Gerard Salonga on junked ABS-CBN franchise bid: Even if we don’t agree on the issue, we can still show kindness

MANILA, Philippines — For orchestral conductor Gerard Salonga, it is alright with him if people are not on the same page when it comes to the junked franchise bid of ABS-CBN.

“We may not all agree on certain issues, and that’s ok,” Salonga said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “Lahat naman tayo pwedeng magkaroon ng kanya-kanyang pananaw. Maganda naman ‘yun.”

(We all have different opinions when it comes to issues. That’s all right.)

“Miski hindi tayo sumasang-ayon sa isang bagay, pwede pa naman tayo magpakita ng malasakit at pagmamahal sa isa’t isa,” he added.

(Even if we don’t agree on something, we can still show kindness and love towards one another.)

After 13 hearings, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Franchises junked ABS-CBN’s franchise application bid after seventy lawmakers adopted the report of the technical working group, which recommended the denial of the network’s bid.

Salonga shared that he has been receiving messages from friends, who say while they agree that ABS-CBN should not be granted a new franchise, they still show compassion to the workers of the network who have lost their jobs.

However, the conductor added that it was “difficult to take” if friends or colleagues “gloat” about the decision, or make fun of the people who were “casualties” of the shutdown.

“When someone very insensitively tells their grieving friend “eh di maghanap ka ng iba (Then just look for another job)” in the middle of a worsening pandemic, it’s not going to make them feel better,” he said.

“Naturally a line needs to be drawn somewhere, resulting in a possible loss of friendship, which is also a reality we all need to accept,” he added.

“I think we can all agree that there’s a whole lot of healing that will need to happen.” [ac]