Angel Locsin took to Instagram on Tuesday to air her sentiments on the shutdown of the country’s largest network, ABS-CBN.
On July 10, Congress killed ABS-CBN’s application for a new franchise after thirteen hearings. In a vote of 70 against 11, ABS-CBN failed to win the votes of the legislative franchise committee members.
Following the expiration of its congressional franchise on May 4, 2020, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease-and-desist order demanding ABS-CBN go off the air. Two of its broadcast platforms were also shut by to separate CDOs on June 30.
The Kapamilya actress said she was saddened and enraged by ABS-CBN’s current situation.
She wrote, “It took a while before I was able to compose myself and feel how I actually felt about the situation. Alam ko I am sad, alam ko I am angry. Pero may pakiramdam ako ng panghihinayang na hindi ko naiintindihan kung saan nanggagaling nung simula. Ngayon po na-realize ko kung saan nanggagaling ang lahat ng emosyon na ito.”
She added, “Ito na sana ang chance para maayos ng ating gobyerno ang entertainment industry.”
“I was genuinely hoping that we could turn this into an opportunity to fix the industry’s issues. Hindi lang po sa ABS-CBN, kundi ang kabuohan. Though, to be honest, malaki na po ang improvement kumpara nung nagsisimula palang po ako. Katulad ng working hours, contracts, etc. Pero aminado po ako na marami pa rin pong bagay sa entertainment industry ang kailangan pang ayusin, gaya ng ibang nirereklamo ng ibang laborers.
“But those 70 congressmen chose to shut down the network instead of standing up for the people and fix those problems.
“What’s the purpose of those testimonies from laborers fighting for their rights kung dito lang magtatapos? Hindi rin naman sila natulungan. Pinagsalita lang pero iniwan lang rin sa ere. In the end, we, in the entertainment industry, especially the day to day earners, kagaya ng crew, were still denied of the opportunity to work in better labor conditions.”
She further explained, “Kumbaga sa health, may sakit po ang entertainment industry. At nalagay ang ating mga kongresista sa sitwasyon na gabayan at ayusin sana. But sadly, the congress chose a rigid path, pulled the plug and ignored the plea of the entertainment people. They chose the easy way out instead of curing the disease.”
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Angel asked, “Bakit dinamay ang karamihan sa personal vendetta ng iilan? Totoong serbisyo para sa tao ba ang ginagawa o gumaganti lang dahil na-expose ang ilang pagkakamali nila?”
At the end of her statement, Angel implied she chooses to fight for ABS-CBN despite the odds.
“Kaya ako lumalaban, kahit mahirap at tagilid, kailangan ng mga kasama ko ang karamay ngayon, higit kailan man. Naniniwala akong hindi mawawalan ng saysay ang lahat…dahil tatatak ito sa kasaysayan and we, the Filipino people will never forget ❤️💚💙” she ended.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano lately defended his colleagues saying that the move is for the benefit of the Filipino people.
In a July 13 Facebook post, Cayetano claimed the death of ABS-CBN follows the current administration’s promise to “[level] the playing field.”
“We simply put an end to the privilege of one family in using a public resource to protect and promote their private interest was part of the changes that the Duterte administration has vowed to bring to the country,” Cayetano said.
