Mga solon muling umapela sa ABS-CBN franchise

MULING iginiit ng ilang kongresista ang kahalagahan na muling mabigyan ng prangkisa ang ABS-CBN.

Sinabi ni House Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales II Jr., na nakita niya kung papaano tumulong ang ABS-CBN sa kanyang probinsya nang pumutok ang Mt. Pinatubo noong 1991.

“On June 15, 1991, pumutok po ang Mt. Pinatubo. Malaki po ang epekto neto sa

probinsya. Ang ABS CBN po during that time, ang nag-aabot ng ayuda at nag-cover ng mga pangyayari. Ganoon din noong Oct. 1, 1995. Dumating ang mas malaking lahar which covered the whole province most especially Bacolor,” ani Gonzales na isa sa may-akda ng panukala na i-renew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.

Iginiit din ni Gonzales na bagamat may mga alegasyon, “Nararapat lang po na ipagkaloob at ibigay natin sa ABS-CBN ang PRESUMPTION of INNOCENCE hangga’t wala pa pong pinal na desisyon ang ating korte sa mga bintang

na ito.”

Sinabi naman ni Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate na hindi maitatanggi ang kahalagahan ng ABS-CBN sa mamamayang Pilipino.

“Undeniably, applicant ABS CBN Corporation through the years, continuously performed such important function — acting as one of the chief sources of information so that our citizens would be informed of government actions, and, government of the peoples’ needs, aspirations, and grievances,” ani Zarate.

Ayon naman kay Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas: “Ang batas daw ay batas kaya hindi pwedeng magpalabas, pero hindi kaya may kumukumpas para itigil ang palabas? Is it really a coincidence that the Solicitor General and the NTC are acting independently on the issue of ABS-CBN in accordance with their supposed mandates? Or is there a bigger force behind this? How do we make sense of the surplus of trolls chest-beating ‘dura lex sed lex’ and even threatening ABS-CBN celebrities amid the pandemic?”

Suportado rin ni Parañaque Rep. Joy Tambunting ang renewal ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN kung saan ito dati nagtrabaho bilang associate producer.

“I support this measure for the sake of the millions of Filipinos who depend on ABS-CBN as a source of entertainment and information and for the thousands of families who depend on ABS CBN for their income,” ani Tambunting. “I, like some of our colleagues both here in the House and in the Senate, am proud to say that I have experienced working for this corporation.”

Sinabi naman ni Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato na ang pagsasara ng ABS-CBN ay maituturing na pagkakabit ng mahalagang impormasyon sa may 3.129 milyong Filipino.

“The shutdown of ABS-CBN could not have come at a more unfortunate time. Amidst our nation’s battle against COVID-19, crucial information and updates on this global pandemic could not be accessed 3,129,000 Filipinos,” ani Sato. “3,129,000. This is the number of Filipinos who rely solely on ABS-CBN’s broadcast simply because other networks cannot reach them.”

Sinabi naman ni Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones na hindi lamang pagbabalita ang hatid ng Channel 2 “ABS-CBN was not only interested in reporting the news, but it went above and beyond the obligations of a broadcast network – by helping those in need no matter how few they may be, no matter how far they may be.”

Ayon naman kina House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at House Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos-Recto nakasalalay sa prangkisa ang kabuhayan ng mga empleyado ng ABS-CBN.

“I stand for the corporation’s 11,000 employees or more, composed of the rank-and-file talents, professionals, my previous co-workers who are facing uncertainty with regard to their jobs and sources of livelihood at the worst possible time as we face the COVID19 pandemic,” ani Legarda.

Sinabi naman ni Santos: “Mr. Chairman, with the present situation of ABS-CBN, I am saddened that 11,000 employees will be affected and will be displaced. As part of the entertainment industry, let me share my deep concern to the talents of ABS-CBN, whom I know will be affected in these trying times.”

Ang mga maaalis na empleyado ng ABS-CBN ay daragdag pa umano sa may 5 milyong mawawalan ng hanapbuhay dahil sa epekto ng coronavirus disease 2019.