(Eagle News) – Senate Minority leader Franklin Drilon has filed a resolution seeking to extend the legislative franchise of media giant ABS-CBN until end of year 2022.
Drilon, in the Senate Joint Resolution No. 11, said there was a need for more time to review the application for the renewal by ABS-CBN of its franchise which ends on March 30 this year.
He said the lives of some 11,000 workers would be affected in case ABS-CBN shuts down.
“On March 30, you have 11,000 families who would have no livelihood; therefore, as a temporary measure, I have filed this resolution, joint resolution, that would allow ABS-CBN to operate at least for the next three years, or up to end of 2022, in order to have time to deliberate on the franchise of ABS-CBN,” Drilon said.
“Because if you don’t do this, in six weeks’ time the continued existence of ABS-CBN is open to question,” he said.
Senator Grace Poe had earlier confirmed that the Senate will start hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise extension, even if the House of Representatives had failed to schedule the hearings for it on their end.
Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on public services, said that they at the Senate would do their responsibility on hearing the request for the ABS-CBN franchise renewal.
But she admitted that even if the Senate conducts its own hearings, nothing would happen if the Lower House would not hold hearings.
“Wala pa ring mangyayari. Yun ang totoo doon. Yun ang mapait na katotohanan. Pero ito naman ang mga nangyayari sa pagdinig. Unang una nabubusisi natin ang kwalipikasyon ng isang nag-aapply ng prangkisa,” Poe explained.
The lady senator said that at least with the conduct of the hearings, the public would know the concerns on the ABS-CBN franchise.
“Eh di malaman ng ating mga kababayan dahil bukas ang pagdinig sa Kongreso, sa Senado. So kung hindi man mapasa yan sa mababang kapulungan, at least dito sa Senado, naisiwalat namin ang aming pag-unawa dito sa issue na ito at maintindihan rin ng ating mga kababayan,” she said.
“Ang pakay dito ay ito. Higit sa prangkisa ng ABS-CBN, ang ating ipinaglalaban dito ay ang otoridad at mandato ng lehislatura, ng legislative branch. We should be able to exercise that authority and that mandate. Kasi bakit pa tayo hinalal ng ating mga kababayan, kung hindi naman natin gagawin ang ating mga responsibilidad,” she added.
