- Manny Pangilinan open to blocktime deal with ABS-CBN.
- TV5 could be ABS-CBN’s landing spot if franchise is not renewed.
PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said TV5 is open to the possibility of a blocktime agreement with rival ABS-CBN who is facing franchise renewal woes. TV5 is owned by MediaQuest Inc. the multimedia arm of PLDT.
In a statement, MVP said TV5 is open to a blocktime deal with the Kapamilya network should they fail to secure a franchise renewal before March 2020.
“We have lots of highways on 5. Setting aside the politics, if they want to blocktime we are prepared to talk. We don’t have much entertainment content. It’s up to them,” said Pangilinan.
But while they are ready and open to be ABS-CBN’s landing spot, Pangilinan said they are also wary of the possibility because of the political climate.
“Of course politically, the President might say something so we are also reluctant,” he added.
Pangilinan meanwhile clarified that there are ongoing negotiations or talks yet between TV5 and ABS-CBN.
ABS-CBN’s franchise is due to expire in March 2020.
Just recently, President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his threat against the media giant.
In a speech in North Cotabato, Duterte reiterated his previous pronouncement regarding the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. Aside from his usual populist threat, Duterte gave unsolicited advice to the network’s owners to sell the company instead of fighting for is renewal.
“Itong ABS, mag-expire ang contract ninyo. Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan. Kung ako sa inyo ipagbili niyo na ‘yan,” Duterte said.
Meanwhile, asked if they are ready to buy-out ABS-CBN just in case the worse happens, Pangilinan said he don’t think it will happen.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous. We don’t want to think about it. It’s up to them, but we’re not offering them anything. We’re not suggesting anything to them so there are really no talks,” Pangilinan answered.
Currently, there are already 9 bills filed in Congress which seek to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years.
The Senate through Senate President Tito Sotto, Ralph Recto and Lito Lapid also shared optimism that the network will hurdle the franchise renewal woes its currently facing.
