SC FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• For the relevant Committees of the House, with the participation of appropriate
government agencies, to inquire, in aid of legislation and policy determination, on
the various digital platform offerings of broadcast entities in order to protect public
interest and ensure compliance with legislative franchises, or recommend
amendments thereto to take into account technological advancements in digital
broadcast technology;
• For the relevant Committees of the House, with the participation of appropriate
government agencies to inquire, in aid of legislation and policy determination, to
inquire on the current system of giving tax and fiscal incentives to prevent abusive
tax avoidance measures which deprive the government of rightful taxation income,
and ensure that only bona fide target industries and entitles are able to avail of said
incentives; and
• For the relevant Committees of the House, with the participation of appropriate
government agencies, to inquire, in aid of legislation and policy determination, on
how exactly ABS-CBN was able to recover its properties from the government
without recourse to the mandated procedures and in light of recent questions
relating to its property in Mother Ignacia, Quezon City.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
In resolving the franchise application of ABS-CBN, this Committee assures the House of
Representatives that this matter is in no way related to the freedom of the press. It is what it
is — a denial of a privilege granted by the State because the applicant was seen as undeserving
of the grant of a legislative franchise.
By no means can this franchise application be related to press freedom. If it were so, then all
applicants for legislative franchises covering mass media could simply claim such freedom and
force the hand of this Committee each time. Such a scenario is totally inconsistent with the
nature of legislative franchises as a mere privilege and never a matter of right.
WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the technical working group respectfully
recommends the DENIAL of the franchise application of ABS CBN Corporation.
The technical working group recommends the adoption of the attached committee
resolution entitled, “RESOLUTION DENYING THE FRANCHISE
APPLICATION OF ABS CBN CORPORATION TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL,
ESTABLISH, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND TELEVISION
BROADCASTING STATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES.”
Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia
3 rd District, Cebu City
Rep. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo
Lone District, Camiguin
Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo
2 nd District, Marikina City
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