Angel Locsin, Kim Chiu and Coco Martin. Image: Instagram/@therealangellocsin
Actors Kim Chiu and Coco Martin received a wave of support from fellow celebrities after they were singled out by some bashers for defending ABS-CBN during an online protest last Friday, May 8, on the TV network’s shutdown.
Chiu and Martin, together with fellow Kapamilya stars, expressed their dismay about the media giant’s shutdown on May 5, in compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) cease and desist order. Martin and Chiu received the most backlash after some of their statements were questioned and ridiculed online.
Martin fumed during the online protest to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, saying that the issue has gone beyond diplomatic discourse. Martin emphasized how the shutdown was affecting him and the rest of ABS-CBN’s 11,000 employees who lost their livelihood.
Meanwhile, Chiu tried to explain the media giant’s shutdown by comparing it to a classroom setting. When some netizens expressed their confusion about her statement, the actress admitted that she got confused too. On this, Chiu retweeted a post made by a certain @engineercaps with her quote from the online protest, as seen on her Twitter post last Saturday, May 9.
Pati din ako!!!!😝 https://t.co/a8KdadfebM
— kim chiu (@prinsesachinita) May 9, 2020
After several days of being subjected to public ridicule, to the point that Chiu’s “classroom analogy” has been transformed into a meme, her longtime boyfriend Xian Lim finally broke his silence to defend the actress from her bashers. Lim condemned the hatred Chui was receiving and said that the actress is a “wonderful human being.”
Angel Locsin also expressed her support for Chiu and Martin via her Instagram post yesterday, May 12.
“I pray for protection for the both of you,” Locsin said. “I know your intentions are pure and thank you for standing up for what you believe in.”
TV host Kim Atienza sent his love to Chiu as well, as seen on his Instagram account on the same day.
“@chinitaprincess your Kuya Kim is here for you always,” Atienza said. “All the love at this time.”
Chiu’s “Love Thy Woman” co-stars Sunshine Cruz and Christopher De Leon also came to the actress’s defense through their respective Instagram posts.
Cruz, who played Chiu’s mom in the halted TV drama series, said that it has been a wish fulfilled for her to work with Chiu.
“Noon pa man, I’ve been hearing good things about her and totoo ngang napakabait, laging nakangiti, professional at mahusay hindi lang bilang artista kundi bilang tao,” Cruz said. “Madaling makagaangan ng kalooban ang isang Kimmy because she is genuine and humble.”
(Even before, I’ve heard good things about her and it is true that she is good and always cheerful, professional and excellent — not just as an actress, but as a person in general. It is easy to get along with one Kimmy because she is genuine and humble.)
“Know that maraming nagmamahal sayo (there are a lot of people who love you) and I am one of them. This too shall pass,” Cruz told Chiu. “Kapit lang anak (Just stay strong, my child)!”
Similarly, De Leon described Chiu as “a ray of sunshine” in their set.
“She’s somebody who’s always eager to learn,” the actor said. “She never CLAIMED to be outstanding on anything.”
“Ang [lagi] niyang pinaghuhugutan ay ang personal experiences niya,” De Leon added. “[Lagi] siyang nagsi-share ng part of herself [to] each one of us.”
(She is always drawing from her personal experiences. She is always sharing a part of herself to each one of us.)
A new set of Kapamilya stars participated in an online protest yesterday, including Angel Locsin, Angelica Panganiban, Enchong Dee, Jodi Sta. Maria and more. JB
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