The National Telecommunications Commission said Thursday it recalled all the frequencies of ABS-CBN Corp. after the broadcast unit of the Lopez Group failed to obtain a new Congressional franchise to operate television and radio networks.
The NTC said in an eight-page decision dated Sept. 9 “all assigned frequencies/channels assigned to ABS-CBN are hereby recalled” due to the absence of a valid legislative franchise.
“The denial of respondent’s franchise renewal application by Congress coupled with the denial of the respondent’s petition by the Supreme Court lead to no other conclusion except that the respondent had already lost the privilege of installing, operating and maintaining redo broadcasting in the country,” the NTC said.
It said ABS-CBN had no valid franchise to continue operating television and radio broadcasting station nationwide. Congress denied ABS-CBN’s application for legislative franchise on July 10, 2020.
The NTC on May 5 ordered ABS-CBN to stop operating its various television and radio broadcasting stations nationwide, “absent a valid congressional franchise as required by law.”
ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise expired on March 17, 2020, while ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise ended on May 4, 2020.
The network announced the closure of its television and radio operations as well as its other consumer businesses, resulting in a massive retrenchment of employees
ABS-CBN shut down the operations of its experience and retail businesses on Aug. 31, including Studio Tours, ABS-CBN Store, Hado Pilipinas, Heroes Burger and ABS-CBN Studio Experience.
The network also closed down 12 local “TV Patrol” programs and MOR 101.9 For Life! in Manila on Aug. 28.
ABS-CBN and subsidiaries had 6,730 regular employees, including 900 non-regular employees and 3,325 talents and project-based employees as of 2018.