Two lawmakers have called for separate congressional inquiries involving ABS-CBN, raising concerns over its blocktime agreements and alleged labor-related violations nearly six years after the network’s shutdown.
During a plenary session at the House of Representatives of the Philippines on Monday night, Presley De Jesus questioned whether ABS-CBN’s current broadcast arrangements could be circumventing congressional franchise authority.
De Jesus specifically cited the network’s blocktime and content agreements with partner stations, including its current setup with ZOE Broadcasting Network for A2Z Channel 11 and its programming partnership with GMA Network for shows such as ‘It’s Showtime’.
“The airwaves are a privilege and not a right. Let us ensure that this privilege is not abused, not diluted, and not reclaimed through the back door after it has been denied through due process,” De Jesus said.
He also questioned why ABS-CBN content appears to dominate ALLTV programming despite the company no longer holding a legislative franchise.
ABS-CBN currently has a content licensing agreement with Advanced Media Broadcasting System for the airing of Kapamilya programs on the network now branded as ‘ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2.’
The lawmaker described the arrangements as a form of “technical compliance” that may conflict with the spirit of franchise regulation under the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Eli San Fernando called for a separate investigation into alleged labor code violations involving contractual workers connected to ABS-CBN operations.
In his privilege speech, San Fernando claimed that some cameramen and drivers assigned to news coverage allegedly work long hours while receiving insufficient compensation.
“Let us again make our position known, Mr. Speaker. Salot at kanser ang kontraktwalisasyon sa buhay ng mga manggagawa at ng bansang ito sa kabuhan,” he said.
San Fernando also alleged that workers who staged protests over their working conditions were threatened with termination.
The renewed scrutiny comes a day before the sixth anniversary of ABS-CBN’s shutdown. On May 5, 2020, the network ceased terrestrial broadcast operations following a cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission after the expiration of its franchise.
Congress later rejected ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bid on July 10, 2020, resulting in large-scale retrenchments during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blocktime agreements, however, are not unique to ABS-CBN and have long been practiced across the Philippine broadcast industry by networks such as ABS-CBN, GMA Network, TV5, and other stations. Under such arrangements, independent producers, advertisers, content creators, or political groups purchase airtime blocks to air their own programs, while handling production and advertising independently.
As of writing, ABS-CBN has yet to issue an official statement regarding the lawmakers’ remarks.
