Pormal na inihain ni Albay Representative Joey Salceda ang panukala na maggagawad ng panibagong 25 year franchise para sa ABS-CBN Corporation o dating ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation na mag-construct, install, operate at maintain ng TV at radio broadcasting system.
Sa kaniyang House Bill 11252, ipinunto ni Salceda na sa naging pagsisiyasat ng Kamara noong 2019, mismong ang Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ang nagsabi na walang naging paglabag ang ABS-CBN sa kanilang prangkisa, partikular sa ownership restriction at wala ring utang na buwis.
“The SEC and BIR have cleared ABS-CBN of the allegations against them. I was a former co-author of their franchise in the past Congress. You will remember that I even warned against the franchise rejection on grounds that it will add to COVID-19 infections due to lack of information,” sabi ni Salceda.
Bukod dito, umabot sa 11,000 na direct jobs ang nawala sa non-renewal ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.
Nakaapekto rin aniya ang pagpapasara sa naturang media network sa pinagkukunan ng impormasyon ng taumbayan, lalo na noong kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemic.
Makabubuti din aniya ito dahil magkakaroon muli ng kumpitensya ng media networks.
“I believe that the free market of ideas requires competition. A virtual monopoly will not do, as far as disseminating ideas and keeping the public informed is concerned. I also owe it to Albay. ABS-CBN remains the single most important news source in Albay, despite its lack of a franchise,” dagdag pa niya.
Kaya naman apela ni Salceda, na sa pamamagitan ng panukalang ito ay marekonsidera ang desisyon ng nakaraang Kongreso na hindi i-renew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN. | ulat ni Kathleen Forbes
