Resolution expressing “sense of the Senate” for NTC provisional authority is while Congress deliberates bills seeking ABS-CBN franchise renewal
(Eagle News) – The Senate approved on Wednesday, March 4, a resolution expressing its view that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate as Congress tackles various bills seeking to renew its expiring franchise.
Senate Resolution No. 6 approved in plenary session expresses the “sense of the Senate” on the issue, and is not meant to direct the NTC to grant such provisional authority, the senators said.
Senator Drilon said that this is not a resolution asking the NTC to issue the provisional authority.
“We are just expressing the sense of the Senate that the NTC should issue a provisional authority,” he said.
After discussions on the wordings of the resolution, as well as if this should be a concurrent or a simple resolution, senators decided that it should just be a simple resolution.
The senators also resolved that the NTC provisional authority should also cover ABS-CBN’s various subsidiaries.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III then approved the resolution.
Earlier, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said that the House of Representatives would start hearing the various bills seeking the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise on March 10.
The media giant’s franchise is set to expire on May 4 this year.
