In what they called a “challenge” for Congress, lawmakers from the progressive Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives reintroduced a bill seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corp. a new 25-year broadcasting franchise.

In the explanatory note to House Bill No. 1218, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Danniel Manuel said, “This is a challenge for Congress to defy rising tyranny, to stand for freedom and democracy.”

“Makabayan party-list lawmakers refiled a bill seeking to grant ABS-CBN a fresh franchise. The media giant was forced to cease free TV broadcasts after its franchise expired in May 2020. A House panel then junked its application for a franchise in July”

The National Telecommunications Commission ordered ABS-CBN to shut down its free TV and radio operations in May 2020 after its franchise expired while the House, which was then dominated by allies of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, deliberated on its application for a new broadcasting license.

Officers of the media conglomerate were subjected to hours-long hearings by the House legislative franchises panel, which sought to establish, among other things, existing tax liabilities and a bias against the government.

While several government agencies cleared the company of any wrongdoing, the House panel still voted against granting ABS-CBN a new franchise, effectively sealing the company’s fate, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and turning several areas of the country into news and information deserts.

ABS-iconic CBN’s Channel 2 frequencies have since been transferred to Advanced Media Broadcasting System, Inc., which is owned by billionaire Manny Villar, who is close to Duterte.

Meanwhile, the NTC authorized Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Sonshine Media Network International to operate Channel 43, which was previously owned by Amcara Broadcasting Corp. Under a blocktime agreement with Amcara, whose legislative franchise expired in 2020, the Lopez-led network used Channel 43 for its TVPlus channels.

The public broadcast spectrum is a limited resource. However, an analyst believes ABS-CBN will struggle to reclaim the frequencies it lost during its painful shutdown.

“There may still be frequencies available but they (ABS-CBN) will have to go to the back of the line, as there may be other TV operators first in line for these frequencies… ABS-CBN will have to work with the Villar family’s  Advanced Media Broadcasting System, Inc. if they want to broadcast their content in their old channels,” Terry Ridon said.