Cendaña noted that “granting ABS-CBN a new franchise would be most welcome to the millions of Filipinos who were deprived of a source of reliable news and public service.”
The Kapamilya network lost its congressional franchise in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to revenue losses and massive layoffs in the company, affecting almost 11,000 workers.
Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado filed the ABS-CBN franchise bill in the past Congress. Last Tuesday, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda revived the proposal.
ABS-CBN ceased its traditional broadcast operations in May 2020 after former President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies in Congress denied its franchise renewal application. It has since transitioned into purely digital formats and collaborated with other networks to stay afloat in the industry.
