Support and sympathy poured on Kapamilya employee Annie Perez-Gallardo when she shared that everyone, including media personnel were affected by Super Typhoon Odette on Monday, December 20.

As shared by fellow Kapamilya journalist Jojo Pasion Malig, Gallardo was in Cebu, which was also hit hard by the super typhoon.

According to Gallardo, unlike before, when ABS-CBN was still on the air, the reporters such as herself had little or no problem–in covering or delivering news in affected areas. However, due to the Network’s shutdown–it resulted in limited resources, they struggled to continue providing information.

https://twitter.com/JojoMalig/status/1472463165367668738?s=20

Gallardo also stressed that media are not useless whenever affected regions are covered. They too were also caught in the situation.

Meanwhile, fellow Kapamilyas sympathized with Gallardo.
Kapamilya journalist Mike Navallo stressed that “no aerial inspection” could replace the impact of regional reporters providing real-time coverage of what was happening during the onslaught of Odette. He then noted that Filipinos do not need photo ops but “tunay na malasakit sa bayan.”

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte earlier on Saturday have conducted an aerial inspection of the regions affected by Odette along with Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go who shared photos and videos of the inspection.

Kapamilya employee Rachel Hermosura reiterated Gallardo’s situation. She urged netizens should refrain from judging and understand the situation of journalists who were also dealing with the aftermath of Odette instead.

Situations like Gallardo made fellow Kapamilya reporter Jacque Manabat miss ABS-CBN Regional Network Group who got affected by the Network’s shutdown in 2020.

Karen Davila also pointed the importance of ABS-CBN to the public, especially during calamities.

TV personality Justin Dizon then shared the photos of the 70 congressmen who denied ABS-CBN its franchise as he said, “Ang laki ng kasalanan ng mga ‘to sa mga Pilipino.”

Actress Agot Isidro also believed that ABS-CBN’s absence was really felt during Odette’s landfall and blamed the lack of information to the congressmen and their “puppet master” for rejecting the Kapamilya Network’s franchise renewal.

Rep. Carlos Zarate clapped back at people who said that they do not need ABS-CBN by asking them to repeat what they have said knowing that 200 and more individuals have been killed.

Similar to personalities and Kapamilya journalists who reminisced the time when Typhoon Rolly made Filipinos realize the importance of ABS-CBN, Kevin Manalo a former Kapamilya employee, also recalled how ABS-CBN prior to its shutdown was extremely visible during calamities.

Nick Villavecer, another former employee of ABS-CBN, stressed that media workers were also typhoon victims who were working to provide news “despite the limited resources.”

Although ABS-CBN has been shut down for more than a year, it still offers a lending hand to the victims through its very own foundation and via its Christmas Special Andito Tayo Para Sa Isa’t Isa: The ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2021.

For donations, ABS-CBN has provided its bank accounts for the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation to provide relief for Typhoon Odette victims.