Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 9250)
The main purpose of Republic Act No. 9250 is to grant Radio Philippines Network, Inc. a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the Philippines for commercial purposes and public interest.
The franchise is granted for a term of twenty-five (25) years from the date of effectivity of the Act, unless sooner revoked or canceled.
The franchise shall be ipso facto revoked if the grantee fails to commence operations within one (1) year from the approval of its operating permit by the NTC, or within three (3) years from the effectivity of the Act, or fails to operate continuously for two (2) years.
The grantee must secure the appropriate permits and licenses from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and cannot use any frequency without authorization from the NTC.
The grantee must provide adequate public service time for government information dissemination, provide sound and balanced programming, assist in public information and education, conform to ethical standards, and refrain from broadcasting obscene or indecent content or deliberately false information.
The President can temporarily take over the stations or facilities in times of war, rebellion, public peril, calamity, emergency, disaster, or disturbance of peace and order to ensure public safety, security, and welfare, with due compensation to the grantee.
No, the grantee cannot lease, transfer, grant usufruct, sell, assign the franchise, merge, or transfer controlling interest without prior approval from the Congress of the Philippines.
The grantee must offer at least thirty percent (30%) of its outstanding capital stock in any securities exchange in the Philippines within five (5) years from the time it becomes a national broadcasting network (operates three or more stations).
Willful failure to cut-off from the air any material that incites treason, rebellion, sedition, or contains indecent or immoral language during broadcast constitutes valid cause for cancellation of the franchise.
The grantee must submit an annual report to the Congress on its compliance with franchise terms and its operations within sixty (60) days after the end of each year.