‘Hindi ako titigil sa pagsasalita laban sa kasamaan na pumapaligid satin. Being bashed is a small price to pay to be in the right side of history. — Enchong Dee’
Angelica Panganiban’s silence left her fans wondering what happened to her as she’s usually very outspoken. She recently got back on social media, sharing all her feelings about her home network’s shutdown.
She wrote: “Nanahimik ako dahil hindi kayang buuin ng mga salita ang nararamdaman ko.
Galit, takot, pangangamba. Ilang buwan na kong nag-iisip kung paano na ba ang mga kasamahan namin sa trabaho. Ang mga pamilya nila. At dumating na nga ang araw na napakahirap tanggapin.”
ABS-CBN management officially announced that they’ll start laying off their employees starting August 31. Angelica told this to detractors who seem to be happy about what happened to them: “Tratuhin ninyo naman kaming parang tao. Kaming lahat na nawalan ng trabaho. Nawalan ng tahanan. Paano niyo kayang sikmurain na pagtawanan ang kapwa ninyo Pilipino na nawalan ng kabuhayan? Pilipino sa kapwa Pilipino na ang naglalaban-laban. Tama pa ba yon?”
And for the 70 congressmen who voted for non-renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, this is what she wrote: “Serbisyo para sa bayan ang dapat na inuuna ng mga mambabatas natin.
Sa ginawa nila, sarili nila ang inuna nila. Sa totoo lang, hindi po namin responsibilidad ang mga empleyado na nawalan ng trabaho. Pero nandito kami. Nagsasalita, para sa kanila.
Bakit? Kasi siguro yun ang makatao.”
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Sharon Cuneta is understandably peeved by the movement against her husband Sen. Francis Pangilinan. The #OustKiko movement was obviously initiated by trolls working for the Du30 administration. Kiko is currently the chairman of the Senate Constitutional Amendments Committee and trolls obviously resent this.
Their daughter Frankie Pangilinan tweeted that some quarters want to oust her dad from this position so they can make amendments in the constitution and change our form of government into a federal one. As Sharon said, so now, it’s her husband that is the target of these Dutertards.
“So now, it’s my husband naman. I want to refrain na sana from posting about politics, but sorry po – I have to stand up for what is right – especially if it involves someone I love.
“Matagal ko nang pinalampas ang mga pamimintas at masasakit na salita laban sa asawa ko, pero hindi na po kaya ng pamilya namin. O, Pilipinas naming mahal… ano na ang ginagawa nila sa iyo… Dear God, You are alive, You see all, You know all. We trust only in YOU. Kalma lang. Nandyan ang Panginoon. At KAMI, NANANALIG SA KANYA. Mapalad ang inaapi. God bless us all.”
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Most of our outspoken activist stars are female, like Angel Locsin, Jennylyn Mercado, Janine Gutierrez, Bela Padilla, Agot Isidro. The males are mostly reticent, except for Enchong Dee, who is also very outspoken.
He unabashedly joined the noise barrage protesting the shutdown of ABS-CBN after Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque said it’s best not to question anymore the decision of congress not to renew their franchise, just respect it and move on. He added: “Maski po tayo manghinayang, tapos na po ang boksing. At dumaan na po sa proseso, sang-ayon sa Saligang Batas. Wala na po tayong magagawa. Let’s move on.”
In his social media account, Enchong addressed Roque directly: “You disgust me. Alam ko makikita mo ‘tong tweet na to because you follow me. Sayang ka.”
The actor added: “I’ve been fighting for my country since I was 13 (as a swimmer in the Asian games). Hindi madali at walang kasiguraduhan pero masarap sa puso. I will do the same for the company which I called home for 15 years. Hindi ako titigil sa pagsasalita laban sa kasamaan na pumapaligid satin. Being bashed is a small price to pay to be in the right side of history.
“Sa mga kasamahan ko sa ABSCBN, kasama nyo ko hanggang muling magbukas ang tahanan natin. At sa mga kapwa ko artista, hindi ito ang oras para manahimik, maging totoo tayo sa salitang #kapamilya.”
Of course, haters won’t miss the chance to bash Enchong even if he’s fighting for a just cause. Someone said he has nothing lose as he is not a big star. The basher said Enchong should not force other actors to protest in public like what he does.
Here’s the basher’s message to Enchong: “Don’t get me wrong, I admire your bravery, mismong ako I want ABS-CBN back. Pero I think it’s wrong to pressure all the artists to be as vocal as you. And there’s nothing really at risk for your career kasi di ka naman sikat (sic).”
Enchong replied: “We have to start thinking beyond ourselves, our voice is not for us but for the others who have nothing, those who live from paycheck to paycheck. I’m calling for their support because I know that my colleagues have enough influence to make things right. Again, this is beyond one’s self.”
Honestly, we feel sad that other actors are not as brave and “palaban” as Enchong. Coco Martin was once defiant when the issue of ABS-CBN shutdown started, but it seems he has since lost his fighting spirit and is now totally quiet.
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Paolo Contis shone in the Viva romantic drama, “Through Night and Day,” shown in 2018.
We said then in our review of that film that Paolo deserves to win a couple of best actor awards for his touching performance as the grieving sweetheart of a dying girl in the movie directed by Roni Velasco and filmed in Iceland and Baguo City.
The movie then failed dismally at the box office but it is now resurrected and is a hit in Netflix as one of its most popular searches, along with his comedy movie, “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap.” Because of this, some folks have given him the title “Netflix King.” How does he feel about it?
“At least, naging ‘King’ ako somewhere, ‘di ba?” he said. “It’s flattering kasi, sa Netflix, andami mong kalabang ibang movies na international films, mga Korean films na magaganda. So I’m happy nakasabay naman tayo kahit papaano. It’s totally unexpected, kasi more than a year ago pa ‘yun, nalimot ko na nga. But now, trending pa at pinag-usapan sa social media. Andaming pumupuri. Nakakagulat bigla ang warm reception ng tao. So we’re happy na finally, we found our audience.
“Pati nga ‘Pangarap Kong Holdap,’ hindi rin yun napansin sa theatrical release niya. Mas nauna ‘yun ni-release sa Netflix kaysa ‘Through Night and Day.’ Comedy ‘yun, maraming nakagusto. We’re glad it has now also found an audience sa Netflix. So when ‘Through Night and Day’ was shown, akala nila siguro, comedy rin. Tapos nagulat sila kasi drama pala at nakita nilang umiiyak ako sa mga eksena. By word of mouth, kumalat, pati sa social media, andaming nag-endorse, saying panoorin nyo, nakakaiyak, namaga ang mata namin.
So ayun, nag-pick up siya hanggang naging number one na nga. Salamat naman po!”
