25 years.
ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire in 2020.
The bill was refiled by Nueva Ecija 2nd District representative Micaela Violago in November 2018 but the lawmakers failed to act on it.
It needs to be refiled when the 18th Congress opens on July 22./PN
