Public information should be at the helm of services that holders of broadcast franchises should deliver to the people, Senator Grace Poe said on Wednesday, November 23.

Poe pointed out that with the number of natural disasters and other emergency situations that we face, it is absolutely essential that the public is provided the vital information quickly and accurately.

“Critical information reaching our public on time will save lives,” she added.

In her manifestation during the confirmation hearing by the Commission of Appointment (CA) on the appointment of Gamaliel Cordoba as chairman of the Commission on Audit (COA), Poe highlighted the role that the broadcast industry plays in delivering news and information.

“I hope that whoever is given a franchise to broadcast on television should also be given that condition that you should have public information as a priority,” she said, adding that entertainment has also paved the path for many to achieve their aspirations.

Before his appointment to COA, Cordoba served as commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). It was during his term when the NTC ordered ABS-CBN network to stop broadcasting on free TV when its franchise expired in 2020.

Cordoba explained the NTC issued the cease-and-desist order against the network following the quo warranto petition filed by the Solicitor General. A separate Supreme Court ruling denied the network’s petition to reverse the order.

Poe said the shutdown of the network left an information gap in the delivery of news, especially in areas where it has regional stations and offices.

“Pero dahil nga nawala ang prangkisa, noong nagkaroon ng typhoon Odette (But when typhoon ‘Odette’ hit the country), as an example, we didn't realize the devastation until a day or two after that. And these are in media centers like Cebu and even in Surigao and Bohol, so talagang pilay (so it was disabled),” she added.

Poe acknowledged Cordoba’s apology, which was earlier made during the questioning of Senator Risa Hontiveros, over the NTC’s decision to shut down ABS-CBN.

The SC’s ruling denying the network’s operation without a franchise and quo warranto petition had played key factors in making the NTC come up with its difficult decision, Poe said.

“We believe media organizations are also doing their job. But in times of disasters or even during ordinary days, it’s better to have more hands on deck because it is paramount to get the information to our people,” she added.