After denying ABS-CBN its franchise renewal last week, the government apparently has something else to say to the network: “I do not know why ABS-CBN could not have done more like the Ayalas and MVP did.”
In an interview with ANC, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque questioned ABS-CBN’s response to the pandemic, saying the network should have done more to help. He even mentioned Manny Pangilinan and the Ayalas, owners of water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water respectively, which the president had threatened to seize last year over “onerous” agreements.
But like any millennial today, ABS-CBN has receipts. On the official Facebook page of ABS-CBN News, the network posted an infographic showing the amount of donations they’ve raised through their Pantawid ng Pag-Ibig program.
ABS-CBN raised a total of P427.13 million in cash donations and pledges and over P100 million worth of donations, along with contributions in kind and goods purchased with the accumulated cash.
At the end of the day, all of these businesses committed to addressing the health crisis.
Maynilad temporarily suspended meter readings during quarantine and built a P15 million COVID-19 testing center while Ayala Corporation partnered with five other companies (one of which was ABS-CBN) to build testing laboratories all over the country.
In addition, Manila Water donated P1.31 million to affected sectors and 26,506 liters of drinking water to frontliners and the MVP group of companies donated 1,000 grocery packs to the families of frontliners.
And in case Roque forgot, President Duterte even thanked ABS-CBN two months ago for its pandemic relief efforts.
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