One of the Philippines' largest broadcasters, ABS-CBN, has been refused a new licence after being forced off air in May.
Government critics say the refusal is directly connected to the channel's criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte. In particular
the broadcaster had refused to broadcast Duterte's campaign ads in 2016.
On Friday, an overwhelming majority of a parliamentary committee rejected as undeserving ABS-CBN's request for a 25-year extension of its franchise.
Phil Robertson,
deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, commented:
This is a black day for media freedom in a country previously regarded as a bastion of press freedom and democracy in the region, Today's vote to deny the
franchise renewal is an astounding display of obsequious behaviour by Congressional representatives, kowtowing to Duterte by agreeing to seriously limit media freedom in the Philippines.
Although a commercial operation, ABS-CBN is very
similar to the BBC. With more than 70 years of TV and radio history, it has shaped the Filipino psyche with entertainment and news programmes for all of the family. But like the BBC, its critics say it represents the rich and powerful, as an old,
mainstream media offering, is out of touch with the will of social media users here
Internationally-renowned director Lav Diaz has joined other committed local filmmakers in calling for the scrapping of the repressive Presidential Decree No. 1986 created by the late Philippins dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which is still in effect through
the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
House Bill No. 6425, introduced recently in the lower House seeks to transform the current MTRCB into a film and classification body.
The bill is twenty two years
overdue, said Diaz, citing the 1987 Constitution which enshrined freedom of expression in the Bill of Rights.
Under the proposed bill, the ominous “X” rating ban, which stifles freedom of expression, will be replaced by a Certified Not For
Regular Theatrical Release classification.
Two House panels have formed a technical working group that will review proposals to abolish the Philippines Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
A statement posted on the House of Representatives Web site said Manila
Rep. Bienvenido Abante. Jr will chair the group, which was created by the committees on Public information and Government Reorganization. The group will reconcile provisions in House Bills 2294 and 3584, which propose to do away with the MTRCB and amend
Presidential Decree 1986, which created the body.
Abante, author of HB 2294, said his bill aims to replace the 30-member MTRCB board with a 30-member committee that will review and classify motion picture, television and cable television
materials. Policy-making, meanwhile, will be done by another 10-member Commission, he said.
The MTRCB has not shown a determined, positive and sustained effort to exercise and uphold its powers, and it is of public knowledge that programs
which are considered immoral, indecent, contrary to law and/or good customs continued unabated to the detriment of the people, Abante said.
Citing surveys, Abante said many crimes against chastity, persons and property have been committed due
to the influence of certain media continuously being shown and sold in the country.
One of the Philippines' largest broadcasters, ABS-CBN, has been refused a new licence after being forced off air in May. 
Internationally-renowned director Lav Diaz has joined other committed local filmmakers in calling for the scrapping of the repressive Presidential Decree No. 1986 created by the late Philippins dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which is still in effect through
the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). 