MANILA – Several senators were looking to push for a one-year provisional franchise for the media giant ABS-CBN Corp. as they deemed the six-month being proposed by the House of Representatives as “too short.”
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the timeframe set by the House in its measure was not enough for the legislature to finalize the broadcast giant’s bid for a fresh 25-year mandate.
The Congress may not have enough time to tackle ABS-CBN’s franchise between the resumption of session in July and the break in October, he added.
“After the long sine die break [in June], the situation on COVID-19 may still not be resolved at that time and we are entering the typhoon season na baka linggo-linggo tayo tamaan… so our attention will be divided at that time,” according to Zubiri.
The House of Representatives is expected to approve on third and final reading next week House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s bill granting provisional license for ABS-CBN until Oct. 31.
“We are appealing hopefully for our colleagues for more time baka kasi lalabas na naman ang NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) ng Oct. 30, may cease and desist order at back to zero na naman ang sitwasyon. Tensyonado na naman ang lahat,” Zubiri said.
“Mas maganda siguro bigyan natin ng sapat na panahon and give them a longer provisional franchise,” the senator stressed.
The network has been off the air since May 5, a day after the lapse of its franchise, on orders of the National Telecommunications Commission. Bills for the renewal of its franchise have been pending at the House since 2014. /PN
