ABS-CBN FRANCHISE ISSUE | Lawmaker proposes to grant franchise only for entertainment shows to save jobs

June 29, 2020 , 11:00 AM

By Patrick Paez

(June 29, 2020) – A Party-list lawmaker has put forward a win-win solution to allow the country’s largest broadcast network to go back on air and save thousands of jobs while Congress is still deliberating on its 25-year franchise approval.

Congressman Mike Defensor has suggested a compromise deal with ABS-CBN to allow its entertainment shows, including game shows, variety and tele-nobelas, like the popular long-running hit “Ang Probinsiyano” to broadcast but not its news and public affairs shows, which criticize some legislators.

“Personal ko to, I cannot speak for everyone: Kung tanggalin muna news and current affairs just because baka ma-influence ang committee,” Defensor said in the program Wag Po of One PH.

“Not because we want to curtail press freedom. Pabayaan muna shows na non-political. Katulad ngayon, nagrereklamo isang kasama ko – o, naka-air na naman sila; tinira tayo…”

(This is my personal opinion. I cannot speak for everyone: Take out for now news and current affairs programs because they might influence the committee —not because we want to curtail press freedom. Allow shows that are non-political. Like now, a colleague has been complaining — they’re on air and they’re hitting us!”)

Several ABS-CBN programs, including the top-rating “TV Patrol” news, continue to go on air in their cable channels, and through internet streaming.

Defensor, who is also the chairman of the House committee on public trust, said allowing ABS-CBN’s entertainment shows to go back on air would prevent the job losses that the broadcast company has warned of if a franchise is not approved by August.

Carlo Katigbak, the network’s head, said ABS-CBN has been losing 35 million pesos every day in lost revenues and operating costs since the shutdown on May 4. It may start cutting jobs if the network is not back on air by August.

Going back on free TV will allow ABS-CBN to bring back some of their advertisers.

The House of Representatives resumes its hearing on Monday on ABS-CBN franchise, tackling labor issues in the network.

Asked if there’s a timetable on when to conclude the hearing, Defensor, party-list representative for Anak Kalusugan, said they still have the following issues to look into: “unpaid” taxes, “condoned” loans with the Development Bank of the Philippines, labor practices, the Kapamilya Box Office channel, payments and rentals for equipment seized from Marcos crony Roberto Benedicto, and political intervention.

Defensor said ABS-CBN could have easily had its franchise renewed during the time of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, whose family is close to the Lopezes, owners of ABS-CBN, and at a time when Kris Aquino, the president’s sister, was still with the Kapamilya network.

They had one hearing in 2014, but the second hearing was cancelled for no apparent reason, Defensor said. “Bigla na lang daw kinansel. Supposedly may schedule sa agenda. Hindi na lang tinuloy.”

(Hearing was suddenly cancelled. Supposedly there was a schedule in the agenda. But it, second hearing, did not happen.)

Defensor said it may have something to do with the return of Noli de Castro to the network as news anchor.

He said he was privy to one occasion, during a small dinner, when President Aquino abruptly left the table where he and de Castro were sitting. De Castro was vice president of President Arroyo.

During a crisis in 2005, Aquino’s allies in the Liberal Party had reportedly asked de Castro to defect to their side but he stuck with Arroyo until his term ended in 2010. He never ran for a re-election and went back to the broadcast network until now.

Reacting to Defensor’s proposal, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said it was clear politicians allied with the president wanted to suppress press freedom.

It said the real purpose of shutting down ABS-CBN was to show to the other news organizations that the government will not allow the media to exercise its watchdog role in society

“The target is not just ABS-CBN but media,” NUJP said in a statement on Sunday.

“It becomes increasingly clear that putting the squeeze on ABS-CBN is aimed at emasculating the media by holding up the network as an example of the fate that could await other outfits that insist on being true to their watchdog role and maintaining their independence.”

The NUJP called on leaders of the Philippine media to “resist these efforts to force media into subservience”.

“We call on our colleagues in the community of independent Filipino journalists to close ranks and defend the freedoms and rights that allow us to fulfill our mandate of serving the people’s right to know,” it said.

“We call on the Filipino people to stand with the critical and independent Filipino media in defense not only of our collective rights and freedoms but of democracy itself.”

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