NILAGDAAN na ni President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ang House Bill No. 10122, na inakda nina Quezon 4th District Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan at Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga ng 1st District of Quezon, na nagbibigay ng prangkisa para sa radyo at telebisyon ng Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) sa loob ng 25 taon.

Sinasaad sa nilagdaang Republic Act No. 11680 ni Duterte na…” An Act Granting Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain for educational and other related purposes radio and television broadcasting stations within its campuses in the Province of Quezon.”

Sinasabi rin sa nasabing batas na pinapayagan ang SLSU na magsimula at gamitin ang radio at television broadcasting stations para sa edukasyon, kultural, at sa iba pang kauring dahilan para sa interes ng publiko kung saan ang frequencies at channels ay available para sa radio at television broadcasting, kabilang na ang digital television system, sa pamamagitan ng microwave, satellite at sa iba pang paraan, gayundin ang paggamit ng bagong teknolohiya sa television at radio systems, na may kaukulang technological auxiliaries at facilities, special broadcast at iba pang programa at distribusyon ng mga serbisyo sa loob ng campus sa Lalawigan ng Quezon.

Pinasalamatan ni Tan, na miyembro ng Konggreso sa ikatlong termino ang franchise law na inilarawan niya na nagbibigay kalayaan sa SLSU na maghatid ng serbisyo sa mga marginalized student at sa general public na nakatira sa mga lugar na walang internet.

“The franchise to operate a radio and television stations serves to broaden the SLSU’s coverage and capacities as an effective instrument in information dissemination geared largely to promote community development and facilitate better public service. The law will enable the SLSU to heighten its response to the need to deliver educational services amid the COVID-19 pandemic”, paliwanag ni Tan.

Sa ilalim ng R.A. 11680, ang SLSU ay binibigyan ng mandato na magkoob ng sapat na oras na serbisyo publiko upang magawa ng pamahalaan na maipaabot sa populasyon ang mahahalagang public issues, magkaloob ng maayos at balanseng programa at tumulong sa pagpapakalat ng public information at edukasyon.

Idinagdag pa ni Tan na..” the grant of radio and TV franchise to the SLSU, a premier higher education institution in Quezon Province, is important in light of the UNESCO’s assessment of COVID-19 impact on education, which reveals that so many students enrolled in various higher educational institutions in the Philippines had been affected by the school closures caused by the pandemic.”