Angel Locsin thanks Sarah Geronimo for speaking up as ABS-CBN employees face job retrenchment

Actress Angel Locsin thanked her fellow celebrity, Sarah Geronimo, for issuing a statement for everyone to unite as ABS-CBN employees face retrenchment after the network’s franchise application was rejected by Congress last July 10.

On her Instagram stories, Angel wrote: “Thank you Sarah G. Mahal kita.” (I love you.)

In an exchange of Instagram posts with former ABS-CBN writer G3 San Diego, Angel clarified that she was not referring to Sarah when she told celebrities to take a stand on the network’s battle.

“Iniisip ng tao pinaparinggan ko sya pero hindi eh. I know how ‘pure’ she is. Wala siyang social media, alam din natin hindi sya vocal sa maraming bagay bilang ang bait. Pero nag salita sya. At nakakatuwa yun,” Angel said.

(People think I was referring to Sarah but that’s not true. I know how ‘pure ‘ she is. We all know she is not active on social media and she’s not very vocal about issues. But she spoke up and that’s nice of her.)

Sarah’s good friend, singer Mark Bautista, defended the star saying she’s always been private.

“SG has always been very private and not even confrontational so I would understand her-To each his own,” he wrote on Twitter.

SG has always been very private and not even confrontational so I would understand her-To each his own.

— Mark Bautista (@iammarkbautista) July 20, 2020

On Sunday, Sarah issued a lengthy statement, saying it was important for everyone to unite and help each other as ABS-CBN employees face losing their jobs and battling the coronavirus pandemic.

“Naniniwala po ako na walang pagsubok na ‘di natin kayang malagpasan basta’t tayo’y nagkakaisa sa panalangin at pagsisikap, sama-samang nagpapakita ng tunay na malasakit at pagmamahal para sa ating bansa, para sa ating kapwa,” the singer said.

(There is no challenge we can’t overcome as long as we are united in prayer and hardwork, showing genuine concern and love for our country, for our countrymen.)

Sarah, one of the country’s biggest celebrities, is managed by Viva. She is part of ABS-CBN’s Sunday noontime show ASAP and sits as one of the coaches of the Philippine version of The Voice.  In her post, she wrote that ABS-CBN is like family to her and that she is one with the employees of the network.

“Mahal ko po ang aking ABS-CBN family. Mahalaga po sa akin ang bawat empleyado na labis na nagdadalamhati ngayon dahil sa kawalan ng trabaho. Nakikiisa po ako sa kanilang apila na muling makabalik sa trabaho upang patuloy na makapagbigay serbisyo para sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya at para sa bansa.”

(I love my ABS-CBN family. Each and every employee who is now hurting because they lost their job is important to me. I am one with them in their plea to return to their jobs so that they can continue to serve their families and the country.)

ABS-CBN stopped its free television and radio operations on May 5 to comply with the shutdown order of the National Telecommunications Commission, following the expiration on May 4 of the network’s congressional franchise.

An overwhelming majority of the House committee on legislative franchises rejected ABS-CBN’s new franchise application, which forced the network to implement a retrenchment program for its 11,000 workers. – Rappler.com