ABS-CBN Granted Provisional License to Resume Broadcasts

The Filipino House of Representatives has approved giving ABS-CBN a provisional franchise to operate through October 2020.

Earlier this month, the Filipino broadcaster was ordered to cease its free-to-air television and radio broadcasts by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) after its 25-year franchise was not renewed.

A bill approved today by the House of Representatives grants ABS-CBN a provisional franchise that lasts through October. “The untimely shutdown of ABS-CBN affects the efforts of the government in fighting the pandemic by depriving tens of millions of Filipinos access to potentially life-saving information,” House Bill 6732 states. “It creates a gap in our most important defense against the virus—our ability to tell the population to stay home and save lives.

“Providing ABS-CBN with a provisional franchise valid until October 31, 2020, will give both the House of Representatives and the Senate [the opportunity] to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years. We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug.”

“We thank the leaders of the House of Representatives and the sponsors of the bill led by Speaker Alan Cayetano and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez for recognizing the role we play in providing for the needs of the people in terms of access to news, information, entertainment, and public service at this crucial time,” ABS-CBN said in a statement. “We look forward to participating in the process of our franchise renewal and stand ready to respond to the issues that have been raised against the network, its owners, management and employees. We remain open to opinions and constructive suggestions on how to improve the organization and better serve the Filipino people.”