People Versus House Panel, Palace: 75 Percent Of Filipinos Agree ABS-CBN Should Have A Franchise

Three out of four adult Filipinos believe Congress should grant ABS-CBN a new franchise, according to a July 3 to 6 survey by the Social Weather Stations Inc. (SWS).

Results of the survey were released on Saturday, July 11, a day after the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchises, in a vote of 70-11, denied the network a fresh 25-year franchise.

The SWS poll found 75 percent of 1,555 adult respondents, aged 18 years old and above, agreeing with the statement that “Congress should renew the franchise of ABS-CBN so that it can broadcast its programs again.”

Thirteen percent of the respondents disagreed, while the remaining 10 percent were undecided on the matter, the pollster said.

The survey also found a majority or 56 percent of respondents agreeing that the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise “is a major blow to press freedom,” with 27 percent disagreeing and 15 percent undecided.

Support for the franchise renewal was strong in all areas, especially outside Metro Manila and in rural areas, the SWS said.

It was highest in Mindanao at 80 percent, followed by the Visayas at 77 percent, balance Luzon, 74 percent, and Metro Manila, 69 percent.

It was higher in rural areas at 81 percent than in urban areas at 70 percent.

Support for the franchise renewal was stronger among women at 81 percent than men at 70 percent, according to the SWS.

By level of education, agreement that Congress should renew the ABS-CBN franchise was higher among non-elementary graduates (82 percent) and elementary graduates (84 percent) compared to junior high school graduates (74 percent) and college graduates (65 percent).

The survey showed that majorities in all areas and demographics considered Congress’ non-renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise a major blow to press freedom.

This opinion was highest in the Visayas at 59 percent, followed by Mindanao at 57 percent, balance Luzon at 55 percent and Metro Manila at 52 percent.

Majorities in rural (57 percent) and urban (55 percent) areas shared this opinion.

This was also the dominant opinion among both women at 59 percent and men at 52 percent, and among all age groups, ranging from 49 percent to 59 percent.

By level of education, agreement that Congress’ non-renewal of the franchise was a major blow to press freedom was higher among non-elementary graduates (61 percent) and elementary graduates (63 percent) compared to junior high school graduates (54 percent) and college graduates (50 percent).

The SWS nationwide survey was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviews.

What decision of the people?

Vice President Leni Robredo, who is from the opposition and chairs the Liberal Party, on Sunday, July 12, disagreed with presidential spokesman Harry Roque’s statement that the junking of ABS-CBN’s franchise was the “decision of the Filipino people.”

Robredo said Roque’s statement was far from the results of the latest SWS survey.

Roque, in an interview over dzBB on Friday, July 10, said that the decision of the House of Representatives “is the decision of the people.” He noted that the Constitution states that a broadcast company without a franchise approved by the representatives of the people could not operate.

He reiterated that a majority of the members of the House committee on legislative franchise were behind the vote.

“When you say it’s the decision of the people, the (lawmakers) – that’s why they’re called representatives – should represent the views of their constituents,” the Vice President said over dzXL.

Robredo also countered Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim that the House committee conducted “fair, impartial, thorough and comprehensive” hearings.

“I think many have watched the hearings and only the people can tell if they think the hearings were impartial,” the Vice President said.

Robredo said just like other candidates during the May 2016 elections, she herself experienced “unfair” treatment from some members of the television network.

“I also have several ads which were not aired (by ABS-CBN). There were also instances when I felt many people at ABS-CBN were not fair to me. But this is not the time to take revenge due to personal grudges because we’re fighting for a bigger interest, and these are the people depending on the jobs at ABS-CBN,” she said.

Robredo said she did not expect that the closure of a media network would happen again after the fall of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“I didn’t imagine this would happen again,” she said. “I thought when we fought a dictator, we learned our lesson.”

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said the proposed people’s initiative to obtain a franchise for ABS-CBN is feasible.

“Usually it’s hard to get people’s initiative, but ABS-CBN is in a very unique position to push for people’s initiative and referendum,” Diokno said in an interview with dzMM TeleRadyo on Saturday, July 11.

The legislative exercise requires the signature of at least 10 percent of the total voting population in the country, Diokno said.

“Let’s say there are 65 million registered in the whole Philippines. So we need 6.5 million of registered voters,” he explained.

The petition must also gather signatures from at least three percent of the voting population per district to make the initiative effective.

“We have 243 districts now. By 2022 it may reach 247 districts. Three percent of each district must sign the petition,” Diokno said.