Sale of RPN-9, IBC-13 in the works, says Coloma

MANILA, Philippines -  Malacanang said yesterday the sale of television networks RPN 9 and IBC 13 is in the works but assured employees that their salaries and benefits would not be affected.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma told reporters that the Aquino administration was committed to privatize the two sequestered broadcast networks.

In an ambush interview following the signing of a memorandum of cooperative undertaking between PCOO and the Ad Foundation chaired by Ruperto Nicdao Jr. of the Makabayang Pilipino campaign, Coloma said the privatization program for these networks would be done through competitive bidding and would be done as soon as possible.

Coloma gave his assurance that the government will “protect the employees’ rights and honor their collective bargaining agreement to the extent that resources of the networks allow.”

“Nothing will happen to them (employees). They are still there, their salaries are full, their benefits are full, status quo. Nothing changed. The only thing that will change are the programs, what will come out on the screen. But the employees will stay in their places, their employment is secured, they remain as employees of the network. There is no impact on the employees,” Coloma explained.

Coloma said the Privatization Council headed by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is now working out the sale of the government’s stake in these broadcast networks in keeping with the President’s desire to privatize them.

The council is composed of the Department of Finance, the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry and the Privatization Management Office.

The networks have been sequestered and have been put on the auction block since 1986, when the Presidential Commission on Good Government took over. But no sale has been made until now and the President wants to dispose of them as soon as possible, Coloma said, adding that government is mandated to operate only one broadcast network, the People’s Television 4.

He said Solar Entertainment, 34 percent owner of RPN 9, is just going to change the programming of the network into its ETC (Entertainment Channel) but would offer this cable program in free TV.

Solar will have to honor the CBA reached with the union to the extent the resources will allow, Coloma said.