A former history professor of De La Salle University opposed the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN and explained why President Rodrigo Duterte would get nothing if the television network closes.
On a lengthy recirculated Facebook post in 2019, prominent historian Van Ybiernas doesn’t believe that President Duterte is opposing the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN because he wanted to take revenge, as his term is already near the end.
He believes that Duterte is not the only politician who doesn’t like ABS-CBN; that’s why the company is having difficulties in pushing their franchise renewal.
According to him, the television network should answer congress why they deserve to get a franchise renewal.
“Hindi naman dahil nandyan na ang ABS-CBN ay dapat automatic i-renew ang prangkisa nila. Hindi naman rubber stamp ng ABS-CBN ang kongreso. So imbes na tanungin kung bakit huwag dapat i-renew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN dapat sagutin NILA kung bakit sila dapat i-renew,” Ybiernas said.
“Napaka pathetic actually ng kampanya ng ABS-CBN para marenew ang prangkisa nila: para silang pulitiko na nireremind ang lahat ng “natulungan” nila na iboto sila sa eleksyon.”
“Masyadong trapo mag-isip ang ABS-CBN,”
“Hindi ba dapat ipakita nila kung bakit karapat-dapat i-renew ang prangkisa nila?”
“Tumupad ba sila sa standards ng journalism at media? Ethical ba ang doing business nila,”
The historian also said that the main problem of ABS-CBN is their owners because of their conflict with the government.
“Para sa akin ang pinaka sakit ng ABS-CBN ay yung owners nila, ang pamilya Lopez. Anlaki ng atraso nila sa gobyerno. Lalo na sa mga loans na ni-write-off ng mga government financial institutions. Nireklamo din ng pangulo ang kanilang unfair business practices.”
“Samakatuwid, parusa na sa may-ari ng ABS-CBN ang non-renewal ng kanilang prangkisa kung sakali.”
“Ibenta na lang nila ang infrastructure ng ABS-CBN kay Ramon Ang, halimbawa, at sa tingin ko ay masasalba yung network.”
“Kung ayaw naman nila itinda yan, e di antayin na lang na mawala sa ere ang ABS-CBN bago makapasok ang new player na papalit sa kanila.”
According to Ybiernas, if ever that the ABS-CBN franchise doesn’t get a renewal, it would serve a warning to other television networks to be professional.
“Sana lang ituloy na huwag marenew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.”
“Punishment yan at warning sa iba: ayusin ang kanilang how they do business. Propesyunal lang. In fairness, may mga ulol na personalities sa GMA7 at kahit sa TV5 pero walang halong kung ano ano ang pagpapatakbo ng mga network na yun. Propesyunal lang. Kaya di sila binabanatan bilang kabuuan. Yung ilang personalities lang nila ang tinitira, hindi yung network,”
The franchise of ABS-CBN is set to expire in March 2020, and there are only a few politicians who were pushing for its renewal in congress.
Source: Van Ybiernas