2 more solons seek 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN; find out who they are
Two more House members in the current 19th Congress have filed measures to revive the shuttered television and radio giant ABS-CBN through the grant of a new franchise.

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabriel Bordado filed House Bill (HB) Nos. 4202 and 4290, respectively, for this purpose.
"The franchise of ABS-CBN expired on May 4, 2020 midnight. In order to continue to provide uninterrupted and improved delivery of its services to the Filipino people, the franchise should be granted in the soonest possible time," Rodriguez wrote in the explanatory note of his bill.
Bordado, in the explanatory note of his own measure, said that the closure of the Kapamilya network "was a detrimental to our goal of having an informed citizenry".
"It has since limited the avenues where the Filipino people can gather pertinent data and news to help them make informed decisions, make coordinated action and efforts of rescue during extreme events based on timely updates, or amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard," he said.
"The important role that the network plays in improving the lives of millions of Filipinos cannot be denied. Therefore, this bill seeks to grant ABS-CBN franchise to operate for 25 years," the Bordado bill further read.
Rodriguez's measure is also pursuing a new 25-year franchise for the network.
He underscored that ABS-CBN "has also been very big on corporate social responsibility (CSR), helping others and in giving back".
The militant Makabayan bloc and Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel have earlier filed two separate bills seeking franchise renewal for the network.
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Several measures seeking a new franchise for ABS-CBN were also filed during the previous 18th Congress. However, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises ultimately voted 70–11 on July 10, 2020 to reject the franchise application of ABS-CBN, with several congressmen citing alleged violations on the part of the network.
ABS-CBN recently grabbed headlines because of its aborted deal with fellow local network TV5.