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House body to take up ABS-CBN franchise on March 10: Cayetano

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/02/13/20200213-abscbn-broadcasting-center-gcs-061306.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA<strong> (4th UPDATE) </strong>- Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday the House of Representatives will start on March 10 its hearings on bills seeking a new franchise for ABS-CBN Corp.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;d just like to announce that chairman [Franz] Chicoy [Alvarez] as chairman of the Committee on Legislative Franchises released a notice today that on March 10, 2020 in the Belmonte Hall, South Wing Annex, we will be taking up the 11 bills concerning the ABS-CBN Corp. renewal of franchise,&quot; he said in a press briefing.</p><p>The Lopez-owned network&#x27;s current license to operate will expire on May 4. Congress has sessions until March 11 before lawmakers go on a break until May 3.</p><p>ABS-CBN executives, Cayetano said, are not invited to the hearing next week.</p><p>&quot;Hindi pa... We&#x27;re gonna focus on the NTC [National Telecommunications Commission] to make sure that hindi mag-off the air &#x27;yong ABS-CBN,&quot; he said.</p><p>(Not yet... We&#x27;re gonna focus on the NTC to make sure that ABS-CBN won&#x27;t go off the air.)</p><p>&quot;Basically, ang aming instructions sa kanila, we’re enjoining them to issue a provisional authority while the ABS-CBN franchise is pending. Ayaw kasi namin na magbigay ng one year, three years extension, baka maging precedent, eh pa’no kung may mag-move at pasa? Imbes na 25 years, five years na lang ibigay sa ABS? Eh ‘di on the fifth year, before the next administration, before matapos ang 2022 to 2028, may problema na naman, ‘di ba?&quot; Cayetano added.</p><p>(Basically, our instructions are, we’re enjoining them to issue a provisional authority while the ABS-CBN franchise is pending. We don&#x27;t want to give one year, three years extension, it might be a precedent, what if someone moves for its passage? Instead of 25 years, they just give ABS 5 years? Then on the fifth year, before the next administration, before 2022 to 2028 ends, then will have another problem.)</p><p>In the first hearing, the House panel will ask parties to submit position papers on ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise bid and urge the NTC to grant the network a provisional permit to operate, Cayetano said.</p><p>The meeting will also establish ground rules to avoid the franchise hearings from becoming a &quot;circus&quot; or &quot;bull session.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We want to define the issues,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;So, meaning, for example, lahat ng labor issues, isang usapan, then sasagutin na ‘to ng ABS-CBN. Lahat ng questions sa political coverage, sasama-sama ni Chairman, then isang sagutan para hindi tayo parang circus. Lahat ng mga press freedom advocates natin na gusto magsalita, isama-sama nila, tapos ilagay natin, tapos sinong sasagot sa kanila,&quot; Cayetano added.</p><p>(So, for example, all labor issues will be discussed then ABS-CBN will answer. All issues on political coverage will be combined by the chairman, then they will answer all at once so we won&#x27;t end up like a circus. All press freedom advocates who want to speak up, we will gather them together, and then someone will answer them.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dWclzjenr5A?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Cayetano, who has been criticized by some of his colleagues for not acting on the ABS-CBN franchise bills, said the measures were not urgent.</p><p>&quot;Let me assure ABS-CBN, we know our priorities, you&#x27;re part of our priorities. Pero &#x27;yong priority na important at urgent ay kailangan unahin,&quot; he said, adding the House panel will give the network a &quot;fair and objective&quot; hearing.</p><p>Meanwhile, Rep. Edcel Lagman welcomed Cayetano&#x27;s decision to start hearing the bills on ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise.</p><p>&quot;This will advance the belated timetable previously announced by Speaker Cayetano which would unduly delay the consideration and approval of the imperiled franchise,&quot; he said in a statement.</p><p>He also expressed hope the hearings on ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise will not be extended past the 2022 elections.</p><p>&quot;I hope that the hearings on the franchise of ABS-CBN will not be extended past the 2022 presidential and general elections as previously intimated by Cayetano,&quot; Lagman said.</p><p>Last Feb. 24, ABS-CBN officials testified before a Senate Public Services Committee hearing on issues surrounding the company&#x27;s compliance with its franchise.</p><p>ABS-CBN CEO Carlo L. Katigbak apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte if the latter was aggrieved by the networks airing of a negative political advertisement paid by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, and for a delayed return of money for unused local pol ads.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/24/20/abs-cbn-boss-apologizes-denies-network-pushes-own-political-agenda">ABS-CBN boss apologizes, denies network pushes &#x27;own political agenda&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>The country&#x27;s leading news and entertainment company is also facing a challenge before the Supreme Court after Solicitor General Jose Calida sought to nullify ABS-CBN&#x27;s current franchise due to its supposed violations, such as the constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership in mass media.</p><p>ABS-CBN Corp., which employs over 5,000 workers, operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM.</p><p>The whole ABS-CBN Group, including subsidiaries (e.g. news.abs-cbn.com, Skycable, The Filipino Channel, iWanttv, Kidzania, etc.) has over 11,000 employees.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SbXhvJu1zQU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><em>News.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.</em></div><div><strong>- with a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>(4th UPDATE) Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday the House of Representatives will start on March 10 its hearings on bills seeking a new franchise for ABS-CBN Corp.</p>

(4th UPDATE) Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday the House of Representatives will start on March 10 its hearings on bills seeking a new franchise for ABS-CBN Corp.