Moves to revive the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN is gaining support at the Senate, with Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto  3^rd  spearheading the effort with the filing of a bill for that.

Sotto has filed Senate Bill No. 1967 seeking the renewal of  ABS-CBN’s franchise, which expired in May last year.

“I noticed the TV stations have been replacing their news programs with animes. It means competition is absent and mediocrity is creeping in because of the absence of a strong competitor like ABS-CBN,” Sotto told reporters in a text message.

“ABS-CBN’s wide reach to Filipinos, alongside with the undeniable advantages of broadcast media relative to mass communication, definitely call for the immediate renewal of the network’s franchise,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note.

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe said the Senate Committee on Public Service, which she chairs, will act on the measure.

“Given the crippling effects of the ABS-CBN shutdown and the need for more news outlets with the widest reach during the raging pandemic, the issue will be given utmost priority as soon as it is referred to the Committee on Public Service,” she said.

However, since the Constitution requires that a franchise bill must emanate from the House of Representatives, this means that any measure to revive the franchise of ABS-CBN in the Senate will have to be referred first to the lower chamber.

Sotto sees the move to revive ABS-CBN’s franchise having a “better chance” at the House under its current leadership. The House is currently led by Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco.

For their part, Senators Joel Villanueva, Sonny Angara, Franklin Drilon and Ralph Recto also back the measure to revive ABS-CBN’s franchise.

“My support for a free and fair media in the name of public service remains,” Villanueve said.

“I am co-authoring that bill. We all know that ABS-CBN deserves the renewal of its franchise given the service it has rendered to the Filipino people,” he added.

Meanwhile, Angara said: “We support that. But as you know, it’s all dependent on what the House will do since it is subject to the origination clause of the Constitution.” CURRENTPH