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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
GRANTING THE METROPOLITAN BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH, 
STA. ANA, MANILA, INC. A FRANCHISE FOR RADIO AND 
TELEVISION FREQUENCY TO ESTABLISH, CONSTRUCT, 
INSTALL, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND 
TELEVISION BROADCASTING STATIONS IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
       Since it was clothed with a legal personality the Metropolitan Bible Baptist 
Church of Sta. Ana, Manila, Inc. (MBBC) has consistently, persistently, passionately, 
and boldly stood by its spiritual, social, and political convictions anchored on 
fundamental biblical doctrines, principles, and standards which are echoed in 
Republic Act No. 11897, otherwise known as the “National Baptist Day Act” whose 
enactment it spearheaded, through its Senior Pastor, Dr, Benny M. Abante, Jr. This law 
recognized Baptists in the Philippines for the more than century-old continuous 
pursuit of their evangelical mission to contribute to nation-building by establishing 
Christian Schools and instill academic excellence and build character in individuals, 
and churches that proclaim, teach and share biblical principles for the betterment of 
society. 
       Through the years, the MBBC which is an ever-expanding religious institution, 
duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 9, 1987, with 
seventy-two (72) local congregations and care stations strategically located in different 
places across the country, twenty-four (24) foreign congregations and care stations in 
different countries in different continents, two hundred thirty-five (235) local and 
foreign missionaries that it is supporting with individual works around the globe, 
seven (7) independent churches that it organized, and two thousand three hundred 
twenty-six (2,326)  
pastors and preachers throughout the Philippines and seventy-eight (78) pastors and 
preachers in foreign countries who are members of the Bible Believers League for 
Morality and Democracy International that it continues to lead, has effectively 
pursued and is committed to pursue its Divine mandate to go to all nations and teach 
the observance of the commandments, statutes, and judgments of the Lord (Matthew 
28:19-20), to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the uttermost part of the earth 
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(Acts 1:8) and to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 
16:15).  
 
          The MBBE is committed to support and promote the Constitutionally-mandated 
State policies on the recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation-building and 
the promotion and protection of their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social 
well-being” (Sec. 13, Art. II, Constitution) as well the mandate of all educational 
institutions to teach the rights and duties of citizenship, strengthen ethical and 
spiritual values, and develop moral character and personal discipline (Secs. 3[1] and 
[2], Art. XIV, Constitution). 
 
          But pursuing its mandate and supporting and promoting such State policies 
would be more effective and more areas could be covered and more souls could be 
reached with radio and television broadcast stations. The MBBC believes that, 
consistent with the Preamble of our Constitution wherein we declared that as a 
sovereign people we are imploring the aid of Almighty God in order to build a just 
and humane society and establish a government that shall embody our ideals and 
aspirations, and promotes the common good, disseminating the word of God, and 
biblical principles and standards especially on matters of governance, human and 
family relations, and discipline which are indispensable for a healthy nation and a 
joyful people is imperative. Immorality, lack of discipline, corruption, illegal drugs, 
disrespect to law, authority, and parents, and poverty, among others, continue to 
engulf our country, wrecking families, destroying relationships, sowing disorder, and 
slowing down our growth and advancement as a nation. The MBBE believes that the 
best and long-time solution to these problems and evils of society and government is 
to teach ourselves and our people about God and godly principles and standards of 
living and governance.  
 
          Broadcasting, whose signals surpass geographical and national boundaries, 
enjoys the highest patronage among the electronic media forms, with every Filipino 
home having either a radio or television, or both appliances. It is a powerful medium 
for promoting truth, exposing evil, and shaping our country's cultural, social, 
economic, and political growth and development as broadcasting has the ability to 
send information to any destination even in real-time. The MBBC believes that the 
maintenance of sufficient and efficient radio and television networks reach as many 
people as possible with the end in view of actively participating in the growth and 
development of our nation and our people and of knowing how to live right, thus 
eradicating, or at least minimizing the spiritual, social, political and economic evils of 
our society. The MBBC is, therefore,  offering her hand to help the government in this 
respect, hence, its desire to be granted a legislative franchise for radio and television 
frequency and to establish, construct, install, and operate radio and television 
broadcasting stations in the Philippines, believing, thus it continues to declare 
throughout our land and beyond our shores without fear or favor, that - “All scripture 
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness” (2 Ti. 3:16); “Righteousness exalteth a nation a nation: 
But sin is a reproach to any people” (Pr. 14:34); “When the righteous are in authority, 
the people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Pr. 29:2); 
and “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; And the people whom he hath 
chosen for his own inheritance” (Ps. 33:12). 
 
 


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       For the good of our country and our people, the immediate passage of this Bill 
is, therefore, earnestly requested.  
 BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
GRANTING THE METROPOLITAN BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH, 
STA. ANA, MANILA, INC. A FRANCHISE FOR RADIO AND 
TELEVISION FREQUENCY TO ESTABLISH, CONSTRUCT, 
INSTALL, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND 
TELEVISION BROADCASTING STATIONS IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Nature and Scope of Franchise. - Subject to the provisions of the 
Constitution and applicable laws, rules, and regulations, the Metropolitan Bible 
Baptist Church of Sta, Manila, Inc., herein referred to as the “grantee”, its successors 
or assigns, is hereby granted a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and 
maintain, at such places throughout the Philippines as the grantee may select and as 
the responsible agency or agencies of the government may approve, radio and 
television broadcasting stations for non-commercial purposes and in the public 
interest, through microwave, satellite or whatever means including the use of any new 
technologies in television and radio systems, with the corresponding technological 
auxiliaries or facilities, special broadcast and other broadcast distribution services and 
relay stations.   
       SEC. 2. Manner of Operation of Stations or Facilities. — The stations or facilities of 
the grantee shall be constructed in a manner as will, at most, result only in the 
minimum interference on the wavelengths or frequencies of the other existing facilities 
and station or stations that may have been established by law without in any way 
diminishing its own right to use its selected wavelengths or frequencies and the 
quality of transmission or  
reception thereon as should maximize the rendition of the grantee's services and/or 
the availability thereof. 
       SEC. 3. Prior Approval of the National Telecommunications Commission. — The 
grantee shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission the 
appropriate permits and licenses for its station and shall not use any frequency in the 
television or radio spectrum without having been authorized by the Commission.  The 
Commission, however, shall not unreasonably withhold or delay the grant of any such 
authority. 
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       SEC. 4.    Right of Government. — A special right is hereby reserved to the 
President of the Philippines, in times of rebellion, public peril, calamity, emergency, 
disaster, or disturbance of peace and order, to temporarily take over and operate the 
stations of the grantee, to temporarily suspend the operation of any station in the 
interest of public safety, security, and public welfare, or to authorize the temporary 
use and operation thereof by any agency of the government, upon due compensation 
to the grantee, for the use of the said stations for the said reasons during the period 
when they shall be so operated. 
       SEC. 5.    Responsibility to the Public. — The grantee shall provide adequate public 
service time to enable the government, through the said broadcasting stations, to reach 
the population on important public issues; provide at all times sound and balanced 
programming; promote public participation such as in community programming; 
assist in the functions of public information and education; conform to the ethics of 
honest enterprise; and not use its stations for the broadcasting of obscene and indecent 
language, speech, act or scene, or for the dissemination of deliberately false 
information or willful misrepresentation to the detriment of the public interest, or to 
incite, encourage, or assist in subversive or treasonable acts. 
       SEC. 6.    Self-regulation by and Undertaking of Grantee. — The grantee shall ensure 
that any speech, play, act or scene, or other matter to be broadcast and/or telecast from 
its stations is in accordance with its faith and conforms to the biblical doctrines, 
principles, and standards that it believes in provided, that the grantee, during any 
broadcast and/or telecast, shall cut off from the air the speech, play, act or scene, or 
other matter being broadcast and/or telecast if such has the tendency to propose 
and/or incite treason, rebellion or sedition or other forms of violence, disregard of or 
disobedience to the duly-constituted authorities, or is immoral or indecent as it may 
determine.    
       SEC. 7.    Warranty in Favor of National and Local Governments. — The grantee shall 
hold the national and local government units of the Philippines harmless from all 
claims, accounts, demands, or actions arising out of accidents or injuries, whether to 
property or to persons, caused by the construction or operation of the stations of the 
grantee. 
       SEC. 8.    Sale, Lease, Transfer, Usufruct, etc. — The grantee shall not lease, transfer, 
grant the usufruct of, sell nor assign this franchise or the rights and privileges acquired 
thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation, or other commercial or legal 
entity, without written notice to the Congress of the Philippines.  Any person or entity 
to which this franchise is sold, transferred, or assigned shall be subject to the same 
conditions, terms, and limitations provided in this Act. 
 SEC. 9. Term of Franchise. — (a) This franchise shall be for a term of twenty-five 
(25) years from the date the first of its stations shall be placed in operation and the
National Telecommunications Communications shall have allotted to the grantee the
frequencies and wavelengths to be used thereunder and determined the stations to
and from which each frequency and wavelength may be used, and shall have issued
to the grantee a license for such use.
(b) The National Telecommunications Communications, on reasonable notice to
the grantee which shall have the right to be heard, may change, cancel, or modify, in 


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whole or in part, any of the allotments of frequencies or wavelengths to be used. It 
may take such action: (1) whenever in its judgment such frequencies and wavelengths 
have been used, or there is a danger that they will be used by the grantee to impair 
electrical communications, stifle competition, or obtain a monopoly in electrical 
communication, or to otherwise violate the laws or public policy of the Republic of the 
Philippines; (2) whenever in its judgment the public interests of the Republic of the 
Philippines require that such frequencies or wavelengths should be used by the 
Government of the Philippines; and (3) whenever in its judgment, the public interests 
of the Philippines so require. 
       SEC. 10.    Acceptance and Compliance. — Acceptance of this franchise shall be 
given in writing to Congress within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, after 
which acceptance the grantee may now exercise the privileges granted under this Act.   
       SEC. 11.    General Broadcast Policy Law. — The grantee shall comply with general 
broadcast policy laws enacted or that may hereafter be enacted by Congress as well as 
rules and regulations adopted thereunder. 
       SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. – Any provision of decrees, administrative orders, 
laws, rules, and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended 
or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - The provisions of this Act are hereby deemed 
separable. If any provision thereof be declared invalid or unconstitutional, such 
invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the other provisions which shall 
remain in full force and effect.  
SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
its publication in the Official Gazette and/or in a newspaper of general circulation in 
the Philippines. 
Approved.