Charles Teves
ABS-CBN’s FM station MOR 101.9, along with all the Kapamilya AM stations will halt operations by the end of August due to Congress failing to grant the network a congressional franchise.
This is part of ABS-CBN’s retrenchment of employees which only means that the many will be left jobless.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that DJ Chacha, who has been with MOR 101.9 for over a decade, is the one most affected.
“Hindi retrenchment yung nangyari, nawala talaga yung MOR. Wala na munang MOR,” DJ Chacha said during a July 16 appearance on DZMM’s Failon Ngayon Teleradyo.
“Halos kalahati ng buhay ko, kasama ko po yung 101.9 family ko. Masakit na mawawalan ng trabaho, pero mas masakit yung istasyon na pinuhunan mo yung pawis mo bago kami maging number one FM station, yung hirap na pinagdaanan ng MOR team… Kasabay pa dun yung hindi mo na makikita yung mga katrabaho mo, di mo na makakasama. Hindi ito usaping pera, tahanan ko ang MOR for twelve years. Hindi ko makita ang sarili ko na hindi nagraradyo. Mahal ko talaga yung radyo, mahal ko po yung MOR,” the 32-year old DJ said emotionally.
The FM station will only be on for less than 45 days before it goes off the air. DJ Chacha might lose her job but she has other sources of income. Unfortunately, other employees can’t say the same and that worries her a lot.
“Ako nga, maswerte pa ako kasi may iba akong source of income, maayos naman ang buhay ko. Pero meron kasi akong mga katrabaho sa MOR na yun lang yung inaasahan nila. ‘Yung iba single mother, yung iba single father, yung iba tinutulungan ang pamilya, may mga hinuhulugang bahay, may hinuhulugang kotse… So, hanggang August 31 na lang.”
Last July 15, there was a virtual townhall meeting where ABS-CBN top executives Carlo Katigbak, Cory Vidanes, and Mark Lopez announced that the company would start retrenchment procedures and shuttering of some subsidiaries.
After this, MOR 101.9 had a meeting with its staff.
“Yung naririnig niyo, kami lang yun, pero marami pang nagtatrabaho sa MOR, meron tayong mga online staff. Tapos yung mga staff ng radyo na hindi niyo napapakinggan, yung mga staff natin, so lahat kami nandodoon para makinig kung ano na ang mangyayari sa MOR.”
ABS-CBN Music Head Roxy Liquigan and Station Manager Mars Ocampo announced that MOR would only be on the air until August 31, effectively closing the radio station.
“So, kami nga po ay under ABS-CBN, ang FM station dito sa Maynila, pero hindi lang kami ‘yon. Marami pong MOR sa buong Pilipinas. Hindi lang sa Maynila ang mga mawawalan ng trabaho.”
Ted Failon has accepted that ABS-CBN won’t be serving the public for a good amount of time.
“To be frank about it, sadly, wala ang franchise, at cease operation na supposed to be. So it follows na lahat po ng AM at FM stations po, definitely ay hindi na po makapagpapatuloy,” he said.
“Sa Metro Manila, dito po sa Teleradyo ay magkakaroon po ng pagpupulong,” Failon added.
Ted also said that the management is already having a hard time during the retrenchment process.
“Alam mo, ang napakahirap din kung ikaw yung management, yung sitwasyon na papa’no ka makapagpapatuloy pa rin, para meron pa ring maisalba na mga manggagawa. Bagamat ito ho yung pinakamasakit na pagkakataon na para ho matukoy mo kung sino pa rin ang maaaring mag-stay, para sa patuloy pong operasyon ng ilan pa hong mga programa ng ABS-CBN para maisahimpapawid ‘yan. Hindi ho sa pamamagitan ng broadcast through sa frequency, kung hindi ho sa cable at through the internet,” said the veteran broadcaster.
Karen Davila, who has always been supportive of Kapamilya talents expressed her support for DJ Chacha, adding that 18 FM stations and 5 AM stations will be shutting down.
Dear @mor1019chacha giving you a virtual hug right now at sa lahat po ng apektado ng ABSCBN radio division.
18 FM stations and 5 AM stations will be shutting down. https://t.co/SazPRQwjNP
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) July 16, 2020
Additionally, under the ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs, shows such as Rated K, Failon Ngayon, Mission Possible, Matanglawin, Kuha Mo, S.O.C.O., and Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG) will also be shutting down.
UKG host Ariel Ureta has accepted ABS-CBN’s fate, and just urged those who have lost their jobs to do something else.
“Tayong mga nawalan ng trabaho, ang dami nating oras. Let’s use our time well,” he tweeted.
Tayong mga nawalan ng trabaho, ang dami nating oras. Let’s use our time well.
— ariel ureta (@Ariel_Ureta) July 15, 2020
Gretchen Ho gave her virtual hugs to the host.
Yakap, Senyor. https://t.co/3tsILQVItZ
— Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) July 15, 2020
Television and Pop Culture icon Bodjie Pascua, or more popularly known as Kuya Bodjie, earlier asked how Noli De Castro, Ted Failon, and Anthony Taberna felt after Congress denied ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Ano na kaya ang bulong ng konsyensya at ikot ng sikmura nina Ka Noli, Ka Ted, at Ka Tunying ngayon?
Curious lang naman.
— Bodjie F. Pascua (@owlinthemoon) July 10, 2020
The three anchors he mentioned are known to be huge supporters of the current administration and are already set for life which is why people are saying that the shut down doesn’t affect them. The three have also been silent on the issue.
People also pointed out that Failon and Kabayan were not wearing Kapamilya ribbons during a hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal in the Senate last February.
Pascua on the other hand is a Duterte critic.
