MANILA – There’s no stopping actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin for speaking out after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the shutdown of ABS-CBN's broadcast operations last May 5 following the expiration of its franchise.

In an 8-minute video uploaded on Facebook, Locsin lamented that due to what happened, more Filipinos have lost their livelihood during an already trying time brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Ang sa akin lang po, kung maipapangako po na yung mga mawawalan po ng trabaho sa gitna ng pandemic ay magkakaroon po sila ng trabaho na may parehong sweldo, na may parehong benepisyo dahil ilang taon po ang binigay nila doon para maabot nila ang estadong yun, kung meron po, tatahimik po ako. Wala po kayong maririnig sa akin. Pero alam ko po na hindi mangyayari yun dahil marami pa po ang walang trabaho ngayon,” she said.

Locsin, however, reiterated that she is not in any way encouraging a fight against the government, but she is rather calling for fair treatment.

“Lilinawin ko lang po na hindi ito laban against our government. I wish our president the best. Hindi po natin malalagpasan ang pandemyang ito kung wala po siya. Naniniwala po ako na dapat po sa panahon ngayon lalo ay magkaisa po tayo at magtulungan,” she said.

“Ang nilalaban ko po dito ay mabigyan ng extension ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN kagaya po ng pagbigay rin ng extension sa ibang kumpanya na nag-expire po ang kanilang prangkisa pero na-extend po para dinggin ng Kongreso ang kanilang mga kaso. Yun lamang po,” she added.

Locsin said ABS-CBN deserves its day in Congress just like the other companies who were once in a similar situation.

“Nilalaban ko lamang po kung ano ang tingin kong patas. Pantay-pantay dahil naniniwala din po ako diyan. Naniniwala din po ako na sana po mabigyan ng araw sa Congress ang ABS-CBN para maharap po nila ang mga paratang sa kanila, para mabigyan po sila ng chance po sa tamang paglilitis,” she said.

Locsin also stressed that this should not be interpreted to mean that she is asking for VIP treatment on behalf of ABS-CBN.

“We are asking for a fair chance na yun naman po ang gusto ng Kongreso, na yun naman po ang gusto ng Senado. Tamang oras para sa tamang paglilitis. Ngayon naman po, kung sakali pong mapatunayan na may pagkakasala ang ABS-CBN, tama po kayo. Ang batas ay batas na dapat pong sundin. Kung meron pong pagkakamali, ayusin. Kung sino man ang nagkasala, parusahan. Pero ayusin po natin ang mali,” she said.

While saying that no company is perfect, Locsin said that everyone deserves an opportunity to fix what is broken in the system.

The actress then went on to enumerate some instances that she thinks should merit another chance, including what happened to Jobert Sucaldito when he made a comment about Nadine Lustre, as well as the non-regularization of some ABS-CBN workers.

Talking to her home network, Locsin said: “Sa ABS-CBN, kung mabibigyan po tayo ng second chance, itama po natin ang lahat ng pagkukulang natin. Pasalamatan po natin yung mga tao na sumuporta sa laban. Mas bigyan po natin ng tamang alaga yung mga nagtratrabaho sa ABS-CBN kasi sila po yung sumuporta sa laban na ito.”

Locsin specifically addressed Solicitor General Jose Calida, who pressured the National Telecommunications Commission to issue a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN instead of granting provisional authority, eventually leading to the network's sign-off.

“Let’s heal as one. To SolGen Calida, to NTC, how do you expect us to heal as one kung kayo po mismo ang susugat sa amin? Naniniwala po ako sir na marami po kayong nagawang maganda para sa bayan natin. Pero kung tinuloy niyo po ang decision na ito, kahit ano pong degree niyo, talino, position, achievements, hindi po yun ang matatandaan ng tao.

“Ang matatandaan nila, you will go down in history bilang kayo po ang taong pumatay sa ABS-CBN at dumurog sa napakaraming tao sa gitna ng pandemya. Yun po ang matatandaan namin sir at huwag niyo pong hahayaang mangyari yun,” she said.

Locsin has been a Kapamilya star since 2007. She has been an outspoken supporter of ABS-CBN on the issue of the network's franchise renewal.

Watch the video of Locsin’s full statement below.