BALANGA CITY — Bishop Ruperto C. Santos of the Diocese of Balanga on Wednesday called the closure of ABS–CBN “untimely and a disservice to the people,”especially at this time of the coronavirus disease pandemic.
“We have to be more compassionate and more understanding during this difficult time. Shutting downABS–CBN would be an added problem and burden, especially to the 11,000 workers,” the Bataan bishop said.
He noted that mass media is a valuable source of information to the people, especially with the challenges posed by Covid–19.
“It is very much needed with the proliferation now of fake news and unreliable stories. ABS–CBN has been very effective and an efficient source of information. It is dedicated and devoted to reliable and truthful news, stories and shows,” Santos said.
Overseas Filipino workers, he said, are best informed and through the channel responsibly connected to their loved ones back home.
“Truly, it is in the service of Filipinos here and abroad. With this devastating and difficult situation brought by Covid–19, we have to think more of the welfare of our people. There are many things we have closed down but we should not close our hearts to charity, our minds to reason, and our hands to healing,” the bishop said.
He urged that the cease and desist order versus ABS–CBN be carefully weighed and reversed.
