MANILA – The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading numerous bills granting telecommunication and broadcast companies legislative franchises.
Sponsored by Senate Public Services Committee chairperson Senator Grace Poe, the approved House bills sought the grant and renewal of legislative franchises to institutions and companies to be able to operate in various parts of the country.
These include House Bill No. (HBN) 9384, which proposes to expand the franchise granted to the Davao City government for its radio broadcasting stations; as well as franchises for Mount Apo Science Foundation College Inc. (HBN 10212), Capricom Broadcasting Network Corp. (HBN 10192), Amapola Broadcasting System (HBN 10196), South Cotabato Communications Corp. (HBN 10123), Prime Broadcasting Network Inc. (HBN 10124), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (HBN 10125), and GVM Radio/TV Corp. (HBN 10211).
The Senate also approved on third and final reading the legislative franchises for Ismo Inc. (HBN 8971), Aspire Media Technologies and Ventures Inc. (HBN 10169), Linkserve Telecommunications Network Inc. (HBN 10193), Derecho Telecommunications Inc. (HBN 10194), Unicorn Communications Corp. (HBN 10195), Purple Flower Telecommunication Corp. (HBN 10197), Calapan Telephone System Inc. (HBN 8975), Bicol Telephone and Telegraph Inc. (HBN 9424), Lukban Telephone System Inc. (HBN 9438), Continental Telecommunications System Inc. (HBN 9439), Victorias Telephone System Inc. (HBN 10182), and General Telephone System Inc. (HBN 10183), so they could put up and maintain their respective telecommunications systems and services.
Meanwhile, the Senate also passed local bills seeking to establish, convert and upgrade the local offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in 32 locations across the Philippines.
These include LTO offices in the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Camarines Norte, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga del Sur and Bukidnon, among several others.
Likewise, the Senate voted to approve three House bills seeking to establish offices of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Puerto Princesa, Palawan (HBN 2590), Bacoor City, Cavite (HBN 4560) and in Dasmariñas, Cavite (HBN 5488).
The Senate also approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2421 granting benefits and allowances to the Covid-19 healthcare workers (HCWs).
Senator Sonny Angara, sponsor and author of the bill, said there should no longer be any impediment in the delivery of the much deserved benefits to HCWs.
The bill was filed by Angara and Senator Richard Gordon in response to the request by the Department of Health (DOH) for the passage of a law that will ensure the continuous grant of the benefits provided to HCWs under the now defunct Bayanihan laws.
"While it was clear to the proponents of the Bayanihan laws in Congress that the grant of benefits to our health workers should continue for as long as the state of national emergency declared by the President is in place, the expiry of those laws became a cause of delay for the delivery of those benefits and this is what SB 2421 aims to address," Angara said.
Once enacted into law, Angara said the benefits for the HCWs will be provided even beyond 2022, for as long as the state of national public health emergency is in effect. (PR)
