Kapamilya celebrities are mourning again as their home network faces another heartbreaking shutdown.
As hearings for ABS-CBN’s franchise resumed on Tuesday, June 30, the National Telecommunications Commission dealt another blow to the embattled network by serving two cease-and-desist orders directing ABS-CBN to shut down its TV Plus operations which is currently airing some of the network’s shows through cable and satellite television, and SKY’s direct-to-home satellite transmission nationwide.
As the media giant was ordered to stop operating its TV broadcast in Metro Manila using Channel 43, this means that viewers with TV Plus set-top boxes in the mentioned area will be unable to watch Teleradyo, Jeepney TV, Yey!, Asianovela Channel, CineMo!, and its pay-per-view channel KBO.
This news didn’t sit well with Kapamilya celebrities who were hoping that the shuttered network would be back on-air anytime soon.
On Twitter, various celebrities expressed their disappointments and hurt over NTC’s CDO against the media conglomerate, while airing their disgust and rage with the four lawmakers, who they believed, were the principal critics of ABS-CBN.
Among the Kapamilya stars who shared their reactions on social media was Liza Soberano who questioned the abundant time that congressmen spent on “bringing ABS-CBN down but little to no time figuring out ways to help our [fellowmen] who are struggling during this pandemic.”
No words for these heartless people #ABSCBNFranchise
— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) June 30, 2020
How come there’s so much time being spent on bringing ABS-CBN down but little to no time figuring out ways to help our kababayans who are struggling during this pandemic, kasi naka GCQ parin tayo?????
— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) June 30, 2020
Divine Diva Zsa Zsa Padilla was not able to control her emotions and admitted that the latest news made her burst into tears.
Through her Instagram account, the 56-year-old singer-actress revealed that today was her first taping after lockdown for her afternoon series, Love Thy Woman which used to air on ABS-CBN.
She said, “Hindi ko na talaga mapigilang umiyak. Pasensya na. Galing ako sa first taping day ko after lockdown. Napakaraming pagbabago… at lahat ginagawa namin para maihatid sa inyo ang Love Thy Woman. Pero itong balitang ito… napakasakit. Nakapanlulumo. Lord Jesus, bigyan nyo po kami ng lakas para ipagpatuloy ang aming trabaho. Gabayan nyo po sana lahat ng kasamahan ko sa Kapamilya Channel. Kayo na po ang bahala sa amin.”
Hindi ko na talaga mapigilang umiyak. Pasensya na. Galing ako sa first taping day ko after lockdown. Napakaraming pagbabago… at lahat ginagawa namin para maihatid sa inyo ang Love Thy Woman. Pero itong balitang… https://t.co/fTqGBezCXA
— zsa zsa padilla (@zsazsapadilla) June 30, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCDkz7cnZVW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Radio host DJ Jhai Ho also commented on NTC’s decision by taking a swipe at the congressmen who “squeezed” NTC officials to halt digital transmission of ABS-CBN Network.
He wrote, “Ang husay manggipit ano? Sanay na sanay ang galawan ah.”
Ang huhusay mang gipit ano? sanay na sanay ang galawan ah
— DJ Jhaiho (@mor1019jhaiho) June 30, 2020
His fellow DJ, Czarina Marie Balba, or more commonly known as “DJ Chacha” also aired her sentiments regarding the latest blows that ABS-CBN has received in its fight for a new franchise.
On the message-sharing platform, she tweeted, “To my fellow Kapamilyas, Hugs. Matatapos lahat ito. Hindi habang buhay nasa posisyon ang mga yan. The Lord will always make a way.”
To my fellow Kapamilyas, Hugs. Matatapos lahat ito. Hindi habang buhay nasa posisyon ang mga yan. The Lord will always make a way.
— DJ Chacha (@_djchacha) June 30, 2020
While some cursed the congressmen who were the major critics of the terminated broadcast station, It’s Showtime host and frontman of the local band Rocksteddy Teddy Corpuz did the other way around, and instead ask God to bless them as well as the NTC.
“God bless NTC & sa trio government officials na nangunguna isulong ang pagharang, pagpapatagal, at pag disapprove ng ABSCBN franchise. I pray na gabayan kayo ni Jesus. Proteksyunan kayo & ur families ni Jesus laban sa virus at nawa’y mahabag kayo sa amin at sa aming istasyon,” he said.
God bless NTC & sa trio government officials na nangunguna isulong ang pagharang, pagpapatagal, at pag disapprove ng ABSCBN franchise. I pray na gabayan kayo ni Jesus. Proteksyunan kayo & ur families ni Jesus laban sa virus at nawa’y mahabag kayo sa amin at sa aming istasyon.
— zndɹoƆ ʎppǝ⊥ (@teddspotting) June 30, 2020
Furthermore, the 41-year-old celebrity wrote: “I will praise your name my Lord Jesus even in this trying times. Kahit dapang-dapa na kami at ang aming estasyon pangalan mo pa din ang isisigaw namin our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! The enemy will know and see that your LOVE, GRACE, POWER, and JUSTICE will prevail!”
I will praise your name my Lord Jesus even in this trying times. Kahit dapang-dapa na kami at ang aming estasyon pangalan mo pa din ang isisigaw namin our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! The enemy will know and see that your LOVE, GRACE, POWER, and JUSTICE will prevail!❤️
— zndɹoƆ ʎppǝ⊥ (@teddspotting) June 30, 2020
Below are some of the other Kapamilya celebrities’ comments on Twitter:
Wala na kapwa kapwa tao? Bahala nalang sila sa buhay nila??? Hindi na iniisip ang mga taong mawawalan ng trabaho na pwedeng magutom ang mga pamilya?? Baket ngayon pa lahat kailangang gawin ito sa gitna ng crisis… KAPWA PILIPINO PINAHIHIRAPAN NINYO. https://t.co/by4o34TplF
— karla estrada (@Estrada21Karla) June 30, 2020
actually respeto naman po sa lahat your Honor. 🙅🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤯 https://t.co/qcztOxOLeW
— MAJA (@dprincessmaja) June 30, 2020
Nakakaiyak! Nakakagigil! Nakakagalit! 😢😭😡 Bakit ninyo kami ginaganito?! 💔💚💙 #MightAsWell #LabanSweet #LabanKapamilya💪#IbalikAngABSCBN https://t.co/zUXdxUHofj
— John Lapus (@KorekKaJohn) June 30, 2020
Kung ako ABSCBN, migrate ako sa YouTube.
Marcoleta, kalabanin mo YouTube. Padalhan mo ng smoke signals, baka umabot sa California! 💨💨💨
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) June 30, 2020
Kapag tuta ka, gugustuhin mo tlga ipakita sa lahat na ang galing galing galing mo, kaya lahat ng klaseng pag sisisipsip gagawin mo.
— △lexander The Great ♚ (@alexandermcdizz) June 30, 2020
Habang kino-cover ko ang pagpatay ng mga pulis sa 4 na Army intel operatives sa Jolo, nangyayari ito sa opisina. Saan na kaya eere ang istoryang ito ngayon? At ang mga sunod pang mahalagang istorya? Hanggang saan at kailan niyo balak pigain ang network na malapit nang mamatay? https://t.co/95gzot8vZg
— Chiara Zambrano (@chiarazambrano) June 30, 2020
Aside from the artists, even directors such as Theodore Boborol, Mae Cruz-Alviar, and Kip Oebanda, were saddened by the news about NTC’s order to shutdown the Kapamilya Channel and Sky.
Ang sakit sakit na! Sobra na ang kawalanghiyaan at kasamaan nila! Mga wala silang awa! #IbalikAngABSCBN https://t.co/9hCMGMcD1V
— Theodore Boborol (@TheodoreBoborol) June 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/queenbeemae/status/1277931043824123904
Meanwhile, Oebanda criticized Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque who became a trending topic after rejoicing over a supposed win against the University of the Philippines (UP) prediction for the country’s COVID-19 cases as June ends.
It was previously reported that UP made a prediction that the COVID-19 cases in the country will reach a great height of 40,000 by the end of the month after Metro Manila was placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) last June 1.
But this prediction was not achieved as there were only approximately 36,000 that have been recorded. This made Roque ecstatic and even called it a ‘success’ earning a warm ‘congratulations’ from him.
“Si Roque parang basketball team na nag-celebrate dahil tambak lang sila ng 23 pts when they predicted na tambak sila ng 25,” Oebanda wrote.
“Vietnam & Thailand expected to have tens of thousands of [COVID-19] cases. Now they have zero. That’s when you rejoice. Not when you have 36k+ instead of 40k,” he added.
https://twitter.com/kipoebanda/status/1277873576050212864