Duterte renews 3 broadcast firms’ franchises for another 25 years

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has signed laws renewing three broadcast companies’ franchises for another 25 years.

Signed on July 30, Republic Act No. (RA) 11577 renews for another 25 years the franchise granted to Blockbuster Broadcasting System Inc. to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the country.

RA 11578 grants Tagbilaran Broadcasting System, presently known as Tagbilaran Broadcasting System Inc. another 25 years franchise.

Duterte also signed RA 11581 that renewed for another 25 years the franchise granted to Transpacific Broadband Group Int’l Inc.

Under the three laws, the broadcasting companies must secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) the appropriate permits and licenses for the construction and operation of their stations or facilities.

The laws also require the broadcasting companies to provide free, adequate public service time which is reasonable and sufficient to enable the government, through the broadcasting stations or facilities, to reach the pertinent populations on important public issues and relay important public announcements and warnings concerning public emergencies and calamities, as necessity, urgency, or law may require.

Public service time shall be equivalent to a maximum aggregate of 10 percent of paid commercials or advertisements which shall be allocated based on the need to the Executive and Legislative branches, the Judiciary, Constitutional Commissions, and international humanitarian organizations.

Duterte also signed laws giving four other companies namely Servotron Industries Inc., Christian Music Power Inc., Allied Broadcasting Center Incorporated, and St. Jude Thaddeus Institute of Technology Inc. franchises to establish/install, operate, and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations throughout the country (RA 11579, RA 11580, RA 11582, and 11583, respectively).

Under these laws, the stations or facilities shall be constructed and operated with minimum interference on the wavelengths or frequencies of existing stations or other stations, without in any way diminishing its own privilege to use its assigned wavelengths or frequencies and the quality of transmission or reception.

The laws also require these companies to secure permits and licenses for the construction and operation of their facilities from the NTC.