REFLECTION PAPER (ABS-CBN FRANCHISE)

According to the news about Philippine Congress denies ABS-CBN news broadcaster’s
franchise renewal. The ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy is a national conflict in the
Philippines over the renewal of the congressional franchise that would have allowed the
Philippine media network ABS-CBN to continue broadcasting rights in the Philippines. Disputes
arose between President Rodrigo Duterte's administration and ABS-CBN over the terms and
conditions of the franchise renewal agreement. In the midst of the controversy, the Congress of
the Philippines, the country's legislature, was unable to renew the franchise before its
expiration date. The congressional franchise expired on May 4, 2020, as the Philippines dealt
with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased community quarantine in
Luzon. Philippine legislators formally closed down the country's largest broadcast network, the
latest major blow to the news media as President Rodrigo Duterte cracks down on outlets
critical of his leadership. After 13 hearings, a House of Representatives committee the majority
of whose members support Duterte voted by an overwhelming majority to deny ABS-
application CBN's for renewal of its broadcast franchise. The network went off the air in May
after its franchise expired. In my own opinion I believe that this will have an impact on the
nation's press freedom, particularly because ABS CBN has long been regarded as one of the
primary sources of news in the country, particularly among those residing in rural communities.
Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs in the midst of a pandemic, where there is
a severe scarcity of job openings, and where we rely to meet our living expenses.