Lapid pushes for grant of provisional franchise to radio stations with pending bills in Congress

Senator Lito Lapid on Monday filed a bill seeking to allow radio stations in the Philippines to continue operations even with expired franchises if their renewal applications are still pending in Congress.

Senate Bill No. 1522 seeks to amend Section 1 of Republic Act No. 3846, which provides for the regulation of radio stations and radio communications in the country.

"A legislative franchise for a radio station of any person, firm, company, association or corporation shall be deemed provisionally renewed upon the valid filing in Congress of a bill seeking for its renewal," the proposed amendment read.

The filing of an application for renewal must be made before the actual expiration of the franchise, Lapid underscored.

The validity of the provisional renewal shall be "until the next adjournment of Congress," according to the bill.

Lapid filed the proposed measure almost a week after ABS-CBN went off-air on Tuesday evening in compliance with the cease and desist order released by the National Telecommunications Commission following the expiration of its 25-year franchise on May 4.

The NTC previously said it will heed the advice of the Department of Justice and both houses of Congress to allow the company to continue broadcasting through a provisional authority while its franchise renewal bills are deliberated on by legislators.

However, the agency issued a closure order after the Office of the Solicitor General, its legal counsel, warned that NTC executives could face graft charges should they allow ABS-CBN and its affiliate to continue operations through provisional authorities.

The NTC denied that Solicitor General Jose Calida's warning affected its decision.

Calida also defended the NTC and said it merely followed the law.

Last week, ABS-CBN asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the said directive of the NTC. -- BAP, GMA News