Ed Javier • May 10, 2020
NTC embarrasses President Duterte and Speaker Cayetano
There’s a video that went viral for a while last week and it had nothing to do with TikTok.
The video showed a television anchorwoman grilling National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios regarding the cease-and-desist order (CDO) issued by the NTC headed by longtime Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba.
The order led to the sudden departure of the country’s largest broadcast network, ABS-CBN, from the airwaves.
In that interview, Cabarios justified the NTC move that caught a lot of people by surprise even though it was public knowledge that the network's franchise was set to lapse last May 4.
What surprised – and disgusted many – was the timing and the manner in which the order was served.
The NTC move left many to wonder why the NTC disregarded the interest of the public.
As it did, the NTC and Commissioner Cordoba, exposed two important people to major embarrassment: President Rodrigo Duterte and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
The way we understand it, a regulatory agency is one tasked to protect and advance the interest of the public. When people are locked down in their homes, access to timely information gains major importance.
Knowing they can get hold of the latest news and updates help people calm down. This access reduces their levels of anxiety.
What matters is that the public can get local news 24/7. It also matters that they have a choice of the source of news that match their preference.
True, there are other sources of news. ABS CBN is not the only hub of news and public service.
In fact, at the nationwide level, its broadcast reach – particularly of its radio stations – would pale in comparison with the presence and loyalty that older, more seasoned stations like our home station DZRH have.
ABS CBN’s AM radio arm is present only in three cities outside of Mega Manila. It’s FM stations broadcast from 16 cities outside of it.
Compare this to the reach of DZRH AM stations via its relay stations in 21 key cities outside of the Metropolis. Add to this the reach of its 126 radio stations under the Radyo Natin and Aksyon Radyo brand.
Its three FM stations broadcast from a total of 50 locations outside of Metro Manila, from Baguio in the north to as far as Cotabato and Koronadal in the South.
So, ABS CBN may not have the widest reach. Keep in mind, it has a following, particularly in Metro Manila. The ABS CBN faithful has been unexpectedly deprived of a preferred source of news.
Cordoba and his Deputy Commissioners, sadly, may have miserably failed in its task of advancing and protecting the interest of the public.
We also wonder why the NTC appeared to have gone out of its way to embarrass Speaker Cayetano.
It is clear to the public that an agreement was reached during a hearing in Congress. This was between the House and Commissioner Cordoba that he would give the network provisional authority to operate. That was a covenant made in the halls of a sacred institution.
It is clear that Speaker Cayetano had come up with a good modus vivendi.
Under this arrangement, Congress gets to focus its attention on the urgent matters of life and death – legislation related to the pandemic. At the same time, the issue of the ABS CBN franchise is put to the backburner and the public is not deprived of one source of news.
Speaker Cayetano’s modus vivendi was, at best, Solomonic.
It was, of course, premised on the assumption that Commissioner Cordoba understands the meaning of Word of Honor.
That does not appear to be the case. With unexplained temerity, Cordoba turned his back on his commitment. In so doing, the NTC gave the President and Speaker Cayetano and the House of Representatives a slap in the face.
In the television interview, Cabarios kept advancing the argument that there was no legal basis for the network to keep operating.
He miserably failed to explain why his boss, Cordoba was turning back on a commitment given to the House of Representatives which owns the power to grant franchises.
Or, maybe, Cabarios felt there was no compelling need to explain the slap the NTC and Cordoba gave Speaker Cayetano.
Cordoba and the rest of the Commission must have a powerful backer – or backers.
How else can they virtually spit on the face of our country’s lawmakers.
It was not only Speaker Cayetano and Congress which NTC embarrassed. Cordoba, et. al. also put President Duterte in an awkward situation.
The day the NTC served the CDO, the international community had just marked the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
It is true that the closing down of the network may have nothing to do with putting a gag on Philippine media.
However, it gave the President’s critics a platform from which to hit him on the issue of Press Freedom. The timing of Cordoba's move was bad for the President.
Cordoba et. al. must have also misread the President’s latest moves. It must be recalled that a few days before the NTC’s action, the President had gone public with an apology to two large business groups- the Ayala and the Pangilinan-led conglomerates.
The President earned plaudits for his move to mend fences. This was a boost to the confidence of the business community – something the country badly needed.
The timing of the President’s efforts to reach out to this sector is perfect. In times like this, a leader like him knows he has to rally the Nation, unite it, and get it to collaborate. He must do this if we are to survive the economic impact of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Then, here comes the NTC and Cordoba creating a chilling effect on the business sector with a reckless act.
It appears the NTC does not recognize the fact that it is part of the branch of government headed by the Chief Executive.
It is time for the President to review the composition of this Commission.
It may surprise him to find out that Cordoba has been NTC Commissioner since the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and some of its officials have been there since the time of President Corazon Aquino.
Maybe even longer.
Perhaps, already too long.
Mr. President, it's time to give them the boot.
-o0o-
Ed Javier is a veteran communicator with some 30 years of professional experience both in the private and public sectors. He is also an entrepreneur, political analyst, newspaper columnist and broadcast journalist who has served in several media outfits.