Campaign in support of ABS-CBN franchise renewal gathers 200,000 signatures

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Journalist of the Philippines on Wednesday submitted more than 200,000 signatures gathered in support of the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN.

Rep. Karlos Ysagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list) received a list of about 8,000 signatures and a flash drive that had about 200,000 signatures gathered through an online petition launched in January.

The signatures would be forwarded to Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay), author of one of the bills for the renewal of the network's franchise.

The network's legislative franchise is set to expire on March 30, 2020 — barely a month from now — although the House of the Represenatives yet to take much action on over a dozen bills tackling the renewal.

The Kapamilya Network is also facing a quo warranto petition from Solicitor General Jose Calidad asking the Supreme Court to revoke its franchise over alleged franchise violations,

NUJP Deputy Secretary General Raymond Villanueva said the signature campaign was to "show support to the authors of the 11 franchise bills and to urge the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises to schedule their discussion." 

The potential shutdown of the broadcast giant would put the livelihoods of ABS-CBN's more than 11,000 workers at risk, NUJP and labor groups have said.

"We need not remind Congress that the network's franchise expires on March 30 and that the First Regular Session only has a little more than a dozen session days [for hearings]." — Philstar.com intern Cody Perez