ABS-CBN Zamboanga reporter Queenie Casimiro revealed in a live interview how the rejected franchise bid of ABS-CBN badly affected the Zamboanguenos and most especially her life.
In a live interview with Ted Failon, Casimiro revealed that not just employees are affected but also the people who rely on the public service provided by Kapamilya Network will be affected by the closure of the Regional Network Group.
“Hindi siguro alam ng karamihan na maliban sa news, we have monthly public service activities na ginagawa sa iba’t ibang areas. Medical mission, job fairs, soup kitchen kapag may binabaha, may sunog, we visit mga far-flung areas na mga residente mismo hirap silang makapunta sa bayan para magpa-checkup.”
https://www.facebook.com/chester.tolentino/videos/10158312942974550/
According to Casimiro, ABS-CBN always brings an associated public service to Filipinos in line with ABS-CBN’s mission: In the service of the Filipino.
“Ito ’yung serbisyong mawawala. Hindi lang tayo ang nawalan ng trabaho, ’yung mga sineserbisyuhan natin kasi ’yun ang turo sa atin na in the service of the Filipino. Iba kasi ang feeling kapag nakakatulong ka sa iba.”
Casimiro also could not hide the sad plight of the company and how the whole regional network group who was first in Zamboanga City, was wiped out because of ABS-CBN’s franchise request was rejected in the House.
“Napakasakit na buong team na wipe out, mawawala ’yung program. Twenty-five years na ’yung TV Patrol Chavacano and it’s the original Chavacano newscast sa Zamboanga City. Meron na rin ibang local Chavacano newscast but tayo ’yung nauna.”
One of the most emotional parts of the interview was when Casimiro being a single mother of five children, revealed that her children are still not enrolled in school because like others, she is waiting for what will be the outcome of their station.
“Hindi ko alam kung makakaya ko pa silang i-enrol sa magandang school, yung mga dreams natin, wala na. Meron tayong staff na ang daming obligasyon, nagpapatayo ng bahay namomroblema paano ipapagpatuloy . . . Totally sira na ’yung plano.”
Zamboanga Rep. Divina Grace Yu has received flak from the netizens after voting ‘Yes’ to the committee resolution rejecting the ABS-CBN franchise.
In her social media message, Yu proudly shared her vote on the ABS-CBN franchise application, even saying she’s a die-hard ABS-CBN fan.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=151169876568851&id=104394641246375
But instead of getting the support that she wanted, the government official got bashed by the netizens.
Ma'am Divina Grace Yu..wala kang divine grace..palitan mo na pangalan mo.. https://t.co/pcD00WOw5I
— Crunch Drunk Love
(@wrong_kawaii) July 10, 2020
Eventually, Casimiro hopes that those celebrating the rejection of the network’s franchise bid will finally see that the 11,000 employees who will be laid off are the most affected in this case.
“Marami rin namang nagpapasalamat sa atin na nakatulong tayo, nagawan natin ng paaran mga problema nila. Sana makita nila na tayo ’yun, tayo ’yung mga ordinaryong empleyado ang pinakaapektado dito,” sabi niya.
Netizens can’t help but empathize with the newscaster hoping that things would go better especially the demise that happened on the regional network.
