BY ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS
Malacañang on Thursday said it will ask the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to put up a one-stop shop in ABS-CBN to assist the network’s workers who stand to lose their jobs after the broadcast giant was denied a new franchise.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after ABS-CBN announced on Wednesday that it would cease the operations of some of its businesses and lay off workers effective Aug. 31.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Roque said he will encourage Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestro Bello III to open a one-stop shop in ABS-CBN to assist those who will be retrenched.
“I will suggest to Secretary Bello dahil iba naman ang circumstances sa ABS-CBN talaga. Wala silang prangkisa at talagang mawawalan talaga sila ng trabaho (because ABS-CBN’s situation is really different. They have no franchise that’s why they would really have to let go of some of their employees),” he said.
“Rather than sila ang pupunta sa mga government agencies, I will suggest magpadala na lang ng one-stop-shop (Instead of them going to different government agencies, I will suggest that DoLE open a one-stop shop instead),” he added.
According to Roque, retrenched workers of ABS-CBN can avail themselves of all benefits that ordinary people are entitled to if they lose their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roque said ABS-CBN’s retrenched workers can avail themselves of the following government’s assistance programs:
— Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) of the DoLE.
— COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) of the DoLE.
— Loans offered by Pag-IBIG and SSS.
— Livelihood loans offered by the Trade and Agriculture departments.
“Lahat po ‘yan (All of these) can be availed of by employees of ABS-CBN,” he said.
In a statement after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied ABS-CBN a new franchise, the company said letting go of workers was the “only way to ensure the continued employment” of the rest of its employees.
However, it said that the company would be “paying out separation and retirement benefits and providing job placement programs.”
In a tweet Thursday, veteran journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon said she was one of the employees of the network who were bound to lose their jobs by the end of August this year.
President Duterte had vowed to block the network’s franchise renewal for not airing his paid political ads in 2016. He became neutral this year after accepting the apology of ABS-CBN Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak, leaving the fate of the broadcast giant to the Congress which is dominated by his allies. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
