MANILA — Actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin, one of the most vocal supporters of ABS-CBN, was at a loss for words Friday as her home network's franchise was denied by Congress, affecting 11,000 employees who are already grappling with the coronavirus crisis.

"Tapos na po ang botohan," she wrote on Instagram minutes after the House panel vote. "Kami po ay tulala at hindi alam kung anong gagawin. Gusto ko lang pong magpasalamat sa ilang taong pagtanggap n'yo po sa amin sa inyong mga tahanan."

Locsin, who was among the ABS-CBN employees who joined a caravan to Congress to call for its franchise renewal, has been a visible figure in the network's campaign to return to air.

Locsin, who has been a Kapamilya since 2007, time and again brought up the thousands of ABS-CBN workers whose jobs would be jeopardized by the shutdown.

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A post shared by Angel Locsin (@therealangellocsin) on Jul 10, 2020 at 12:33am PDT

Every day it is off air, ABS-CBN loses around P35 million, and by August, it may be forced to retrench workers, the company has said.

The vote of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises effectively shuts down ABS-CBN for good, over two months since it was issued a cease-and-desist order by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) over an expired franchise.

ABS-CBN had been trying to renew its original 25-year franchise since 2014, but faced several roadblocks, especially under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who had repeatedly promised to close it down.