THE House of Representatives Committee of the Whole just approved a bill that gives ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until October. Filed by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, this allows the House to focus on addressing the Covid-19 crisis while giving them sufficient time to tackle the 25-year franchise application.
“Through this measure, we hope to strike a balance between the immediate needs of the people amid this crisis, and the duty of Congress to ensure accountability to our present laws,” reads the bill.
Once finalized in the House, the bill will be sent to the Senate.
Maraming salamat to the Congress for this small victory.
I have worked with ABS-CBN for almost 14 years now. It is a career I love and I have lots of friends who think that my work is glamorous because I get to hobnob with the country’s biggest stars. I won’t lie: yes, it is, judging from the times—only the few and far between—I do get to mingle with them. But most of the time, I and the thousands of employees of the network go about our work just like a normal 9-to-5 job.
But the difference from many careers is that in working at ABS-CBN, you get the feeling that you are not only working for yourself. You are working for your family, you are working for an entire nation. Scratch that. You are also working with your family, and you are also working with an entire nation.
My mother, who passed away when I was young, was a passionate woman. In her own little way, she fought the oppression of martial law and participated inthe first People Power. This, she said, was her way of giving us hope, by contributing to a strong democracy that is a country with decent institutions, a government for the people, and a society that protects and cherishes freedom. Beliefs that must be carefully guarded by all who call themselves Filipinos.
In light of the cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against ABS-CBN, a lot of personalities have spoken out. Among them are Coco Martin, Judy Ann Santos, Kim Chiu, Cherry Pie Picache, Agot Isidro, Bela Padilla, John Prats, Rowell Santiago, Raymart Santiago, directors Dan Villegas and Antonette Jadaone, Michael de Mesa, Angel Locsin, Angelica Panganiban, Jodi Sta. Maria, Angel Aquino, Shaina Magdayao, Enchong Dee, Boy Abunda, Kim Atienza, Bianca Gonzalez and Jaime Fabregas via a Facebook live event.
It is obvious that on the surface, their message was about bringing back ABS-CBN. They all had different ways of conveying their sentiments. Angelica Panganiban in particular was appealing that the real enemy is the coronavirus. Cherry Pie Picache was from the point of view of a mother and John Prats, from a father.
Of course, anti-ABS-CBN people had a field day with some of the speakers. They ridiculed Kim Chiu because at one point, she became incoherent. She talked about rules inside a classroom and rambled on. Barely no one understood her, even herself as she posted in her social-media accounts the following day. But she explained it was because she became so emotional. She even laughed at herself. This made me admire Kim even more. After all, she is only human who can make mistakes.
Perhaps Angel Locsin said it best: “We are asking for a fair chance na ’yun naman po ang gusto ng Kongreso, na yun naman po ang gusto ng Senado. Tamang oras para sa tamang paglilitis. Ngayon naman po, kung sakali pong mapatunayan na may pagkakasala ang ABS-CBN, tama po kayo. Ang batas ay batas na dapat pong sundin. Kung meron pong pagkakamali, ayusin. Kung sino man ang nagkasala, parusahan. Pero ayusin po natin ang mali.”
Many people are already disheartened with what’s happening in the country in general. Demoralized even because of the nasty effects of the pandemic. And I am one of them. These are turbulent times indeed. But this recent development in Congress has made me optimistic about the future.
Hopefully, people would realize this issue isn’t just about the actors, or only the ABS-CBN employees. This is for the entire nation because in the end, we are forever Kapamilyas.