Republic of the Philippines 
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
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Quezon City 
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First Regular Session 
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
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House Bill No. _________________ 
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Introduced by Rep. Maria Carmen S. Zamora 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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This bill seeks to grant Y2H Broadcasting Network, Inc. a legislative franchise to 
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construct, install, establish, operate and maintain a frequency modulation (FM) radio 
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station in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. 
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Section 24, Article II of the 1987 Constitution recognizes the State’s vital role in 
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communication and information in nation-building, while Section 7, Article III declares 
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the recognition of the right of the people to information on matters of public concern. 
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Radio stations play an indispensable role in ensuring the right to information on 
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matters of public concern, freedom of expression and of the press, as mandated by our 
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Basic Law. Pursuant to this, the Proponent seeks to operate a 10 KW FM radio broadcast 
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station to provide real-time information on important events, dispense entertainment, and 
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serve as a connection to potential listeners in addressing community problems and 
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concerns. The same can provide signal coverage to the whole of Dumaguete City and 
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adjacent areas.  
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The passage of this timely measure is most respectfully sought. 
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MARIA CARMEN S. ZAMORA, MNSA 
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February 13, 2023
1:00 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
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Quezon City 
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First Regular Session 
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
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House Bill No. _________________ 
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Introduced by Rep. Maria Carmen S. Zamora 
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AN ACT 
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GRANTING Y2H BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC. A FRANCHISE TO 
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CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A 
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FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) RADIO BROADCASTING STATION IN 
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DUMAGUETE CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled:  
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SECTION 1.  Nature and Scope of Franchise.  – Subject to the provisions of the 
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1987 Philippine Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations, there is hereby 
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granted to Y2H Broadcasting Network, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Grantee, its 
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successors or assignees, a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate  and maintain 
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for commercial and non-commercial purposes and in the public interest, a frequency 
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modulation (FM) radio broadcasting station in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental , where 
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frequencies or channels are still available for radio broadcasting, utilizing the latest 
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technological advances or innovations, with corresponding technological auxiliaries or 
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facilities, special broadcast and other programs, and distribution services and relay 
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stations.  The franchise includes the operation of a multi-hazard early warning system to 
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provide accurate and timely advice to national or local emergency response organization 
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and the general public. 
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SEC. 2.  Manner of Operation of Stations or Facilities.  – The Grantee shall 
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construct and operate the stations or facilities with minimum interference on the 
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wavelengths or frequencies of existing stations or other stations, which may be 
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established by law, without in any way diminishing the privilege to use the assigned 
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wavelengths or frequencies and the quality of transmission or reception to maximize the 
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availability and rendition of the Grantee’s services. 
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SEC. 3.  Prior Approval of the National Telecommunications Commission. – The 
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Grantee shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) the 
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appropriate permits and licenses for the construction and operation of its stations and 
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facilities and shall not use any frequency in the radio spectrum without authorization 
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from the NTC. The NTC, however, shall not unreasonably withhold or delay the grant of 
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any such authority.  
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In case of any violation of the provisions of this franchise, the NTC shall have the 
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authority to revoke or suspend, after due process, the permits or licenses it issued 
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pursuant to the franchise. The NTC may recommend to Congress of the Philippines the 
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revocation of the franchise for any violation of the provisions of this franchise. 
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SEC. 4.  Responsibility to the Public. – The Grantee shall: 
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a. Provide, free of charge, adequate public service time, which is reasonable and 
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sufficient, to enable the government, through the broadcasting stations or 
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facilities, to reach the pertinent populations or portions thereof, on important 
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public issues and relay important public announcements and warnings 
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concerning public emergencies and calamities, as necessity, urgency or law 
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may require;  
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b. Provide at all times, sound and balanced programming;  
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c. Promote public participation;  
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d. Assist in the functions of public information and education;  
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e. Conform to the ethics of honest enterprise;  
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f. Promote audience sensibility and empowerment through closed captioning; 
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and  
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g. Avoid the broadcasting of obscene or indecent language, speech, act or scene, 
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or deliberately disseminate false information or willful misinterpretation, to 
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the detriment of the public interest, or to incite, encourage or assist in 
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subversive or treasonable acts. 
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For purposes of this section, public service time is equivalent to a maximum 
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aggregate of ten percent (10%) of the paid commercials or advertisements, which shall be 
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allocated based on need of the executive, legislative, judiciary, constitutional 
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commissions and international humanitarian organizations duly recognized by statutes: 
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Provided, That the NTC shall increase the public service time in case of extreme 
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emergency or calamity. The NTC shall issue rules and regulations for this purpose, the 
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effectivity of which shall commence upon applicability with other similarly situated 
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broadcast network franchise holders. 
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SEC. 5.  Right of Government. – The radio spectrum is a finite resource that is 
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part of the national patrimony and the use thereof is a privilege conferred upon the 
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Grantee by the State and may be withdrawn any time after due process.  
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A special right is hereby reserved to the President of the Philippines, in times of 
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war, rebellion, public peril, calamity, emergency, disaster, or disturbance of peace and 
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order: to temporarily take over and operate the stations or facilities of the Grantee; to 
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temporarily suspend the operation of any station or facility in the interest of public safety, 
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security and public welfare; or to authorize the temporary use and operation thereof by 
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any agency of the government, upon due compensation to the Grantee, for the use of said 
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stations or facilities during the period when these shall be so operated. 
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SEC. 6.  Term of Franchise. – This franchise shall be in effect for a period of 
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twenty-five (25) years from the effectivity of this Act, unless sooner revoked or 
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cancelled. This franchise is deemed ipso facto revoked in the event the Grantee fails to 
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comply with any of the following conditions: 
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a. Commence operations within one (1) year from the approval of its operating 
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permit by the NTC; 
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b. Commence operations within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act; 
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and 
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c. Operate continuously for two (2) years. 
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SEC. 7. Renewal or Extension of Franchise. – The Grantee shall apply for the 
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renewal or extension of its franchise three (3) years before its expiration which shall be 
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reckoned from fifteen (15) days after publication of the franchise in the Official Gazette 
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or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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SEC. 8.  Acceptance. – Acceptance of the terms of this franchise shall be given in 
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writing to the Congress of the Philippines, through the Committee on Legislative 
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Franchises of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Public Services of the 
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Philippine Senate, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act. Upon giving 
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such acceptance, the Grantee shall exercise the privileges granted under this Act. 
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Nonacceptance shall render the franchise void. 
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SEC. 9. Bond. – The Grantee shall file a bond with the NTC, in the amount that 
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the NTC shall determine, to guarantee compliance with and fulfillment of the conditions 
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under which this franchise is granted. If after three (3) years from the date of the approval 
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of its permit by the NTC, the Grantee shall have fulfilled the same, the bond shall be 
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released by the NTC. Otherwise, the bond shall be forfeited in favor of the government 
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and the franchise ipso facto revoked. 
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SEC. 10.  Payment of Taxes and Other Fees. – The Grantee, its successors or 
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assignees, shall continue to be subject to all applicable taxes, duties, fees, or charges and 
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other impositions under the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, Republic Act 
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No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991,” as amended, and 
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other applicable laws. 
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SEC. 11.  Self-regulation by and Undertaking of the Grantee. – The Grantee shall 
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not require any previous censorship of any speech, play, act or scene, or other matter to 
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be broadcast from its stations but if any such speech, play, act or scene, or other matter 
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constitute a violation of the law or infringement of a private right, the Grantee shall be 
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free from any liability, civil or criminal, for such speech, play, act or scene, or other 
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matter: Provided, That the Grantee, during any broadcast, shall cut off the airing of the 
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speech, play, act or scene, or other matter that tends to propose or incite treason, rebellion 
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or sedition; or the language used therein or the theme thereof is indecent or immoral:  
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Provided, further, That willful failure to cut off the airing shall constitute a valid cause 
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for the revocation and cancellation of this franchise. 
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SEC. 12.  Warranty in Favor of the National and Local Governments. – The 
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Grantee shall hold the national, provincial, city and municipal governments of the 
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Philippines free from all claims, liabilities, demands, or actions arising out of accidents 
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causing injury to persons or damage to properties, during the construction or operation of 
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the stations of the Grantee. 
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SEC. 13. Creation of Employment Opportunities. – The Grantee shall create 
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employment opportunities and accept on the job trainees in the franchise operations: 
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Provided, That priority shall be accorded to the residents of the place where the principal 
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office of the Grantee is located: Provided, further, That the Grantee shall ensure that at 
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least sixty percent (60%) of its employees are regular employees and in no case shall the 
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percentage of contractual employees and independent contractors combined exceed forty 
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percent (40%) of its total workforce:  Provided, finally, That the Grantee shall follow the 
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applicable labor standards and allowance entitlement under existing labor laws, rules, 
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regulations and similar issuances: Provided, finally, That the Grantee shall follow 
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applicable civil service rules and regulations and other similar issuances. 
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SEC. 14.  Sale, Lease, Transfer, Usufruct, or Assignment of Franchise. – The 
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Grantee shall not sell, lease, transfer, grant the usufruct of, nor assign this franchise or the 
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rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation or 
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other commercial or legal entity, nor merge with any other corporation or entity, nor the 
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controlling interest of the grantee be transferred, whether as a whole or in part, and 
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whether simultaneously or contemporaneously, to any such person, firm, company, 
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corporation, or entity without the prior approval of the Congress of the Philippines: 
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Provided, That Congress shall be informed of any sale, lease, transfer, grant of usufruct, 
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or assignment of franchise or the rights and privileges acquired thereunder, or of the 
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merger or transfer of the controlling interest of the grantee, within sixty (60) days after 
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the completion of the transaction: Provided, further, That failure to report to Congress 
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such change of ownership shall render the franchise ipso facto revoked: Provided, finally, 
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That any person or entity to which this franchise is sold, transferred or assigned shall be 
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subject to the same conditions, terms, restrictions, and limitations of this Act.  
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SEC. 15.  Reportorial Requirement. –  The Grantee shall submit an annual report 
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to Congress, through the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the House of 
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Representatives and the Committee on Public Services of the Senate, on its compliance 
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with the terms and conditions of the franchise and on its operations on or before April 30 
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of every year during the term of its franchise.  
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The annual report shall include an update on the commencement of activities, 
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development, operation, and expansion of business, audited financial statements, and 
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certification of the NTC on the status of its permits and operations. 
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The reportorial compliance certificate issued by Congress shall be required before 
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any application for permit or certificate is accepted by the NTC. 
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SEC. 16. Fine. – Failure of the Grantee to submit the requisite annual report to 
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Congress shall be penalized by a fine of Five hundred pesos (P500.00) per working day 
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of noncompliance. The fine shall be collected separately by the NTC distinct from the 
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penalties it imposes for noncompliance of its own reportorial requirements. 
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SEC. 17.  Equality Clause. – Any advantage, favor, privilege, exemption, or 
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immunity granted under existing franchises, or which may hereafter be granted for radio 
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broadcasting, upon prior review and approval of Congress, shall become part of this 
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franchise and shall be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the grantee: 
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Provided, That the foregoing shall neither apply to nor affect the provisions of 
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broadcasting franchises pertaining to the term, type of service or territorial coverage of 
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the franchise. 
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SEC. 18. Repealability and Nonexclusivity Clause. – This franchise is subject to 
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amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when the public 
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interest so requires and is not interpreted as an exclusive grant of the privileges herein 
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provided for. 
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SEC. 19.  Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in 
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force and effect. 
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SEC. 20. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and 
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regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are repealed, 
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amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 21.  Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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