THE House of Representatives, convening as a committee of the whole on Wednesday, May 13, approved via voice vote a bill granting ABS-CBN a provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020.
House Bill 6732, which was filed by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, was approved a week after the television network was forced to shut down broadcast operations in compliance with a cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
In his sponsorship speech, Cayetano said the measure would allow ABS-CBN to operate while the House deliberates on bills seeking to renew the network’s franchise for another 25 years.
A total of 12 similar bills seeking to grant ABS-CBN another franchise are pending before the House committee on legislative franchises.
House Deputy Speaker Dan Fernandez, for his part, also called for the House to hold NTC in contempt for issuing the closure order despite an assurance given in March that it will allow ABS-CBN to continue operations while Congress deliberates on the bills seeking to renew its franchise.
The NTC issued the closure order against ABS-CBN shortly after the latter’s 25-year franchise expired on May 4, 2020. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)