Millions of Filipinos are expecting to watch primetime dramas to grace their television screen after the news from the TV Patrol of ABS-CBN every evening broadcast.

But tonight, it seems unusual as it was nothing but a grey static on a television screen.

All the reasons came after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to stop broadcast operations due to their franchise expiration on May 4, 2020.

The Cease and Desist Order dated May 5, 2020 ordering the Kapamilya Network to stop television broadcast as well as all their radio program nationwide in the ground of “Absent a Valid Congressional Franchise as the law required.”

The TNC cited Republic Act No. 3846 or the Radio Control Law which states that “no person, firm, company, association, or corporation shall construct, install, establish, or operate a radio transmitting station, or radio receiving station used for commercial purposes, or a radio broadcasting station, without having first obtained a franchise therefor from the Congress of the Philippines.”

Thus, with the expiration of Republic Act. No 7966, which granted ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise to operate its TV and radio broadcasting stations, NTC said that ABS-CBN “no longer has a valid and subsisting congressional franchise as required by Act No. 3846.

According to the ABS-CBN official statement, “millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment after the ABS-CBN is of air now on TV and radio beginning tonight May 5, 2020.

People normally watch ABS-CBN TV news to get updated about the COVID-19 pandemic that our country is dealing with today.

According to the ABS-CBN, the NTC did not grant to the Kapamilya a provisional authority to operate while its renewal remains pending in the congress. It says, that despite of Senate Resolution No. 40, the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchises’ letter, the guidance of the Department of Justice and the sworn statement of the NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba to grant considerable action in favor to the ABS-CBN.

According to report published by the Inquirer.net, quoting in a previous interview with DZMM last week, recalling the assurance from House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano saying that there is no move to shut down the network.”

For the meantime, the Kapamilya Network trust the government to come up with the fair treatment on their application of franchise renewal for the best interest of the Filipinos.

“We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBN’s role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times,” ABS-CBN said.

The bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise remain pending before the House of Representatives.

Republic Act No. 3846 requires television and radio broadcasting companies to secure a franchise from the government before they are allowed to operate. It is Congress that will decide whether to extend the franchise to public utilities, such as the media.