Many of the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN—composed of rank and file, professionals, and talents—have continuously suffered anxiety caused by the network’s forced shutdown amid the COVID-19 crisis.
It has been more than a month since the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease-and-desist order against the Kapamilya network after its broadcast franchise expired. And the ongoing Congressional hearings on its renewal seem to be going nowhere with congressmen repeating the same questions on issues already settled.
Since ABS-CBN went off the air, many of its contract artists have publicly shared their support for their home network while they appealed for its franchise renewal.
Some took part in the online campaign initiative called #LabanKapamilya where they shared photos of themselves with a clenched fist over their chests.
They also organized a Facebook live rally with artists calling out for support for the embattled network.
Actress Kim Chiu and actor Coco Martin became the target of trolls after they expressed support for ABS-CBN. While they face criticisms, the two have remained steadfast in their support for their home network.
While some artists remain loyal to ABS-CBN, some are already looking at their options as Congress continues to drag its feet on the network’s franchise renewal.
According to a source of Philstar, some talents are secretly deciding on transferring networks. The reason behind this is because some of them are breadwinners of their family and they must earn money to support their families.
To quote, “Parang sa mundo ng pulitika ang nangyayari ngayon, may mga lihim na meeting, may mga nagbabanta nang lumundag sa kabilang bakod.”
“Ang katwiran nila, e, paano naman ang mga taong sa kanila lang umaasa ng biyaya, hindi nila gustong magutom ang mga taong mahal nila, kaya kailangan na nilang gumawa ng paraan.”
With ABS-CBN still in a critical situation, it forces some of its employees to make decisions they might not want to.
