Karen Davila Laments Loss of ABS-CBN Employees as Death "By a Thousand Cuts"

"The last few days have been so painful for me," Karen Davila writes in an Instagram post. She likens the pain to death "by a thousand cuts."

The seasoned broadcaster muses: "Seeing good journalists and anchors go feels so wrong.... My own team in Bandila and My Puhunan are gone, now challenged to look for new jobs, made even much harder during the time of COVID."

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Karen Davila is lamenting the closure of the ABS-CBN Regional Group and the retrenchment of employees following the network's shutdown.

She does acknowledge her blessings, saying she is grateful "to have saved and be married to a supportive hardworking husband with a good job."

But this doesn't lessen the fear she feels when thinking about the fate of the network.

Karen asks, "What does the future hold? What will happen to ABSCBN, a company I've worked for for 20 years and one I've considered my second home?"

In the here and now, she says she finds her answer in her faith.

"And as I've grown in my walk with Christ and in God's Word this ECQ, this verse struck me recently.

"Although Isaiah 55 is written for a 'Call To The Thirsty', a part here answers things I don't understand.

"'My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts'. And it is true. I cannot fully comprehend or understand God's plans.

"All I know is He has allowed certain things to happen. And I choose to trust HIM."

Karen accepts that she doesn't know what will happen in the future, but she chooses to be hopeful.

"And this why while it is important to plan, be disciplined, be excellent in what we do every single day, if there is one thing the closure of ABSCBN has taught me and what COVID has taught us all, we must learn to have the humility to say, 'Truly, Lord, if it is what you want — your will be done'."

ABS-CBN SHUTDOWN

It has been three full months since ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5, 2020. This was in compliance with the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commission that same day.

In the weeks that followed, Congress tackled the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN in a series of hearings that lasted nearly two months after the CDO.

The congress committee on legislative franchises reached a final decision on July 10, voting to junk the media giant's franchise renewal appeal.

A big majority of 70 members voted YES to denying the franchise; with only 11 members voting NO.

Since then, ABS-CBN has reduced its television and radio programs throughout the country. Employees have been retrenched by the thousands.

These employees had their last day last Friday, August 28.