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A post shared by RUFFA GUTIERREZ (@iloveruffag) on Sep 4, 2020 at 12:00am PDT

MANILA – It has been almost two months since a committee of the House of Representatives decided to kill the franchise bid of ABS-CBN, leaving the network unable to operate its main broadcast platforms.

Despite the amount of time that has passed, Ruffa Gutierrez said she could still vividly remember how everyone on the set of “Love Thy Woman” reacted to the unfortunate news.

“We were shooting the day na nag-shutdown. Can you imagine? May eksena kami na dapat hindi iyakan, biglang lahat kami umiiyak sa set,” she told Toni Gonzaga during an interview for “I Feel U.”

“Sabi ko, ‘Direk, pwede na bang kunan 'yung mga iyakan scenes natin? Kasi pinatayan na tayo. Nag-no na 'yung Congress. Gawin na natin 'yung mabibigat na eksena.’ Kasi kahit na hindi kami kailangan maging emotional, lahat kami talaga were so emotional,” she added.

As she looks back, Gutierrez said she has found a new level of respect for everyone working on their show as they try to navigate not just through the struggles brought by the franchise denial but also because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Every time I look back, bilib na bilib ako talaga sa amin, sa buong cast, crew, staff. Napakahirap gumawa ng isang production. Napakahirap i-maintain 'yung excitement with everything going around,” she said.

Expressing admiration for ABS-CBN, Gutierrez said: “In spite of everything that happened, in spite of all the challenges that they’ve gone through, pinipilit nila talagang mag-survive. They are doing it.”

One proof to this is how audiences continue to patronize “Love Thy Woman” following ABS-CBN’s digital shift.

“Sabi nila, ‘Nako kapag walang free TV, wala na.’ Hindi ako naniniwala doon kasi I believe that digital is the future. We just have to adapt to it. We just have to embrace it. Hindi naman lahat nasa digital pero eventually lahat, tututok sa atin,” she said.

Now that “Love Thy Woman” is about to end on September 11, Gutierrez said she is thankful that she became a part of the project.

“Maraming maraming salamat kasi number one kami sa lahat ng online streaming sa Kapamilya Channel. Talagang tinututukan kami not only here but abroad,” she said.

“Kung pwede ko lang sila sulatan isa-isa. Hindi lang sa Pilipinas, talagang from all over the world... I think that is really the strength also of ABS-CBN, talagang worldwide in the service of the Filipino.”