‘Sana’y lumambot ang puso ni Duterte sa ABS’

RODRIGO DUTERTE

RELATING it to showbiz, hindi magandang pangitain ang ginawang pagharang ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na maisabatas ang Security of Tenure Bill na pumasa na sa Mababang Kapulungan.

Just when it as a total goodbye to contractualization effective the next day ay saka pa ito v-in-eto ng mismong Presidente who had promised to put an end to “endo.”

Nababahala kami sa magiging implications nito most especially ang mga isyung nakabinbin sa Kongreso tulad ng franchise renewal in favor of ABS-CBN.

Bagama’t sinasabi naman ni Digong that the ball is in the hands of the Lower House at hindi niya panghihimasukan kung anuman ang maging desisyon nito, posibleng magsilbing precedent ang “endo” bill.

Barely seven months from now ay mag-e-expire na ang franchise ng naturang network while the others in the broadcast industry had their licenses renewed, including a religious channel (na malaki ang naitulong to deliver the votes in favor of the pro-admin senatorial bets).

Ito kasi ang naging sentro ng aming usapan at a recent event organized by a group of police beat reporters in celebration of its anniversary.

Siyempre, kasama rin nilang nagko-cover ang mga taga-ABS-CBN from whose stories ay nalaman nilang naghahanap-hanap na rin ang mga ito ng ibang malilipatan in the event na maipasara ang network.

Should it happen, kaming nasa hanay ng showbiz—hindi man kami nagtatrabaho sa ABS-CBN—are also likely victims. May domino effect ang closure nito kung saka-sakali.

We thrive in getting news na isinusulat at iniuulat namin. And one of the potential news sources is network-generated: events ng kanilang TV project or film-related stuff. Damay rin ang kanilang mga artists.

At sa rami nga ng mga kawani, talents at kung sinu-sino pa affiliated with ABS-CBN ay aling network kaya ang handang mag-absorb sa kanila?

Let’s face it, the second largest being GMA cannot take them all in. Wala silang lulugaran in a work environment whose positions are already filled up. Its artist center can also take in so much.

Ang TV5? Malabo. Essentially a sports channel, matagal nang na-dissolve ang TV production in the Pangilinan-owned station, unless it might want to do acts of charity at saluhing lahat ang mga displaced.

We are no Jimmy Bondoc who’d wish ABS-CBN dead. We’d rather see the oldest TV network stand proud and unfazed despite all this. Take it out, then there’s no more raging competition. Wala ring challenge ‘yon on the part of GMA which has always been competitive in the race.

Seven months is still distant. Harinawang sa pagitan ng ngayon at March, 2020 ay maliwanagan si Digong that closure of ABS-CBN will take a heavy toll on the industry workers.
Moreso, it is a rape against democracy.