Vice Ganda offering jobs to ABS-CBN workers via new digital network

July 23, 2020 - 10:04 AM
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This September 2019 photo shows a still image of comedian Vice Ganda from an episode of "Gandang Gabi Vice." (Gandang Gabi Vice via Facebook)

Vice Ganda aims to help workers who lost their jobs following his home network’s shutdown through his own digital network that will launch this Friday.

The “It’s Showtime” host announced this new venture Vice Ganda Network during at virtual press conference last Monday, on July 20, which was a week after the historic voting that denied ABS-CBN’s its franchise application.

“Dito lahat ang kailangan namin unahin i-accommodate ay ‘yung mga taga-ABS-CBN na wala munang pinagkakakitaan ngayon. Kailangan ko buksan itong proyektong ito para makapag-extend ng help sa kanila,” he said.

The veteran comedian also hoped to give a platform to his fellow stand-up comedians who likewise lost their livelihood during the lockdown amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Bukod sa nagagawa nila ‘yung passion nila, karagdagan kita sa kanila, para sa mga bakla,” he said.

Vice Ganda also expressed his gratitude to Viva Entertainment, an agency in partnership with ABS-CBN, for giving him the blessing and support for this project after years of working with them.

“Hiningi ko ito ng basbas sa ABS-CBN kaya nagpapasalamat ako, pati sa mga endorsers ko,” he said.

“I am so blessed that I was given the opportunity to work with the best people at ABS-CBN and viva who shared their wisdom with me. Napapaligiran ako ng magagaling na tao,” he added.

He also hoped that other artists would switch to join him and switch to digital to reach a wider audience.

“Di kayo pwedeng mawala sa kamalayan ng audience. Ang dami pang pwedeng gawin sa digital. This is the challenge and as artists we have to serve our purpose na pasayahin pa ang tao,” he said.

When his project began to stir discussions online, some Filipinos criticized the move for supposedly being insensitive and opportunistic of Vice Ganda to launch it after ABS-CBN’s license to operate got denied.

Vice Ganda was among the celebrities the public perceived as silent and passive compared to his close peers in the industry during the struggles of ABS-CBN in the past grueling congressional hearings tackling supposed legal issues for its franchise.

He also did not participate in any street protest to urge lawmakers to give his home network another chance for the sake of its 11,000 workers.

However, Vice Ganda had been posting his support to ABS-CBN and his colleagues on Instagram. He had also joined previous calls to bring the media giant back on the air.

Vice Ganda’s reactions after the franchise denial

In the historic voting last July 10, seventy lawmakers from the Lower House denied ABS-CBN’s application for a fresh 25-year franchise, which affected thousands of Filipinos nationwide.

Vice Ganda posted a hopeful message to his colleagues on July 15.

In a statement on July 17, Vice Ganda vented his anger toward them for their verdict.

“Ang totoong magdudusa dito ay ang mga pangkarinawang manggagawa na nawalan ng trabaho. Sila ang maghihirap,” he said.

“Kaya kung inaakala nyong nagtagumpay kayo e nagkakamali kayo. Mali ang natarget nyo. Mali ang pinatay ninyo. At lahat yan ay mumultuhin at gagambalain kayo. Alam nyo kung sino kayo!” he added.