HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
THIRD REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL No. _6053

Introduced by Hon. Arturo B. Robes

AN ACT
RENEWING FOR ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS AND
EXPANDING ITS COVERAGE FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS
ACT THE FRANCHISE GRANTED TO ZOE BROADCASTING, INC.,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 1 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7297 ENTITLED “AN ACT GRANTING THE ZOE BROADCASTING
NETWORK, INC. A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL,
OPERATE AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND TELEVISION
BROADCASTING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7968

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill secks to renew and expand the nature, scope and coverage of the
franchise granted to Zoe Broadcasting Network, Inc, (ZBNI) under Republic Act
(R.A) No, 7297 which was approved on March 26, 1992, R.A. No. 7297 granted a
franchise to ZBNI to cons'

uct, install, operate and maintain radio and television

broadcasting stations in the island of Luzon and for other purposes. ‘The franchise
term was for twenty-five (25) years. On 23 March 1995, R.A. No. 7297 was amended
by R.A. No. 7968 expanding the nature and scope of the franchise of ZBNT to

include “radio and television stations throughout the Philippines with the
corresponding auxiliary, special broadcast and other program and distribution services
and relay stations, and to install radio communication facilities for the grantee's
private use in its broadcast services”.


Since the start of ZBNI operations in the early 1990’s until the present, ZBNI’s
television and radio broadcast stations as well as its auxiliary services and facilities
have served as important media partners of the Philippine government and of the
Filipino people through which the latter’s rights to information and to freedom of
expression are realized. ZBNI, by its flagship programs, has significantly helped in
uplifting and inspiring good moral values to the Filipino people, thus, helping greatly
in nation building, Relevant and significant issues of public concern ate effectively
delivered through ZBNT’s media platforms. Even in the most far flung areas, the right
of the public to information is fulfilled and ZBNI has continuously and consistently
stayed as an advocate and implementer of, and has never strayed from, responsible

and balanced programming, Freedom of expression includes the right not only to seek

and impart information and ideas, but also the right to receive them in the latest
technological advances and form.

In this measure, this representation intends to perpetuate the franchise granted
to ZBNI for another period of twenty-five (25) years and to expand the nature and
scope of the franchise to include the latest technological advances such as digital
terrestrial television broadcasting, through microwave, satellite, or whatever means, or
the use of any technologies in television and radio systems, with the corresponding,
technological auxiliaries or facilities, special broadcast, and other program and
distribution services, and relay stations.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

ARTURO |B. ROBES
Representa

Lone District, San Jose Del Monte City



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
‘THIRD REGULAR §$ SION

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 6053

Introduced by Hon, Arturo B, Robes

AN ACT
RENEWING FOR ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS AND
EXPANDING ITS COVERAGE FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS
ACT THE FRANCHISE GRANTED TO ZOE BROADCASTING, INC.,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 1 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7297 ENTITLED “AN ACT GRANTING THE ZOE BROADCASTING
NETWORK, INC. A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL,
OPERATE AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND TELEVISION
BROADCASTING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7968

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Renewal of Franchise. — Subject to the provisions of the

Constitution, the immediately succeeding Section and applicable laws, rules and

regulations, the franchise granted under Republic Act No. 7297 entitled “AN /
GRANTING THE ZOE BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC. A FRANCHISE
INSTALL, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND.
‘LEVISION BROADCASTING STATIONS THROUGHOUT ‘THE
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”, as amended by Republic Act No.
7968, to Zoe Broadcasting Network, Inc., hereunder referred to as the grantee, its

successors of assigns, is hereby renewed for another twenty-five (25) years from the
effectivity of this Act.


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Section 2. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7297, as amended by Republic Act
No. 7968, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 1, Nature and Scope of Franchise. — Subject to the provisions of
the Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations, there is
hereby granted to the Zoe Broadcasting Network, Inc,, its successors or
assigns, hereunder referred to as the grantee, a franchise to construct,
operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes and in the public
interest, television and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines,
where frequencies and/or channels are still available for radio and/or
television broadcasting, including digital terrestrial television system,
through microwave, satellite, or whatever means, ot the use of any

technologies in television and radio systems, with the corresponding
1 auxiliasi

technologi or facilities, special broadcast, and other

program and distribution services, and relay stations, and to install radio

communication facilities

Section 3. Adoption of Provisions Not Inconsistent with this Act. All
other provisions of Republic Act No. 7297, as amended by Republic Act No. 7968,
which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall continue to be in full
force and effect.

Section 4. Separability Clause. — If any of the sections or provisions of this
ed thereby shall remain valid.

Act is held invalid, all other provisions not affect

Section 5. Repealability and Non-exclusivity Clauses. — ‘his franchise
shall be subject to amendment, alteration or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines
when the public interest so requires and shall not be interpreted as an exclusive grant
of the privileges herein provided for.

Section 6. Effectivity - ‘This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the
date of its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the

Philippines.

Approved,