Before the House of Representatives can even decide on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, Sen. Bato dela Rosa already urged displaced employees to just find other jobs should the network face a permanent shutdown.
“Meron pa naman ibang news outfit. Hanap ng ibang trabaho para mabuhay, magsumikap, may ibang paraan pa naman siguro. Hanap ng ibang jobs,” said Bato in an online interview.
“Wala akong nakikitang epekto. Epekto? Hindi naman ako apektado dahil hindi naman ako [nagtatrabaho sa] ABS-CBN. ‘Yung taga-ABS-CBN ang apektado,” he further explained when asked how the possible non-renewal of franchise will generally affect the country.
Meanwhile, labor groups have forcefully expressed their dissent against this issue. “The order is a clear attack not just to press freedom and the people’s right to information, but also a direct aggressive action against the livelihoods of thousands of Filipino workers of ABS-CBN across the country and their families who are depending on them,” said Defend Job Philippines spokesperson Thadeus Ifurung.
According to ABS-CBN, they have 11,071 employees in total—including their subsidiaries. And as of April 2020, around 7.3 million Filipinos are jobless amid the ongoing pandemic—about 17 percent of the country’s total population.
Header photo by Lyn Rillon for inquirer.net
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