- ABS-CBN employees aired their worries about a possible network shutdown.
- Duterte renewed his threat to block ABS-CBN franchise renewal.
ABS-CBN employees are currently in a state of uncertainty whether they will have jobs by March 2020.
According to Associated Labor Unions Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, thousands of ABS-CBN employees are raising concerns and deep worries with regards to their future in the company should Congress failed to grant the Kapamilya network’s franchise extension.
“Some of them came to me and said they are seriously worried every day about losing their jobs. Particularly worried are those employees who are above 35 years old who think they might be unable to get decent jobs because they think they are old and past age qualifications,” said Alan Tanjusay of the ALU-TUCP.
On Monday, December 2, President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. Duterte said he will make sure that the media company will be out next year.
“If you are expecting na ma-renew ‘yan (franchise), I am sorry. I will see to it that you are out,” he said.
Meanwhile, Defend Job Philippines renewed their call for the President to set aside politics and personal issues and save the jobs of thousands of ABS-CBN’s employees.
“Being vital in operating for the next 25 years, the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN will save the jobs and source of livelihood of more than 10,000 Filipino workers and their families,” said Christian Lloyd Magsoy of Defend Job Philippines.
“President Duterte should rethink his threat to veto the franchise of ABS-CBN and let the company smoothly operate for the sake of its workers,” he added.
According to ABS-CBN’s company report to SEC, the network currently employs 6,730 regular employees, 900 non-regular workers and more than 3,325 talents as of 2018.
ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bill has been stalled in Congress since 2016. Currently, several bills have been filed at the House of Representatives seeking to renew the network’s franchise.
But on Wednesday, December 4, House Committee of Legislative Franchises Chairman Rep. Franz Alvarez said they have no hearing scheduled on his panel until the end of 2019.
Several netizens including talents/employees of the Kapamilya network took to Twitter to air their sentiments.
So I guess I’ll be jobless by March. Thank you talaga. https://t.co/pXiAeOoKrj
— Theodore Boborol (@TheodoreBoborol) December 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/akosijovs/status/1201830941691265024
Wishing our closure just to win an argument is the most selfish thing you can say. Imagine tuwang-tuwa kayo sa mga mawawalan ng kabuhayan? Tangina niyo talaga DDS.
Ang tatahimik ng mga DDS na taga kapamilya. Na change is coming sila eh.
— AltABSCBN (@AltABSCBN) December 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/ammconstantino/status/1202077163760914433
Madadamay p mga ordnaryong trabahador nian pag tnuloy mo. parang sports lang dapat. Ang pikon laging talo. Dami paraan para mabawi ung bnyad dahil lang s ad n d naipalabas, pero ggmitn tlga pagrenew ng franchise nila. Tsk tsk tsk.
— ➰gĒmĪnĪ➰ (@UbanLhady) December 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/madamecherry99/status/1202083872139296774
