Angel Locsin can’t help but think about the massive impact the forced closure of ABS-CBN has on its 11,000 employees throughout the country.
Angel then shared, if there are 11,000 who are currently unemployed, multiply it by Php 5,000 (worth of Social Amelioration Program of the DSWD), then the DSWD has yet to prepare another Php 55 Million worth of help.
“Ako’y napapaisip.. Kung may 11,000 na nawalan ng trabaho..x Php5,000… Php 55 MILLION pa ang kailangang ihanda ng DSWD pang ayuda? Tama po ba? Not to mention jobs.. Bababa rin ang chances ng karamihan to find work.. Sayang at magagamit pa sa iba ang budget sa panahong to,” Angel @143redangel tweeted.
https://twitter.com/143redangel/status/1257783063225888768
User @jayemz6 asked Angel why she is blaming the government where in fact it was ABS-CBN’s negligence she claimed.
https://twitter.com/jayemz6/status/1257854706149289985
User @Nicols_vlog said Angel should be out of the picture when it comes to the shutdown.
Ms angel. Bakit po kaw ung galit na galit bakit ung management ng abs ay tahimik dapat po sila ang mag kusang kumilos kung ayaw nilang mawalan ng trabaho ang mga empleyado ng abs. Oo empleyado ka ng abs pero labas kana sa usapin nayan.
— Nicols Vlog (@nicols_vlog) May 6, 2020
User @RNWebe says Law is absolutely the law.
https://twitter.com/RNwebe/status/1257885192821157889
Angel naman oh, may 3 months pa binanggit. Besides, naniniwala ako na maayos ng ABS-CBN to. Mag comply nalang sila para sa mahal nilang 11K employees. Para naman kasing gusto nio magsimula ng revolution nyan eh
— takz_ (@takz_takz_takz) May 5, 2020
Netizens pointed out that ABS-CBN is a top tax contributor.
And lets not forget na ang abscbn ay isa sa top contributor nang tax sa bansa
— Felix
(@IamFELIXthesix) May 5, 2020
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN on Tuesday, May 5, a day after its congressional franchise expired.
The NTC told the network to end all television and radio broadcasting operations.
ABS-CBN was also given 10 days’ grace period to explain why the frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the NTC’s order is “immediately executory, but still appealable to the courts.”
Republic Act No. 7966 was enacted in March 1995 and granted the Lopez-led network a franchise to operate for 25 years, but Congress failed to act on its renewal. The franchise expired last May 4, 2020.
Solicitor General Jose Calida has warned the NTC against giving ABS-CBN the provisional authority to operate while its franchise renewal is still in the works.
Several Kapamilya took to Twitter with the same sentiments as Angel.
Bianca Gonzalez questioned the Congress’ and Senate’s authority on the matter.
Didn't Congress already allow operations to continue while the renewal was being reviewed….? And didn't Senate look into the case via a hearing and found everything in order..? https://t.co/vUyBcYSK3g
— Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) May 5, 2020
Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez initiated the changing of display picture to show support for the network.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/R42ECZdE7e
— regine alcasid (@reginevalcasid) May 5, 2020
News Anchor Karen Davila asked why shutting down ABS-CBN was government’s main goal when the country is facing a pandemic and an economic crisis.
Sa dami ng problema ng Pilipinas… sa dami ng nagkakasakit at namamatay sa Covid… sa laki ng problema ngayon sa ekonomiya..sa dami ng nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa covid..
Talagang pagpapatigil ng ABSCBN ang inatupag nila. Hindi ko maintindihan kung nasaan ang mga puso nito.
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) May 5, 2020
While ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal is still pending in the Congress, ABS-CBN employees, all 11,000 thousand of them affected by the closure, could be referred to DOLE for assistance says Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
Roque said he will reach out to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III about the concerns of ABS-CBN workers amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. However, according to him, the program is only dedicated to workers with continuous employment who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
“Baka maipasok po natin sila sa programa ng SMEs (small, medium entrepreneurs) para makakuha sila ng panandaliang dalawang buwan na ayuda,” Roque said.
“Dahil itong pangyayari naman po ay nawalan sila ng trabaho na hindi nila ninais. Hindi naman sila nag-resign. Hindi naman voluntarily nag-shutdown ang ABS-CBN,” he added.
