ABS-CBN has hogged the headlines for the past weeks as its franchise is expiring this year. Various sectors have voiced support for the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise and expressed concerns over its impact on the economy, employment and viewers if the 66-year-old TV network is shutdown.
At the recent Senate committee on legislative franchises hearing conducted by its chair Sen. Grace Poe, ABS-CBN executives appeared publicly for the first time to shed light on the various issues raised against the company.
In his opening remark, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak said the company has provided meaningful and valuable service to the Filipino people without violating any of the provisions of its franchise.
“While our commitment to serve is genuine, we also acknowledge that we are not a perfect organization. Where we have shortcomings, we acknowledge them, and we work to correct them,” he said.
Officials from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) who were present at the hearing indicated that ABS-CBN has no violations.
“They (ABS-CBN) are regularly filing and paying their taxes for the past number of years,” said Simplicio Cabantac Jr. of the BIR Large Taxpayers Group.
“There are no penalties,” said NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba in response to Sen. Ralph Recto’s question if ABS-CBN has any penalty with the agency.
For his part, SEC supervising commissioner for market and securities regulation Ephyro Amatong said, “At this time, we are not aware of any violation or any ongoing complaint or investigation involving ABS-CBN.”
At least two senators cited the economic impact of ABS-CBN.
“I saw your financial statements. That’s P30B and you have to be operating to be able to pay these obligations with the banks. So if ABS-CBN can’t pay, the banks will have a problem,” said Sen. Recto in Filipino.
“ABS-CBN is a big pillar in its industry. If you look at the economy, many depend on them,” said Sen. Sonny Angara.
A few days after the hearing, Labor Secretary Silvestro Bello III said ABS-CBN complied with labor standards and settled issues related to labor-only contracting.
“We discovered some violations and we asked them to comply. And in fairness, they complied,” Bello said in a media interview reported in ABS-CBN News.
While ABS-CBN was able to debunk all the allegations at the Senate hearing, its employees and viewers are still bearing the uncertainties of the network’s franchise.
ABS-CBN Rank and File Employees’ Union president Jon Villanueva told senators, “Nangangamba po kaming lahat ng empleyado sa araw-araw po na lumilipas ang panahon. Torture po talaga.”
For one loyal viewer, closing down ABS-CBN is like losing a family member. Allow me to share in full an e-mail from 79-year-old Kapamilya fan Luciana “Ising” Quizon Manalo, who described how ABS-CBN became her source of strength, information and entertainment throughout her life from Pampanga to California, USA.
HINDI KA NAMIN IIWAN, ABS-CBN
Dear ABS-CBN,
Alam kong hindi mo ako kilala. Ako’y isang ordinaryong konsumer at tunay na nagmamahal sa iyo. Ako si Luciana ‘Ising’ Manalo, 79 years old na ngayon. Kasama kita mula sa black and white television namin sa Bacolor, Pampanga noong 1974 hanggang ngayon sa aming TFC box dito sa California. Ako’y may 11 na anak at halos 20 na mga apo.
Heto ang ating kwentong magkasama araw araw. Sa hirap ng buhay namin bilang magsasaka noon, ikaw ang aking radyo na kasama sa bukid magmula pa sa madaling araw. Habang dalawang anak kong disabled ay masayang nanonood ng telebisyon sa bahay. Pagdating ng alas tres ay nakasanayan ko ng magdasal kasama ang 3 p.m. prayer. Then at 6 p.m., sama sama kaming mag anak nanonood ng TV Patrol at teleseryes. Bago matulog, hihintayin kong marinig ang boses ni Kuya Cesar sa DZMM.
Ikaw ang dumamay sa amin sa maraming pagsubok na aming pinagdaanan. Nabiktima kami ng Pinatubo noong 1991, at ikaw ang nagbigay ng kumpletong impormasyon at gabay sa amin. Bukod doon, walang tigil ang inyong tulong sa aming mga biktima ng bulkan.
Noong 1998, kami’y sinundan mo sa America through TFC. Mahirap maintindihan nang lubos ng mga nasa Pinas kung gaano kalungkot ang mag ibang bansa. Sobra ang pangungulila at lungkot. Dahil sayo, nagagawa naming ngumiti at lumaban sa buhay. Sa awa ng Diyos, lumaki at nanatiling matatag ang aming pamilya.
Ngayon, ako na lang ang naiiwan sa bahay dito sa California. Aaminin ko, malungkot ang tumanda dito sa Amerika. Pero ikaw ang nagbibigay sigla sa akin sa araw araw. Umaga dito, kasama ko si Dr. Love sa DZMM, then nakikisaya sa It’s Showtime sa tanghali. Parating updated sa news sa TV Patrol sa gabi, Every Christmas, ginagaya namin ang station ID ninyo.
Masalimuot at sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan ng aming malaking pamilya na na parang kulang ang 1 year episodes ng MMK. Subalit sa tulong ng Diyos at ikaw ABS-CBN, lahat ay aming napagtagumpayan.
Ngayon, labis akong nalungkot at kasalukuyang nababahala sa mga nangyayari sayo ABS-CBN. Alam ng Diyos, kung gaano kabusilak ang iyong puso na tumulong sa mga Pilipino sa buong mundo. Kaya naman, malakas ang aking faith na malalagpasan mo ang lahat ng pagsubok kagaya ng nangyari sa aming pamilya.
Nasasaktan ako sa mga naninira sa iyo. Pero lalo akong humanga na sa kabila ng pinagdadaanan mo ngayon, patuloy ka pa ring naglilingkod sa amin. Walang tigil ang iyong pag serbisyo sa mga biktima ng kalamidad at pag papaganda ng mga programa mo.
Sa bawat araw ng buhay namin, nandyan ka maging sa hirap man o ginhawa. Kaya naman, araw araw kaming magdadasal na marerenew ang franchise mo. At lagi mong tatandaan, ako at ang aking buong pamilya ay patuloy na susuporta at hanggang sa dulo, Hindi Ka Namin Iiwan ABS-CBN.
Lubos na Nagmamahal,
Ising Manalo