TV5 chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the network is ready to absorb some of the displaced workers of media giant ABS-CBN following its government-backed closure.

“We are revving up our entertainment content creation and will need creatives, talents, directors, scriptwriters, cameramen, etc.,” Pangilinan said in an interview with MVP Group-owned Philippine Star.

“If these are willing and able to work with us, we’re prepared to offer alternative jobs for the relevant displaced workers over time,” he said.

Currently, according to the business tycoon, there are no direct talks between the two networks.

There is, however, an ABS-CBN offer to rent a channel on Cignal TV, a pay TV company and a subsidiary of the PLDT Group’s content arm MediaQuest Holdings.

Pangilinan earlier said Cignal is still assessing the offer and may soon decide on it.

Effective August 31, ABS-CBN will retrench employees after lawmakers denied its franchise due to alleged “numerous violations,” which the network repeatedly denied.

ABS-CBN has yet to disclose how many employees of the network and its subsidiaries would lose their jobs.

“We are doing all we can to mitigate the pain that will be felt by those affected, including paying out separation and retirement benefits and providing job placement programs,” ABS-CBN said in an earlier statement.

“As much as it hurts us to implement this retrenchment program, this is the only way to ensure the continued employment of the rest of our Kapamilya.”

This comes as the Philippines sinks into recession and unemployment reaches an all-time high due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Human rights groups and journalists have condemned ABS-CBN’s shutdown as another attack on press freedom under the Duterte administration. (READ: LIST: Cases vs Maria Ressa, Rappler directors, staff since 2018) – Rappler.com