Grant of Radio Broadcasting Franchise to Manila Gas Corp.

June 19, 1959

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 2279

AN ACT GRANTING THE MANILA GAS CORPORATION A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE PRIVATE FIXED POINT-TO-POINT AND LAND BASED RADIO STATIONS AND LAND MOBILE SERVICE FOR THE RECEPTION AND TRANSMISSION OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES.

SECTION 1.  There is hereby granted to the Manila Gas Corporation, its successors or assigns, a franchise to construct, maintain and operate in the Philippines, at such places as the Corporation may select, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, private fixed point-to-point and land based radio stations and land mobile service for the reception and transmission of wireless messages on radio-telegraphy or radio-telephony.

SECTION 2.  The President of the Philippines shall have the power and authority to permit the location of said private fixed point-to-point and land based radio stations and land mobile service on lands of the public domain upon such terms as he may prescribe.

SECTION 3.  The grantee shall not engage in domestic business of telecommunications in the Philippines without further special assent of the Congress of the Philippines, it being understood that the purpose of this franchise is to secure to the grantee the right to construct, install, maintain and operate radio stations within the Philippines as the interest of the Corporation and of its business may justify. cd i

SECTION 4.  The franchise shall be for a period of twenty-five years from the date of its approval: Provided, That the holder of the franchise herein granted shall start the operation of at least one station within one year from the approval of this Act, and that the grantee may construct additional stations at such places and times as the interest and business of the Corporation may so require.

SECTION 5.  The grantee shall so construct and operate its radio stations as not to interfere with the operation of other stations maintained and operated in the Philippines.

SECTION 6.  The grantee is authorized to operate its private radio stations on the frequency and/or frequencies assigned to it by the Secretary of Public Works and Communications.

SECTION 7.  A special right is hereby reserved to the President of the Philippines in time of war, insurrection, public peril, calamity or disaster to cause the closing of the grantee's radio stations or to authorize the temporary use or possession thereof by any department of the government, upon payment of just compensation.

SECTION 8.  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.

SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 19, 1959

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 55, No. 31, p. 5979 on August 3, 1959