The measure that would provide immediate solution to the dilemmas faced by franchise applicants whose renewal of legislative franchise had been filed but remained pending in Congress has hurdled second reading.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, author of Senate Bill No. 1530, said he expects Senate Bill No. 1530 to be passed on third and final reading on Thursday, Dec. 16, the last day of session before Congress goes on Christmas break.

Senate Bill No. 1530 primarily seeks the non-expiration of legislative franchises that are pending in Congress by amending Section 18, Book VII, Chapter 3 of Revised Administrative Code.

Drilon said the Revised Administrative Code provides for the non-expiration of a license where the licensee has filed a timely and sufficient application for renewal, until a final determination by the agency is made.

The senator said his amendment simply expands the provision to also include franchises granted by Congress.

“It is acknowledged that there is a gap in the law in cases as exhibited in cases where a franchisee, having taken all the steps to renew its franchise, is unable to do so not due to its own fault, but due to Congress’ failure to act on the application,” Drilon said in a statement.

“As the principle of equity has been deemed insufficient to fill that gap, the timely passage of Congress has applied considerations of equity in previous similar situations and the measure seeks to institutionalize that practice,” he noted.

He said the bill would require the concerned agency or branch of government to act decisively on an application for renewal, and to express its decision in clear, unmistakable terms, to ensure that the applicant is not punished for the authority’s indecision or inaction.

Once passed into law, Drilon said he expects the measure to be able to save jobs and prevent and fix franchise woes caused by the inability of the grantee—in this case Congress—to act on an application for renewal in a timely manner.

“It will prevent the repeat of what happened to broadcast network ABS-CBN, a pillar of our media industry and pioneer of many innovations, whose franchise remained in limbo prior to the denial by a House of Representatives panel, in the meantine, causing premature loss of 11,000 jobs,” the senator said.

“It is meant to protect small and big franchise holders in the event that their franchise is not acted upon immediately,” Drilon further said.