Grant of Radio Broadcasting Franchise to University of San Agustin

June 19, 1965

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4353

AN ACT GRANTING THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN A FRANCHISE TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A RADIO BROADCASTING STATION IN THE CITY OF ILOILO

SECTION 1. Subject to 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, San Agustin University is hereby granted a franchise to establish, maintain and operate a radio broadcasting station in the City of Iloilo.

SECTION 2. This franchise shall continue for a period of twenty-five years from the approval of this Act, and is granted upon the express condition that it shall be void unless the construction of such radio station be begun within six months from the date of approval of this Act and completed within two years from said date.

SECTION 3. This franchise is likewise granted upon the express condition that the grantee shall contribute to the public welfare, assist in the function of public information and education, conform to the ethics of honest enterprise, and shall not use its station for the dissemination of deliberately false information or willful misrepresentation, or to the detriment of public health, or to incite, encourage or assist in subversive or treasonable acts.

SECTION 4. The grantee's radio broadcasting station shall not be put in actual operation until the Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall have allotted to the grantee the frequency and wave length to be used under this franchise and issued to the grantee a license for such use. acd

SECTION 5. The radio broadcasting station of the grantee shall be so constructed and operated and the wave length so selected as to avoid interference with existing radio stations and thereby permit the expansion of the grantee's service.

SECTION 6. A special right is reserved to the President of the Philippines in time of war, rebellion, public peril, calamity, disaster or disturbance of peace or order, to cause the closing of said station or to authorize the temporary use and operation thereof by any department of the Government without compensating the grantee for such use during the period when they shall be so operated.

SECTION 7. The grantee shall be liable to pay the same taxes, unless exempted therefrom, 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.

SECTION 8. The franchise hereby granted shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when the public interest so requires.

SECTION 9. Acceptance of this franchise shall be given in writing by the grantee within six months after the approval of this Act. When so accepted, the grantee shall be empowered to exercise the privilege granted thereby.

SECTION 10. The grantee shall not lease, transfer, grant the usufruct of, sell or assign this franchise nor the rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation or other commercial or legal entity, nor merge with any other company or corporation organized for the same purpose, without the approval of the Congress of the Philippines first hand.

SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 19, 1965

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 62, No. 28, p. 4929 on July 11, 1966