ALBAY 2nd District Representative and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Joey Salceda has filed House Bill No. 11252, seeking to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN for another 25 years.
In a statement, Salceda emphasized the importance of competition in the dissemination of information, warning against a “virtual monopoly” in the media landscape.
“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,” Salceda said.
Salceda highlighted ABS-CBN’s continued role as a critical news source in his province, even after its franchise was denied in 2020. “I owe it to Albay. ABS-CBN remains the single most important news source in Albay, despite its lack of a franchise,” he added.
The lawmaker also noted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) have cleared ABS-CBN of the allegations previously raised against the network.
Salceda, who co-authored the network’s previous franchise bill in Congress, said he had warned that its rejection could have adverse effects on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic due to reduced access to reliable information.
“I saw adding my name to the list of principal authors this time as a way to add my voice to what is clearly the right thing to do,” Salceda said.
The filing of the bill is expected to reignite debates over the ABS-CBN franchise, a contentious issue that has drawn significant public attention and political scrutiny.
About the Author
