The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines expressed cautious optimism over Senate President Vicente Sotto’s filing of ABS-CBN franchise renewal.
In the group’s Twitter account, they greeted Sen. Sotto’s senate bill with caution because of his glaring lack of response to ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal fiasco.
For context, Sen. Sotto said on May 5, 2020, that the network should bring franchise renewal of ABS-CBN to the Senate as they will approve it. However, by May 11, 2020, Sen. Sotto abstained from voting on the ABS-CBN resolution.
Recently, the Senator filed Republic Act. 1967 in hopes of granting ABS-CBN back its franchise for the next 25 years. He also noted the 45% audience share gap that the media giant left upon its shutdown.
[Statement] Bring back ABS-CBN, respect the people's right to know
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines greets with cautious optimism the filing by Senate President Vicente Sotto III –
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
Likewise, they also welcomed House Deputy Speaker Representative Vilma Santos-Recto refiling her bill granting ABS-CBN with their franchise.
– of a bill seeking to grant ABS-CBN a fresh franchise that would bring back the network on air.
We likewise welcome the news that House Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos will refile her bill granting the network a new franchise.
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
NUJP also hoped that all lawmakers, with the lens pointing to the House of Representatives, can correct their mistakes on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal fiasco, even if driven by political agenda. They noted the said mistakes through lack of inaction from the Senate and allowing the Congress to solely decide on the network’s franchise to obey a vindictive president.
We hope these moves, even if late and even if prompted by political expediency, prod lawmakers in both chambers, but most especially the House of Representatives, to correct the grave wrong they wrought by, first, –
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
– letting their inaction on franchise renewal bills lead to ABS-CBN's shutdown and, second, by letting the committee on congressional franchises reject a new franchise for the network, in obedience to a vindictive president.
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
NUJP also called out to the media outlets to band together in demanding Congress to reinstate ABS-CBN’s franchise for the media giant to fill the gap they left after the shutdown and to send a powerful message to their commitment to press freedom.
At the same time, we call on the independent Philippine media community, including the owners and managements, –
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
– to truly come together and, with a united voice, demand that Congress do right by allowing ABS-CBN to fill the yawning gap in the delivery of news, information and entertainment it left when it went dark in May last year.
— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
Let us send a very powerful message to both the government and, most importantly, the Filipino people, of our commitment to freedom of the press and of expression, and to the people's right to know.
Reference:
National Directorate
+639175155991— NUJP (@nujp) January 5, 2021
Earlier, both Senate President Sotto and House Deputy Speaker Representative Santos-Recto initiated talks for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal through filing bills in both Senate and Congress.