MBC: Give ABS-CBN new franchise

THE Makati Business Club (MBC) on Sunday reiterated its call to lawmakers for granting ABS-CBN Corp. a new franchise.

“Aside from protecting press freedom, keeping ABS-CBN on the air will preserve one of the public’s biggest sources of news and information, especially important in the whole-of-nation fight against

Covid- 19 ( coronavirus disease 2019), as well as a major platform for businesses to advertise their goods and services, which would help revive the economy, preserve jobs in those businesses and increase the taxes the government needs for public services,” the business group said in a statement.

“Finally, equal treatment of all companies — especially by regulators, prosecutors and lawmakers — will signal that rule of law prevailed, encouraging foreign and local investors at a time when we most need their help to create new jobs,” it added.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises is conducting hearings on several bills that seek to grant the network a franchise.

The National Telecommunications

Commission (NTC) last month ordered ABS-CBN to shut down its operations after its franchise lapsed.

The MBC earlier expressed concern on the NTC’s move against the broadcast network.

“MBC expresses its concern that the shutdown of ABS-CBN Corp.’s broadcast operations will be a blow to press freedom, which is a pillar of democratic societies such as ours,” it said.

“It is also a setback at a time when the country needs to be united against the pandemic. Now, more than ever, everyone should be working together on the singular goal of helping each other through this crisis,” the group added.