Council files opposition to digital TV application

THE CITY Council approved a resolution filing the city’s opposition to the application of Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation for the issuance of a certificate of public convenience to install, operate and maintain digital terrestrial television broadcast station in the city and the issuance of a provisional authority pending final determination of the merits of the application.

The local legislative body decided to file the required resolution of protest after the applicant repeatedly failed to appear during its regular sessions over the past several weeks to substantiate its application and explain the benefits of having the terrestrial television broadcast station.

Earlier, NTC-CAR officials appeared before the regular session of the council but they were not able to update the local legislators on the status of the pending application of Baycomms and decided to reset its supposed inquiry on the matter and invite company officials to explain the merits of their applications to local officials for them to understand the matter.

Among those invited in last Monday’s regular session of the local legislative body but failed to appear include Elmer V. Catulpos, president of Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation and Atty. Bobby John B. Gaytos, legal counsel of the same company.

The local legislative body pointed out the repeated failure of the company officials to appear during one of its regular sessions after a series of invitation illustrates their lack of interest in pursuing the project which deserves the strong opposition to be rendered by the local government considering that they do not want to update local officials on the merits and status of their application filed with the NTC central office.

NTC-CAR officials also informed local legislators in previous meetings that the local government has the right to file their opposition to the applications of various telecommunications companies applying for the issuance of certificates of public convenience so that local officials could impose additional conditions for the put up of stations to make sure that the environment and the health and safety of the people could be guaranteed by the applicants intending to operate telecommunication stations in their areas of jurisdiction.

Under the terrestrial television broadcast set up, the applicant could split one channel into six sub-channels wherein two of the channels could be designated for pay per view, one channel for disaster response while it could apportion the three remaining channels for whatever purposes they want to operate the same.

The council wants to inquire from the proponent on the proposed site for its facilities, the presentation of the detailed plans for the broadcast station, among other issues and concerns that will be raised during the supposed deliberation of the application.

The local legislative body was furnished by the NTC central office with a copy of its notice of hearing that was earlier scheduled purposely to deliberate on the application of Baycomms for the operation of the terrestrial television broadcast station in the city for its appropriate action and information. Dexter See/Baguio City PIO