MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya actress Angel Locsin “has been crying non-stop” after hearing news that her home network, ABS-CBN, has signed off yesterday, Angel’s fiancé Neil Arce shared in an Instagram post.
“Breaks my heart seeing her like this,” said the film producer.
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According to Neil, since Angel did not renew her contract with the network to focus on their wedding preparations, the actress “technically did not lose her job.”
Nonetheless, she cries “because she knows 11,000 people lost their jobs.”
Neil echoed the statement of Vergel Santos of Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, who told news anchor Ted Failon in last night’s “TV Patrol” that the 11,000 in ABS-CBN who lost their jobs surpasses the number of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country today.
“We’ve been under ecq for 2 months now trying to save lives. Wala pang 10000 ang may covid dito pero ngayon 11,000 na tao ang mawawalan ng trabaho at milyong milyon na Pilipino ang hindi makakatanggap ng quick Information and konting kaligayahan sa mga panahon na ito. NTC you are evil. How dare you take away 11,000 jobs. We Will remember this,” Neil said.
On her Instagram story today, Angel answered fellow ABS-CBN artist Angel Aquino’s call to fight for the network’s return.
“GAME. Hindi ako uupo at mananahimik,” Locsin said.
“May 5, 2020. Araw na hindi malilimutan. Isang mahigpit na akap sa mga mahal ko sa ABS-CBN. Mahigit 11,000 ang hindi makakatulog ngayong gabi,” she said in one Instagram post.
In another post, she expressed gratefulness for being an ABS-CBN talent.
“Para sa kapwa. Sa panahon na kailangan ng hanap buhay ng mga tao. Let’s be considerate and ask ourselves kung makakatulong ba ang mga desisyon natin sa lalo na sa panahong ito. To ABS-CBN, isang karangalan po na naging bahagi at nakasama ko po kayo. Mahal ko kayo. #Laban ABS-CBN.”
Prior to this, in a live chat session recently hosted by Regal Films, Angel was asked by former love team partner Richard Gutierrez if her wedding with Neil will push through despite the COVID-19 crisis.
“Ayaw naming isipin na postponed, ‘di ba? Kasi ‘yun ang pinakaimportanteng araw sa amin, e,” Angel said.
She added that she and Neil took a break from their work to concentrate on the wedding preparations, but they cannot risk rushing into things because of the pandemic.
“Nagpahinga nga kami sa mga trabaho namin, sana para matutukan namin ‘yung wedding. Kaya lang, of course, pag lockdown ka, hindi naman namin puwedeng i-risk," she said.
“Hindi namin alam kung anong mangyayari, so ‘yon…” she added.
Although Angel and Neil have not yet announced a wedding date, the couple wrote on their Instagram accounts last Valentine’s Day that it was the last time that they will be celebrating the Hearts Day as boyfriend and girlfriend.
Sarah Lahbati, Richard’s wife, commented on Angel’s post about her chat with Richard that was followed with an online screening of their movie “I Will Always Love You” for Regal Entertainment’s COVID-19 donation drive.
“We need a new #chardgel movie soon,” Sarah said, garnering over 5,000 likes.
“ChardGel” pertains to Richard and Angel’s love team that began in ABS-CBN’s rival GMA Network, when the two starred in the fantasy TV series “Mulawin.” The love team was revived in ABS-CBN via the two’s latest TV series together, “La Luna Sangre.”