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- Sharon Cuneta became emotional in an Instagram live following the shutdown of ABS-CBN Corporation.
- Kim Chiu and Vice Ganda also fought for the rights of the Kapamilya Channel.
It has been a few days since ABS-CBN Corporation was forced to shut down and stop its operations after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order to the media giant.
A number of celebrities have expressed their disappointment in the government as it chose to prioritize denying a company’s franchise renewal rather than focus on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID-19).
One of them is music icon and actress Sharon Cuneta. In an Instagram live, she broke down in tears as ABS-CBN has been her “home” for the past 30 years.
“My heart is breaking. Thirty years na ako sa ABS-CBN. It’s my home. There’s 10s of thousands of employees who are going to lose their jobs, and I cannot take that.”
Cuneta has been a Kapamilya for a greater part of her 42-year career.
“There’s so much going on now. We have this virus. Wrong timing kasi ang daming natutulungan ng Kapamilya,” she added.
Just last year, the actress showed support for President Rodrigo Duterte amid husband Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s criticisms towards the head of the state. In 2018, she even shared a video message from the president.
Kim Chiu also fought for ABS-CBN as she questioned the government’s move to close the network.
“A lot of kapamilyas were crying, hearts are broken. Hindi lamang sa mga artista kung ‘di sa mga tao sa likod ng camera, sa mga taong sumusubaybay sa bawat palabas ng ABS. Hindi kapani-paniwala ang nangyari,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Sa gitna ng pinagdadaanan ng lahat ng Pilipino ngayon ETO TALAGA ang ibibigay nyo sa amin???!!! Sa panahon na walang kasiguraduhan ang buhay ng bawat tao??! Sa panahon na hindi handa ang lahat sa epidemyang kinakaharap natin ngayon! Sa panahong maraming nawalan ng trabaho?! Sa panahong TAKOT ang nararamdaman ng karamihan! ETO TALAGA ANG IBIBIGAY NYO?! Ang cease and desist order sa ABS-CBN ng walang kalaban laban???”
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Television host and comedian Vice Ganda admitted that the ABS-CBN shutdown became even more painful for him after he received a message from his mother, Rosario Viceral.
“Good morning, anak. I didn’t sleep good last night about the sudden closing of ABS. I stayed until the sign-off and I feel so sad even if I know that it won’t be long, anak. It’s just my heart goes with the small workers in this time of hardship. I want to hug you, anak, with all my heart. Miss you so much,” she told her son.
Vice also encouraged people to join the fight for ABS-CBN.
“Ipaglaban natin ang pagmamahal natin sa isa’t isa mga Kapamilya. Tulad ng pagmamahalang pilit na pinaghihiwalay wag tayong sumuko hangga’t di tayo muling magkapiling,” he wrote.
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On the other hand, the Palace said that reports linking President Rodrigo Duterte to the ABS-CBN shutdown were “unfair”.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that it is “totally unfair and objectionable.”
“This assertion is remarkably erroneous, lacks objectivity and scant in factual basis. Simply, a false narrative,” he said in a statement.
“Let us be reminded that President Duterte has accepted the apology of ABS-CBN Corporation and this thereby undermines any assumption that the President was behind NTC’s decision.”
