Screenshot of the Laging Handa virtual presser with PCOO Usec. Rocky Ignacio and Ormoc Mayor and former ABS-CBN talent Richard Gomez
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez did not mince words when asked by an official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to give a message to those affected by the closure of ABS-CBN: it’s government that shutdown ABS-CBN.
During the live Laging Handa virtual presser, PCOO Undersecretary Rocky Ignacio asked Gomez “as an actor and part of the original cast of Palibhasa Lalake”, a popular prime time comedy show in ABS-CBN in the ‘80s to give a message to his friends and former co-workers who were affected by the sudden closure of the broadcast giant.
“Naku, Usec Rocky, baka mas maganda yata kayo sasagot niyan dahil kayo sa gobyerno ang nagpahinto sa pag-broadcast ng ABS-CBN,” Gomez said in between chuckles.
Ignacio was unable to react to the savage jab of Gomez who said he hopes that the network’s shutdown is temporary.
“Ang take ko diyan, nakakalungkot din isipin. Hopefully temporary ‘yung pagsara sa ABS-CBN dahil napakarami pong taong nagtatrabaho po diyan. Marami akong mga kaibigan na artista na nagtatrabaho sa ABS-CBN,” he said.
He also hoped that the network’s legislative franchise, even for a provisional one, be granted noting much of the employees of the network, especially artists, are on a ‘no-work, no-pay’ work arrangement.
“Hopefully matugunan na kahit provisionary lang ‘yung ibibigay sa kanila na pag-operate nang sa ganoon ang ABS-CBN ay muling makapag-ere. Alam naman natin na ang artista, kapag hindi nagtatrabaho, wala ring kikitain. Kami, ‘yung trabaho namin, per day kami. Although depende sa artista. May malaking artista, may maliit na artista. Pero ‘yung manner ng trabaho at sahod namin, parepareho lang, no work, no pay. You work, then you get paid.”
The network stopped broadcasting after receiving a cease and desist order (CDO) from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Tuesday, May 5 despite the NTC’s earlier commitment to the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises and in a similar Senate hearing that it would grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to broadcast so that it can continue broadcasting even after its legislative franchise expires. (Rommel F. Lopez)
