Senator Manny Pacquiao expressed his support to ABS-CBN during the senate hearing on the franchise renewal of the said broadcasting company.
Pacquiao, who’s one of the co-authors of the Senate ABS-CBN’s franchise bill said that people should be thankful that the television network giant is existing.
According to him, ABS-CBN existence is very important because many people are learning and getting informed by watching the television station.
“Kung titignan lang talaga natin sa bansa natin because of ABS-CBN, nai-inform tayo sa mga kaganapan sa bansa natin, marami tayong nalalaman, naa-update sa mga nangyayari,” Pacquiao said.
“Doon sa mga taong sumasawsaw kung saan sila papanig, aalalahanin nating mga sambayanang Pilipino gusto maisip ninyo na because of ABS-CBN, marami tayong natutunan, naa-update tayo palagi sa mga kaganapan sa buong bansa natin, in that way siguro dapat tayong magpasalamat sa ABS-CBN,” he added.
After his opening statement, Pacquiao then asked ABS-CBN what may possibly happen to the employees of their network if they possibly close down because of the franchise expiration.
As a response, ABS-CBN’s chief of human resources Mario Carlo Nepomuceno said that there are 11,017 employees that could be affected by the closure of the network.
The 11,017, includes the artists, the workers of the foundation and also the employees of the ABS-CBN global.
Nepomuceno also admitted that they cannot sustain their international operations if ABS-CBN closes.
ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal is set to expire in March 2020.