Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil in a video greeting posted Wednesday directly asked a lawmaker, one of the vocal critics against granting ABS-CBN a fresh 25-year franchise, to give their home network another chance.
During the hearing last Monday, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (Sagip Party-list) admitted that he and his wife are watching the network’s “Make It With You” series.
He added that his wife is a fan of the love team dubbed “LizQuen.”
“Yung ‘Make it With You,’ alam ko po ‘yan e. Kasi ang asawa ko ay talagang avid fan ni Enrique Gil at ‘yung si Liza Soberano,” Marcoleta was quoted as saying.
“Kaya ko po napapanood ‘yun, ayaw po kasi ng asawa ko na nanonood na wala siyang kasama,” he added.
Soberano and Gil, also a real-life couple, then took the opportunity to make a public request to Marcoleta through a Facebook video uploaded by talent manager Ogie Diaz on Wednesday.
“Gusto lang po naming kumatok sa puso ninyo na baka sakaling mabigyan ninyo ng chance ang ABS-CBN,” Soberano said.
The actor, meanwhile, thanked the legislators who continued to support the media firm.
“Sa lahat po ng mga congressmen who think that ABS-CBN deserves a chance, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo,” he said.
‘We’d love to meet you soon’
They also initially thanked Marcoleta and his wife for supporting their television series “Make It With You.”
In June, this teleserye was reported to be among the shows that was canceled due to halt of production brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs also failed to return on air when the state regulators ordered ABS-CBN’s shutdown last May 5.
“Hello po, magandang araw po sa inyo Congressman. Gusto lang po namin magpasalamat sa inyo ni Mrs. Marcoleta for supporting and watching ‘Make It With You,'” Gil said.
“Cute na cute po kami ni Quen dun sa kinuwento niyo pong journey niyo na sinasamahan niyo lagi siya at sinusuportahan niyo po siya sa panonood ng ‘Make It With You.’ And we would really love to meet you, especially Mrs. Marcoleta soon,” Soberano said.
Soberano was among the Kapamilya stars who had been vocal against ABS-CBN’s shutdown last May 5 and the succeeding closure of Sky Direct and ABS-CBN’s TV Plus channels last June 30.
ABS-CBN was forced to halt the operations of these services in compliance with the cease-and-desist order from the National Telecommunications Commission because its former franchise lapsed.
The House of Representatives had been conducting these sessions since May 26 to tackle legal issues and other old, alleged violations surrounding ABS-CBN’s application for a new license.
READ: What lawmakers got wrong: Highlights of 12th House hearing on ABS-CBN franchise
Reports initially said that House members would vote on the network’s franchise renewal on July 9.
However, Rep. Franz Alvarez (Palawan 1st District), the chairperson of the House committee on legislative franchise, in a report of Inquirer.net said that there is no schedule set yet for voting on the ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.
Alvarez told Inquirer that the House members will conduct summation of the arguments first.
Mostly praises with a few skeptics
Meanwhile, Soberano and Gil’s straightforward request to Marcoleta earned praises from their fan-base online.
“LizQuen is tough and decisive. They will do what they can to help ABS CBN. Trust that they know what they are doing. Let us support the effort they put in helping ABS even if ABS is ABIAS,” a fan account said.
While still being supportive of the couple, some online users speculated that Soberano and Gil’s video spiel was not voluntary.
“The fact that they posted it on the network’s official social media accounts means something. An approval maybe? They’re really doing it. Exhausting all their options. No matter what it may cost,” user @sobearanogil said.
“I choose not to dwell on the downside of this but rather focus on how unselfishly they did this for their HOME network. They could have declined but they did it anyway. If you know this couple, they value family to the highest regard. They would do anything for family,” another user said.
Diaz, meanwhile, did not indicate if Soberano and Gil were asked to create the recording.
In his post, the veteran comedian expressed hope that Marcoleta and other congressmen would vote in ABS-CBN’s favor.
“Naaliw naman ang LizQuen, dahil pinanonood pala ni Cong ang ‘Make It With You,’ lalo na ang misis nito. Anuman ang desisyon ng Kongreso, sana para sa bayan, lalo na at ang makikinabang nito ay ang mamamayan,” Diaz said.