FILIPINO stars and personalities took to social media to decry Philippine Congress’ decision to keep ABS-CBN off air.
The show of support comes after a House of Representatives panel on Friday, July 10 denied the bills seeking to grant the broadcast giant a fresh 25-year franchise.
“We can’t always control what happens around us, but we can control how we react. For myself, I choose optimism rather than vengeance and hate. In every crisis, there is opportunity. We need to take the time to figure out what that’ll be. Tomorrow is another day. Must create,” said international singer Lea Salonga in a tweet.
She added that she sat at her kitchen table in stunned silence for much of the day trying to make sense of things.
“I ask for kindness please, not for myself, but for everyone else hurting today,” the singer said.
TV Presenters Gretchen Ho and Karen Davila, in separate tweets, said to remember July 10.
“Let us remember this day in history. Maraming salamat (Thank you very much), Kapamilya. In the service of the Filipino, we remain,” Ho said.
Davila, meanwhile, wrote: “HISTORY. Remember this day. ABSCBN has been shut down twice.”
Several ABS-CBN stars also addressed the lawmakers that voted to adopt the rejection.
“We voted for our lawmakers into power hoping that they will act for the greater good.
But what happened today? What happened to the 13 hearings? ABS-CBN proved na walang violations ang nagawa. Why are we experiencing this? Why now? Why not help each other for the better?” asked Kim Chiu.
“Nangako naman na aayusin ang mali. Para saan pa at nag-hearing. Para mapahiya? Sorry for my words pero sobrang grabe lang po talaga ang nangyari (They promised to fix the mistakes. What were those hearings for? To humiliate? Sorry for my words but what happened was too much),” she added.
“Sa 70 plus na ayaw i-renew ang ABS-CBN… bakit po? Bakit? (To the 70 plus who didn’t want to renew ABS-CBN…Why?)” asked Maja Salvador.
“The 11 who voted for the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN. Maraming salamat po sa inyo (Thank you very much to all of you),” said Jake Cuenca.
GMA artists Gabbi Garcia and Barbie Forteza offered comfort through hugs.
“Yakap (Hug),” Garcia tweeted, while Fortez wrote, “Isang mahigpit na yakap (One tight hug).”
Comedian and actor Ramon Bautista, on the other hand, asked the Congress to provide jobs to the 11,000 displaced ABS-CBN workers.
“Congress baka pwede man lang gumawa ng moves para makagawa ng trabaho para sa mga nawalan (Congress, maybe you can make some moves to create jobs for those who lost theirs),” he said.
Musician Johnoy Danao accused those who voted to deny ABS-CBN a new franchise as “representatives of the Palace,” not of the people.
“Tanungin mo kung bakit na-deny ang ABS-CBN dun sa 70, sigurado walang matinong maisasagot kasi walang nilabag ang network. Walang basehan, nautusan lang.
Representative ng palasyo, hindi ng mamamayan (If you ask those 70 why ABS-CBN was denied, it’s guaranteed they won’t be able to give decent answers because the network didn’t break the law. No basis, they were just asked. Representatives of the Palace, not of the people),” he wrote.
Radio DJ Mo Twister also stressed that showing support isn’t about associating with ABS-CBN.
“I’ve said this a lot the past few weeks. It’s not about whether you associate yourself as a [Kapamilya]. It should be about being united in acknowledging that hijo de p*ta is a dictator wielding power cuz of a personal vendetta. It doesn’t matter who the target is,” he said.
Voting 70 to 11, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises adopted the recommendation of its technical working group to deny ABS-CBN a new franchise. Two congressmen inhibited while one abstained.
The network stopped its operations on May 5 in compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission’s cease and desist order due to the expiration of its congressional franchise.
The order directed ABS-CBN to shut down its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide “absent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law.”
Republic Act No. 7966, which granted the network a 25-year franchise to operate TV and radio broadcasting stations expired on May 4, 2020.
