Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile is popular among netizens as the face of “immortal” memes but on Tuesday’s (May 19) Senate hearing, he became trending on Twitter Philippines for his remarks on why there is an urgency to tackle ABS-CBN’s franchise bill as one of the resource speakers.
The 96-year-old former lawmaker said that he doesn’t think that the network’s franchise is an urgent matter as people in the country can still be reached via radio.
Enrile said, “ngayon, ang urgency ba niyan ay dahil kailangan malaman ng ating mga kababayan ang nangyayari sa ating bansa? My God, the nooks and corners of this republic is rich. Not by television but by radio. Our people know what’s going on all over the country because of radio.”
However, many people in the Philippines who rely on radio just lost their biggest source of news because of ABS-CBN’s shutdown.
The Kapamilya network’s general counsel, Atty. Mario Bautista, shared during the Senate hearing that the NTC’s cease and desist order (CDO) covers not just ABS-CBN channel 2, but other radio and TV stations that are situated in mountainous and coastal areas across the country. These include 5 AM radio stations, 18 FM radio stations, 42 TV stations, and 10 digital terrestrial (DTT) stations.
Moreover, according to an SWS 2019 survey, 15% or 9.7 million Filipinos access the news through radio, while 60% or 40 million Filipinos get their news from television. And which network has the widest reach in both radio and television in the Philippines? ABS-CBN.
This only means that NTC’s order to shutdown ABS-CBN Channel 2 and its other radio and TV stations has pulled the plug on a major source of news and information for Filipinos. There are now less sources of news, especially to those who live in far-flung areas that only ABS-CBN can reach. And depriving Filipinos to access timely news and information makes the ABS-CBN franchise bill an urgent matter.
Sen. Win Gatchalian, who was chairing the hearing, highlighted the crucial role of media by saying that information is very important to educate and help the public survive COVID-19.
Sen. Miguel Zubiri also understood the importance of ABS-CBN to maintain its frequencies so they can continue to give Filipinos access to real-time news and information.
So do “people know what’s going on all over the country because of radio?”
It doesn’t seem like it.
Since the network’s closure on May 5, people have started to feel the impact of ABS-CBN’s absence. Over the weekend, netizens revealed that some residents who live in remote areas in Quezon and Aurora weren’t able to prepare for typhoon Ambo because their homes can only capture broadcast signals from ABS-CBN, which has ceased to operate.
Other netizens have also chimed in the discussion. Twitter user @drexgmiranda wrote, “kahit dito sa Bicol sa Bulan Sorsogon ABS-CBN ang pinapanuod sobrang hirap kasi di alam balita sa bagyo.”
https://twitter.com/drexgmiranda/status/1260987446260449280
Another netizen (@mikayfabian) tweeted, “nakakalungkot. Sa panahon pa talaga ngaun nawala ang ABS-CBN, isa ito sa pinagkukunan ng impormasyon sa isla namin kase ito ang may malakas na signal dun. Nangangapa kung anona, at gaano kalakas ang bagyo. Mabibigla nalang na humahagupit na.”
nakakalungkot, Sa panahon pa tlaga ngaun nawala ang ABS CBN, isa ito sa pinagkukunan ng impormasyon sa isla nmin. kase ito ang may malakas na signal dun. nangangapa kung ano na, at gaano kalakas ang bagyo. mabibigla nalang na humahagupit na. @ANCALERTS @ABSCBNNews
— Mikmik (@mikayfabian) May 15, 2020
Those are the words of struggling Filipinos who have been affected by ABS-CBN’s shutdown.
More typhoons will certainly ravage the Philippines. The country’s battle with COVID-19 is far from over. So how will Filipinos survive these challenges if a major news source is gone? Ilan nalang kaya na may alam ang makakaligtas?
If more Filipinos will continue to struggle to access news due to ABS-CBN’s absence, then it clearly makes ABS-CBN’s franchise bill a matter that needs urgent action so it can continue to deliver news and information to Filipinos across the country.
