President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure renewing the franchise of the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC 13) for another 25 years.
Republic Act No. 12311, signed on October 3, also states that the franchise shall be deemed ipso facto revoked in the event that the station fails to operate continuously for two years.
‘The Grantee shall not require any previous censorship of any speech, play, act, scene, or other matter to be broadcast from its stations,’ it read.
‘However, if any such speech, play, act, scene, or other matter should constitute a violation of the law or an infringement of a private right, the Grantee shall be free from any liability, civil or criminal, for such speech, play, act, scene, or other matter,’ it also read.
Moreover, it states that the IBC 13 shall create employment opportunities and accept on-the-job trainees in the franchise operations as long as the priority shall be accorded to residents of the place where its office is located and complies with labor standards and allowance entitlements under the law.
‘The Grantee shall not sell, lease, transfer, grant the usufruct of, or assign this franchise or the rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation, or other commercial or legal entity, or merge with any other corporation or entity, nor shall the controlling interest of the Grantee be transferred, simultaneously or contemporaneously, to any person, firm, company, corporation, or entity without the prior approval of Congress,’ it said.
The station was also required to submit an annual report on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise and on its operations to Congress, which shall include an update on commencement activities, development, operation, and expansion of business, among others. /mr