HOUSE OKS ABS-CBN PROVISIONAL FRANCHISE

Network may resume broadcast by June – Cayetano

MANILA — The House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill granting a

provisional franchise to broadcast giant ABS-CBN until Oct. 31 while

Congress deliberates on the networkÂ’s application for the renewal of its

franchise.

The plenary convened as the committee of the whole and approved on first

reading House Bill 6732 an hour after it was filed by Speaker Alan Peter

Cayetano and several other House leaders. It was passed on second reading

last night.

The chamber opted to expedite approval by doing away with regular hearings

before the legislative franchise committee and instead passed the bill

through the committee of the whole, as allowed under House rules.

The bill will need formal approval on third reading by the House plenary,

and then by the Senate, before it can take effect and allow ABS-CBN to

resume operations.

Cayetano explained that the measure would enable the network to resume

operations in the next months as Congress hears its application for renewal

of its franchise that expired last May 4.

“Providing ABS-CBN with a provisional franchise valid until 31 October 2020

will give both the House and the Senate (time) to hear the issues being

raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality

and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for

another 25 years,” Cayetano said.

He pointed out that hearings would still be held to deliberate on

allegations of violations of franchise committed by the network.

Cayetano was joined by Deputy Speakers LRay Villafuerte, Neptali Gonzales

II, Raneo Abu, Robbie Puno and Dan Fernandez and Bulacan Rep. Jonathan

Sy-Alvarado.

In his sponsorship speech, Cayetano stood firm in his position that the

House cannot prioritize the franchise renewal bills as Congress should focus

on measures needed to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

crisis.

“Nothing should be more important than defeating COVID-19. You cannot hope

to weigh the value of our immediate response to the pandemic as against the

concerns of a private corporation. There simply is no comparison,” he

stressed.

Among the pending measures in the House are the economic stimulus program,

“new normal” bill and the “Balik Probinsya” bill.

The Speaker admitted that the shutdown of ABS-CBN by the National

Telecommunications Commission (NTC), through alleged “unconstitutional

meddling” by Solicitor General Jose Calida, was a distraction.

The Senate will immediately conduct a hearing on various bills on the

franchise application of ABS-CBN and come up with a report for approval by

the chamberÂ’s committee of the whole.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed optimism both chambers

of Congress would be able to ratify the bill before they adjourn on June 3.

The Senate will convene as a committee of the whole next week to hold

hearings with Cabinet officials in connection with COVID-19 with the aim of

coming up with legislation to address the pandemic.

Trading in shares of ABS-CBN remains suspended.

GOVERNMENT RELEASES MECQ GUIDELINES

MANILA — Book stores as well as shops selling clothing, toys and office

supplies can reopen, but not barber shops, salons and massage parlors.

Golf and tennis can resume, but not contact sports.

These are some of the guidelines released by the government yesterday for

Metro Manila and other “highrisk” areas that will be placed under a modified

enhanced community quarantine or MECQ by May 16.

The MECQ is in line with the World Health OrganizationÂ’s warning against

rushing the lifting of lockdowns in areas with high cases of coronavirus

disease 2019 or COVID-19.

The MECQ is more relaxed than ECQ, but has more restrictions compared with

the general community quarantine (GCQ).

Some forms of private transportation will also be allowed under MECQ as long

as they comply with safety protocols.

“We have to be flexible. We have to do it gradually, slowly. If the number

of cases increase, we would go back to ECQ,” presidential spokesman Harry

Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.

“We started with ECQ, we will shift to modified ECQ before going to GCQ.

After that, we will go to modified GCQ before moving to the new normal. We

wonÂ’t experience the normal we knew before COVID-19 until there is no

vaccine or medicine,” he added.

Everyone should stay home under the MECQ, except frontliners and those who

are buying essentials.

School premises will remain closed in MECQ areas.

Public shuttle will be the only mode of public transportation under MECQ.

DON'T THREATEN DUTERTE, PSG WARNS

MANILA- Persons who threaten President Rodrigo Duterte online should be

ready to face possible charges, the head of his official security detail

said Thursday.

There have been "grave threats" on social media against Duterte, prompting

the Presidential Security Group to seek the help of law enforcers to

"monitor and apprehend" those behind these acts, its commander Col. Jesus

Durante III said.

"PSG will not take lightly any threat made to the President and his family.

Anyone who violates will be held liable and will be dealt with in accordance

with the law," Durante said in a statement.

Arrests have been made in recent days over online threats to the President's

life--including a construction worker, and a public school teacher who

offered reward money for the slay of Duterte.

The National Bureau of Investigation had said that it looks into cases of

online threats, and "fake news."

The PSG chief reminded the public that posting grave threats to the

President online can be considered as inciting to sedition, and violation of

the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

"As we fight this pandemic, may we choose to utilize social media platforms

to make useful contributions and not violate any law in expressing personal

views and opinions," Durante said.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque earlier said Malacañang would leave the

handling of such cases to authorities.

CORONAVIRUS MAY NEVER GO AWAY: WHO

The new coronavirus may never go away and populations around the world will

have to learn to live with it, the World Health Organization warned

Wednesday.

As some countries around the world begin gradually easing lockdown

restrictions imposed in a bid to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading,

the WHO said it may never be wiped out entirely.

The virus first emerged in Wuhan in China late last year and has since

infected more than 4.2 million people and killed nearly 300,000 worldwide.

"We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time and

therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it," said

Michael Ryan, the WHO's emergencies director.

"This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and

this virus may never go away," he told a virtual press conference in Geneva.

"HIV has not gone away -- but we have come to terms with the virus."

DOH EYES REAL-TIME CORONAVIRUS DATA RELEASE

The Department of Health said Thursday it was fixing its data collection

system on novel coronavirus cases, which serves as basis for the lockdown of

millions of Filipinos.

"Iyan po ang inaayos natin ngayon... na ang maging actual po na ilabas namin

would be the date that the samples were received and inactivated sa proseso

-- hindi po sa date na nailabas ang resulta -- para magkaroon po tayo ng

real-time," said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The DOH and World Health Organization are setting up a new digital system

that is expected to minimize encoding errors through automated data

collection, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday.

He made the statement after experts from the University of the Philippines

flagged "alarming errors" on the agency's COVID-19 data, which also

mismatched the tally of local governments.

The errors comprise "less than 1 percent" of the whole data said, she said.

CASH AID SECOND TRANCHE ONLY FOR AREAS UNDER ENHANCED QUARANTINE: PALACE

The second tranche of government cash aid for the poorest families is

reserved for residents of areas that will stay under enhanced community

quarantine or ECQ, President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesperson said Thursday.

Areas under the less stringent general community or GCQ can partially reboot

their economies, leaving residents free to work, said Presidential Spokesman

Harry Roque.

"Dito po sa pangalawang tranche naman nitong buwan ng Mayo, ang makakakuha

na lang po ay iyong mga nasa area na nasa ECQ at ang suma tutal po na

lalabas dito ay 11.5 million families... Katumbas ito ng P77 billion," he

told DZMM.

The first tranche initially covered 18 million families, later increased to

23 million, who were allotted some P133 billion, he said.

Authorities so far distributed P94.3 billion to 15.7 million families, said

Social Welfare Spokesperson Irene Dumlao.

She said her agency was waiting for Duterte's executive order on who should

get the second tranche.

ENTIRE PHILIPPINES (EXCEPT, NCR, LAGUNA, CEBU CITY) UNDER GCQ

The entire Philippines — except Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City — will be

under general community quarantine starting May 16.

All provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities

previously identified as low-risk under IATF Resolution 35 will be under

GCQ.

FITCH AFFIRMS RATINGS OF 3 OF PHILIPPINES' BIGGEST BANKS

MANILA - Fitch Ratings said Thursday it affirmed the credit ratings of 3 of

the Philippines' largest banks due to their ability to withstand the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Fitch Ratings maintained its BBB- rating with stable outlook individually

for BDO Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Island and Metrobank, its director

for Asia Pacific Banking Financial Institutions Willie Tanoto told ANC.

BDO and Metrobank are the Philippines' largest and second largest banks in

terms of assets, while BPI ranked 4th, based on data from the Bangko Sentral

ng Pilipinas.

"The big 3 banks have a certain degree of protection by the nature of their

franchise, the fact that they are the largest banks they have the largest

networks," Tanoto said.

The 3 banks entered the COVID-19 pandemic with a "relatively strong

position" and with higher earnings profile, higher credit reserves, adequate

capital buffers and with a good degree of deposit inflows, Tanoto said.

China Banking Corp, Philippine National Bank, Development Bank of the

Philippines and Landbank of the Philippines "were downgraded in negative

actions in different ways," Tanoto said.

THE REST

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PNP ORDERS PROBE INTO 'SOCIAL EVENT' OF METRO MANILA TOP COP

MANILA - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa on

Wednesday ordered an investigation into the birthday celebration of the

Metro Manila police chief while stringent community quarantine measures

against the spread of the COVID-19 are in place for the entire region and in

some parts of the country.

Gamboa earlier defended Major Gen. Debold Sinas over recent his birthday

celebration, which drew backlash for supposedly violating physical

distancing and mass gathering guidelines.

The PNP-Internal Affairs Service was instructed to send a team to the

National Capital Region Police Office "to initiate a formal inquiry into the

incident," the police's public information office said in a statement.

"The PNP is not exempt from strict rules on mass gathering and I am

directing all unit commanders to prohibit any and all social gatherings,"

the statement quoted Gamboa as saying.

"The Chief PNP strongly reiterates strict observance of all public health

protocols and biosafety standards by all personnel at all times," it added.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, whose agency governs over the PNP,

disapproved of the party.

"That's a big no-no," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

"Ang aking sinasabi sa ating mga government official, lalo na sa nasasakupan

ng DILG, iyong tinatawag nating delicadeza. May mga pagkakataon na kailangan

maging example ka," he said.

Photos shared by the Metro Manila police office on Facebook showed police

officers giving Sinas roses and bumping fists with him during the May 8

event.

The official was also photographed mingling at a table, while others lined

up at buffet meals. Some of the photos in the post have been deleted.

HHWW: LOOSER LOCKDOWN BARS 'HOLDING HANDS WHILE WALKING' - PALACE

The public, even couples, should observe physical distancing when they are

allowed to leave their homes to exercise as parts of the country start

easing their coronavirus lockdown this weekend, Malacañang said Thursday.

The less stringent general community quarantine, effective in low-risk areas

from May 16, will allow the public to stroll, jog and bike outside their

homes, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

"Basta wala pong kumpol-kumpulan. Iyong mga mag-asawa po, kinakailangan

maghiwalay kayo 'pag naglalakad. Temporary hiwalay muna iyong mga

boyfriend... Wala munang holding hands habang naglalakad po," he told DZMM.

The GCQ will also allow non-contact sports like tennis, golf and badminton.

Covered gymnasiums can open while fitness gyms are still barred, he said.

P19 MILYONG 'SHABU' NASABAT SA CALOOCAN BUY-BUST; 8 ARESTADO

Arestado ang walong katao sa isang buy-bust operation sa Caloocan City,

Miyerkoles ng gabi kung saan nasabat ang mahigit P19 milyong halaga ng

shabu.

Kasama sa naaresto ang isang 49 anyos na lalaki na si alyas “Gigi,” at ang

31 anyos na si “Jokjok,” na pawang nasa watchlist ng pulisya, batay sa ulat

na inilabas ng Northern Police District.

Ikinasa ang operasyon laban sa mga suspek matapos maaresto ang isang Gary

Villanueva noong Mayo 11.

Dahilan ang pag-aresto para ikasa ang follow-up buy-bust operation laban

kina Gigi at sa mga kasamahan niya sa Deparo, Caloocan City.

Nang maaresto ang mga suspek, nakumpiska ang mga pakete ng hinihinalang

shabu, na nagkakahalagang P19,040,000, at drug paraphernalia.

Mahaharap sa kasong paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act ang mga

suspek.

AMBO CHURNS CLOSER TO PHILIPPINES, TESTING COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

MANILA -Typhoon Ambo churned closer to coronavirus-stricken Philippines on

Thursday, as officials widened the coverage of storm signals and prepared to

evacuate thousands while observing pandemic protocols.

The first storm of the year will likely intensify further before it hits

land over Northern Samar or the northern portion of Eastern Samar later

Thursday before heading to Sorsogon, PAGASA said.

Some 400,000 people are expected to flee from landslide and flood-prone

areas in Northern Samar, said the province's chief disaster officer, Josh

Echano.

The province has been on lockdown since March to arrest the spread of

COVID-19, which "depleted" the resources of some towns, he told DZMM.

Some evacuees will stay in unused isolation facilities intended for COVID-19

patients, he said. Quarantine facilities will also host Sorsogon residents

who will be evacuated from coastal areas, said the provincial disaster

office head, Raden Dimaano.

In Albay, a "culture-based" evacuation will let 8 families who know each

other share one classroom, down from 10 families during previous storms,

said the province's disaster chief Cedric Daep. Churches will also take in

evacuees.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

STARS OF ABS-CBN THANK HOUSE LEADERS FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY BILL

MANILA — Vice Ganda, Angel Locsin and Karla Estrada were among the Kapamilya

stars who expressed their gratitude to the House of Representatives

Committee of the Whole after it passed on second reading a bill that will

give ABS-CBN Corp. a provisional franchise until October 2020.

The moves comes more than week after ABS-CBN stopped its operations after

the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist order

last May 5.

It will require passage on third and final reading before it is transmitted

to the Senate, then to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature and

enactment into law.

“Maraming salamat sa Kongreso! Malaking bagay po ito. Maraming salamat

ulit!” Vice Ganda tweeted.

Below are the other starsÂ’ reactions.

Kathryn Bernardo: After a week of thinking, I shot this last night as a

response to the shutdown. Right now, thankfully, Speaker Cayetano files a

bill granting ABS-CBN provisional authority. Here's to hoping things get

better from here.

Karla Estrada: Maraming Salamat House speaker Alan Peter Cayetano at sa

Lahat ng Bumubuo ng Congresso sa pag bibigay ng Patas na pag kakataon para

sa ABSCBN na makapagpaliwag sa korte ng hindi nakasara ang network. Sana mas

maging malawig pa ang matulungan ngayon na ating mga kababayan. dahil mas

nakararami at mas Malaki ang ating hinaharap na problema. #panalangin

Angel Locsin: Thank you Cong. Alan Cayetano and congress for giving us a

fair chance in court without shutting us down. Praying that the outcome will

favor the Filipino people and enabling us to help during this crisis

Sunshine Cruz:Thank you Congress for House Bill 6732 granting ABSCBN

provisional franchise until Oct. 31

SPORTS

NBA TO WAIT 2 TO 4 WEEKS BEFORE DECIDING ON RETURN: REPORTS

NBA commissioner Adam Silver will study coronavirus outbreak and testing

developments for another two to four weeks before the league decides about a

return to competition, according to multiple reports.

The timetable, shared in a conference call between Silver and club owners,

was the first indication about when the league might return from the

coronavirus shutdown that began March 12, The Athletic and ESPN reported.

"Health is number 1. The NBA will wait a month to decide after getting more

tests and data to show how serious the virus is," Los Angeles Lakers forward

Jared Dudley tweeted.

"We are at a place right now where it's about health as it should be. The

more data we have the more you can show how safe it really is. It's coming."

The NBA wants more time to study the trajectory of new cases, who is

becoming severely ill, and how other sports organizations are handling virus

tests, according to reports.

Team owners and executives on the call departed with optimism the NBA had

momentum to solving the health risks associated with resuming the NBA season

in a secure setting with Las Vegas and Orlando likely settings.

ESPN reported the league was trying to develop an idea that any return would

not be halted by one positive test, but risk assessment and what happens

with multiple positives are among the issues still to be decided.

Talks with the NBA players union showed positive support for resuming the

season, according to the report.

"Safety obviously 1st!" Dudley tweeted. "Nowhere will be as safe as the NBA

compound site they determine."

Exactly what format might be used for an NBA comeback has not been decided,

ESPN reported, with the possibility of all 30 teams playing to finish the

regular season or not and perhaps an expanded playoffs with a play-in for

teams beyond the usual 16 spots.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.26

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. -

Aristotle