REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1927 - AN
ACT GRANTING THE LIWAYWAY PUBLICATIONS, INC., A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT,
MAINTAIN AND OPERATE RADIO BROADCASTING STATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES |
Section
1. Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, as
well as of Act Numbered Three thousand eight hundred forty-six,
entitled "An Act providing for the regulation of radio stations and
radio communications in the Philippine Islands, and for other
purposes;" Act Numbered Three thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, known
as the Radio Broadcasting Law; Commonwealth Act Numbered One hundred
forty-six, known as the Public Service Act, and their amendments, and
other applicable laws, not inconsistent with this Act, the Liwayway
Publications, Inc., is hereby granted a franchise to construct,
maintain and operate for commercial purposes and in the public
interest, radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines: Provided,
That this franchise shall be void unless the construction of at least
one radio broadcasting station be begun within two years from the date
of approval of this Act, and be completed within four years from said
date: Provided, further, That the grantee shall provide adequate public
service time to enable the Government, through the said radio
broadcasting stations, to reach the population on important public
issues; shall assist in the functions of public information and
education; shall conform to the ethics of honest enterprise; and shall
not use its stations for the broadcasting of obscene or indecent
language or speech, or for the dissemination of deliberately false
information or willful misrepresentation, or to the detriment of the
public health, or to incite encourage, or assist in subversive or
treasonable acts. Sec. 2. The grantee shall file a bond in the amount of fifty thousand pesos to guaranty for the full compliance and fulfillment of the conditions under which this franchise is granted.cralaw Sec. 3. In the event of any competing individual, partnership or corporation receiving from the Congress a similar franchise in which there shall be any term or terms more favorable than those herein granted or tending to place the herein grantee at any disadvantage, then such term or terms shall ipso facto become a part of the terms hereof and shall operate equally in favor of the grantee as in the case of said competing individual, partnership or corporation.cralaw Sec. 4. (a) The grantee shall be liable to pay the
same taxes on its real estate, buildings and personal property,
exclusive of the franchise, as other persons or corporations are now or
hereafter may be required by law to pay.cralaw Sec. 5. A special right is reserved to the President of the Philippines, in time of war, rebellion, public peril, emergency, calamity, disaster or disturbance of peace and order, to cause the closing of said stations or to authorize the temporary use and operation thereof by any department of the Government upon due compensation to the grantee for the use of said stations during the period when it shall be so operated.cralaw Sec. 6. In the event that the Government should desire to maintain and operate for itself any or all of the stations herein authorized, the grantee shall return over such station or stations to the Government with all the serviceable equipment therein, at cost, less reasonable depreciation.cralaw Sec. 7. The grantee shall not require any previous
censorship of any speech, play or other matter to be broadcast from its
stations; but if any such speech, play or other matter should
constitute a violation of the law or infringement of a private right,
the grantee shall be free from any liability, civil or criminal, for
such speech, play or other matter: Provided, That the grantee, during
any broadcast, may cut off from ther the speech, play or other matter
being broadcast if the tendency thereof is to propose and/or incite
treason, rebellion or sedition, or the language used therein or the
theme thereof is indecent or immoral. Sec. 9. This franchise shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when the public interest so requires, and shall not be interpreted as an exclusive grant of the privileges herein provided for.cralaw Section 10. This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.cralaw Approved: June 22, 1957 |