JIMMY BONDOC
ISANG napakahabang mensahe ang ipinost ng singer na si Jimmy Bondoc sa Facebook matapos harangin ng House of Representatives ang panukalang batas para mapalawig ang legislative franchise ng ABS-CBN Network.
Isang artwork ang ibinahagi ng Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group ng Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) sa Facebook tungkol sa pagkaka-freeze ng franchise ng ABS-CBN.
Narito ang ilang bahagi ng FB status ni Jimmy na talagang isinabay niya sa pagdiriwang ng Independence Day.
“Ayaw natin may mawalan ng trabaho. Hindi yan mangyayari kung susunod ang mga network sa BASIC RULES and LAWS. They can show GOOD FAITH by: paying debts, complying with labor laws, changing their harmful internal culture, DEPOLITICIZING THE NEWS, and more.
“What does this have to do with Independence? Ang kasarinlan ay galing sa salitang ‘sarili.’ It is about the right to self-determine, to define our laws and customs FREE FROM UNWELCOME INTERVENTION.
“But for decades, our culture has been watered down, through the meddling of VARIOUS private and foreign interests. Why? Because Hegemons (look it up please) have used pop culture / arts to dominate over countries like ours.
“Their hegemony is so well-executed that most of us DON’T KNOW that we are being manipulated. If it were too easy to detect, e di nabuking na sila matagal na. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a dose of Aladdin or the Avengers. Good work is good work.
“But once our own arts succumb to the overreach of foreign politics, hollywood, or the many other hegemons, we can literally die. Our culture can die. Diversity can die,” pahayag ni Jimmy.
Ipinagdiinan pa ng OPM singer na nasa kamay na ng network kung sila’y magiging fair and just sa lahat ng kanilang empleyado.
“I hope these major networks may have a change of heart. It is really up to them.
“Technically, it is up to Congress. Hindi naman sa Presidente, who can only approve or veto. But practically, it is up to the networks themselves, if they would finally decide to be fair and just.
Real Independence is Real Hard. Politically, we are getting there fast! But culturally, we are a work in progress.
“Forgive me for hurting many people unintentionally. I am primarily an artist, still. A minor artist at that. But it is my right to wish for the next generation a BETTER culture and environment for artists, where the sincerest and the most hardworking are rewarded, where real Filipino culture is promoted, where songs and movies etc. that ACCURATELY DEPICT the Filipino soul are promoted globally.
“Yan ang Independence Day, para po sa akin. The right to have a Sarili.”
Matagal nang sinasabi ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na haharangin niya ang pagre-renew ng franchise ABS-CBN. Ito’y dahil na rin sa hindi pagpapalabas ng Kapamilya Network sa political ad ng pangulo noong 2016 presidential elections kahit daw bayad na ito.
Noong December, 2017 naman, nasabi ni Digong na pwede rin siyang makipag-compromise sa ABS-CBN kung tutulong ito sa kanyang kampanya na mabago ang gobyerno sa Pilipinas mula Presidential patungo sa pagiging Pederalismo.