Spokesperson Harry Roque claimed that government-run news agencies are enough to spread news and information across the country and believed that ABS-CBN’s closure left no ‘void’.
ABS-CBN used to have 53 regional television and radio network groups all over the country broadcasting in 6 different dialects. However, all of these ceased broadcast as Congress denied the network’s bid for a fresh 25-year franchise.
Being the biggest media network in the country, ABS-CBN has a very wide reach and scope.
Ex-Vice President Jejomar Binay pointed out the ‘vacuum’ that resulted from the shutdown of the Kapamilya network. He believes that the void ” has yet to be filled by the other networks”.
Binay shared that there were instances where Filipinos left uninformed about the threat imposed by Typhoon Rolly and did not receive orders to evacuate.
“This early, there are anecdotal stories of residents who were caught off-guard, unaware of the super typhoon’s destructive nature, and orders from local authorities to evacuate,” he said in a statement.
He then hopes that the government should learn from this experience, that negative impacts of political decisions and biases impact the citizens immensely.
“This experience should give us all a vital lesson. That political decisions, especially those intended to exact a steep price for criticisms of government policies and personalities or to redress a real or imagined personal insult, can have far-reaching and even tragic consequences on the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” he added.
However, Roque disproved this statement and said that government-run news agencies gave enough updates regarding the by far world’s strongest typhoon for 2020, Rolly.
“Gumagana po iyong communication infrastructure ng gobyerno sa panahon ng aberya so sa tingin ko po wala namang vacuum.”
He also said that private news agencies are doing their job in spreading news and information update during this calamity.
“Sa tingin ko naman po, walang nagkaroon ng communication vacuum.”
At this time, where news and information are essential, most especially in raising awareness towards the threats of Typhoon Rolly and another incoming storm, ABS-CBN could’ve been a good source of it.
Former Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said that the Filipinos were in the dark because of the shutdown as ABS-CBN could’ve helped in spreading awareness regarding the Typhoon.
You know what could have helped disseminate information about the incoming storm and how to get ready for it?@ABSCBNNews
But they were denied a franchise…
So now many people are in the dark…
— Goyo Y. Larrazabal (@GoyoYLarrazabal) October 31, 2020
Recently, OCD Director USEC Ric Jalad pleaded with media agencies to spread updates regarding Typhoon Rolly to all communities, including rural areas because he is worried that they will be left uninformed.
His request has drawn reactions from journalists who recalled how Congress heartlessly denied ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Not to discredit other networks, but let’s admit that ABS-CBN’s reach is very wide which could’ve been a good media to spread updates. However, as the network mostly utilizes online platforms for now, indeed there is a gap, and with this, some innocent people will become victims of calamities.
