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House panel asks NTC to grant ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate past franchise expiration

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE)</strong>- A House panel tasked with hearing bills to grant ABS-CBN Corp a new 25-year franchise asked Wednesday the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue the media giant a &quot;provisional&quot; permit to operate past its franchise expiration on May 4.</p><p>In a letter signed by House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Franz Alvarez, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba was enjoined &quot;to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a provisional authority to operate effective May 4, 2020 until such time that the House of Representatives/Congress has made a decision on its application&quot; for its franchise renewal.</p><p>Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano also signed the letter, which was received on the same day.</p><p>The same provisional authority is sought as well for ABS-CBN&#x27;s subsidiaries and affiliates -- namely ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., Sky Cable Corporation and Amcara Broadcasting Network, Inc., -- whose franchise applications are also pending.</p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/02/26/1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/02/26/2.jpg"/></div></div></div><p>&quot;Please include in their respective provisional authorities terms and conditions you deem appropriate to protect public interest consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations,&quot; the letter said.</p><p>Alvarez told the government regulatory agency that the House panel &quot;has started deliberating&quot; on ABS-CBN&#x27;s application for its franchise renewal.</p><p>&quot;The Committee has instructed all interested parties to submit their position papers for or against ABS-CBN&#x27;s application within a period of sixty (60) days from February 24, 2020,&quot; he said.</p><p>Measures seeking to extend ABS-CBN&#x27;s current franchise were also advanced by legislators, including Cebu Rep. Raul del and Mar, Sen. Franklin Drilon.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/26/20/joint-reso-will-compel-ntc-to-give-abs-cbn-provisional-permit-to-operate-solon">Joint reso will &#x27;compel&#x27; NTC to give ABS-CBN provisional permit to operate: solon</a></li></ul><p>The country&#x27;s biggest media network has been facing threats and attempts of a shutdown from no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>ABS-CBN executives asserted the company has complied with the law.</p><p>At least 11 bills seeking to renew its franchise have languished in the House since July 2019. Cayetano had said that the bills are important but not urgent.</p><p>Sen. Joel Villanueva welcomed the move of the House panel to enjoin NTC in granting a provisional franchise to ABS-CBN.</p><p>&quot;While we welcome the move of the House which seeks a provisional franchise for ABS-CBN, the process to renew their franchise should continue,&quot; he said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.</p><p>Meanwhile, Senate President Tito Sotto III said the high chamber &quot;could support&quot; the move, but the statement of former Chief Justice Reynato Puno that the network could not operate past the expiry of its current franchise complicates things.</p><p>&quot;The SC (Supreme Court) 2003 decision as manifested by Chief Justice Puno is a game-changer. We need to further study and review the implications,&quot; Sotto said in a text message.</p><p>In an interview with CNN Philippines, Puno cited the high court&#x27;s decision in 2003 on the need for an existing franchise before a corporation can operate.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/26/20/poe-concurrent-resolution-for-ntc-action-cure-to-extend-abs-cbn-franchise">Poe: Concurrent resolution for NTC action &#x27;cure&#x27; to extend ABS-CBN franchise</a></li></ul><div><em>news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.</em></div><div><strong>--With a report from Isay Reyes, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>A House panel tasked with hearing bills to grant ABS-CBN Corp a new 25-year franchise asked Wednesday the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue the media giant a "provisional" permit to operate past its franchise expiration on May 4.</p>

A House panel tasked with hearing bills to grant ABS-CBN Corp a new 25-year franchise asked Wednesday the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue the media giant a "provisional" permit to operate past its franchise expiration on May 4.