Good things are about to come this 2021 for ABS-CBN.
Recently, Senate President Tito Sotto filed a bill seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
It can be recalled that 70 lawmakers opposed the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. However, with the Bill filed by Sotto, there is a great chance that the Network will have a fresh franchise to operate, again.
Senate Bill No. 1967, which was authored by Sotto, aims to renew the franchise granting ABS-CBN to construct, install, operate, and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines for another 25 years.
“New Speaker, new officers. [There] could be a better chance,” Sotto said in a message.
In filing the Bill, Senator Sotto wrote: “News, current events, and programs can be shown and aired in real-time that makes the viewers feel more updated and in-the-know, regardless of their location – and actions can be made quickly when important news is broadcasted.”
LOOK: Senate President Tito Sotto files new bill seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise pic.twitter.com/Ay8xeilWlk
— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) January 4, 2021
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senator Joel Villanueva backed up the move of Sotto.
With this Bill, it is dependent on the House.
According to the Senate Committee on Public Services chairperson Grace Poe, the bill will be given “utmost priority” as soon as it is referred to her panel.
“However, since the Constitution requires that bills of such nature originate from the House, it will most likely be referred to Rules (committee) until the House grants the franchise,” she added.
It was also stressed by Senator Sonny Angara who despite supports the Bill, the Senate must adhere to the origination clause of the Constitution:
“It’s all dependent on what the House will do.”
Moreover, the Constitution stated that all private bills shall originate exclusively in the House of Representatives. This was stated in Article VI Sec. 24 of the 1987 Constitution:
“All appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and private bills shall originate exclusively in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments.”
This means that private bills such as ABS-CBN’s franchise shall be dealt with by the House of Representatives.
The Network stopped broadcasting on May 5, 2020, after its 25-year franchise license expired. On July 10 of the same year, the Network lost its franchise after a 70-11 vote from lawmakers, which resulted in the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denying the ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.
As a result, the media giant was unable to air their programs via free TV. Consecutively, the denial of the franchise resulted in the loss of jobs of 11,000 employees. Adding to that, a massive talent of ABS-CBN decided to transfer to other networks just to keep themselves afloat due to the pandemic.
The network also lost P3.93 billion because of the pandemic and its closure.
With the loss of their franchise, ABS-CBN decided to enter into a partnership with ZOE Broadcasting Network to still give their employees a fighting chance against the ongoing pandemic. They also ventured into the digital platform that gave them the chance to keep the company running. Slowly regaining their footing, the company released several new shows and movies.
Lito Atienza hints at ABS-CBN’s comeback.
Just last year, Congressman Lito Atienza claimed that ABS-CBN will return to free TV. This claim was backed up by the fact that the change in leadership in Congress will make it possible. According to Atienza, the ruling of Congressman Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker of the House that there’s a great chance that it will be revived. Velasco replaced Allan Peter Cayetano as Speaker and with that, the latter has no authority regarding the matter.
“Hindi hula yun, that’s a reality mangyayari ‘yun nang tanungin ko rin tungkol dito. I am really confident, justice will prevail by next year,” he said.
No violations
With the accusations regarding tax evasion, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stated that the network did not commit any infractions. According to the representatives of BIR, ABS-CBN has paid P14.398 billion from 2016 to 2019. Moreover, ABS-CBN president Carlo Katigbak said that the company paid P8.859 billion in taxes withheld from its employees from 2009 to 2018.
Last 2019, the network has settled P152.44 million in taxes to the BIR for assessed deficiencies in its income tax, value-added tax, and documentary stamp tax payments.
SEC Commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong also said that he is not aware of any violation or ongoing complaint against ABS-CBN before the corporate regulator.
With the Bill that Senator Tito Sotto wrote, there is a big chance that ABS-CBN will finally return on air.
