https://twitter.com/BenAndBenMusic/status/1299219383764434944
Employees of media giant ABS-CBN who were laid off when the network failed to get a new franchise got a helping hand from the Filipino folk-pop band Ben&Ben.
The nine-piece band revealed in a Tweet on Friday, August 28, that they donated the money they earned from their song “Nakikinig Ka Ba Sa Akin” through Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation to assist thousands of the TV network’s retrenched workers.
Apart from sharing it with the Filipino people, Ben&Ben said their goal in dropping the song “has always been to be of service to retrenched employees of ABS-CBN.”
The band first shared the draft version of “Nakikinig Ka Ba Sa Akin” last April, and eventually released its studio version via their social media accounts on the 122nd celebration of Philippine Independence Day, as some Filipinos took to the streets to rally against the anti-terrorism law, government’s response on the COVID-19 crisis, and ABS-CBN’s shutdown, among other issues raised by protesters.
"Nakikinig Ka Ba Sa Akin" (STUDIO version)giving you the full song for free today.here on facebook, twitter and instagrampara sa Pilipinas. (recorded from our homes)
Posted by Ben&Ben on Friday, June 12, 2020
Ben&Ben released the song’s official music video on July 10, saying it was “isang alay sa ating mga kapamilya. Para sa bigat ng mga pangyayari ngayon (a tribute to our kapamilya. For all the struggles that are currently happening).” As of writing, the music video has raked more than 1.1 million views on YouTube.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal application in July. The Supreme Court (SC) then junked, on the ground of mootness, the petition of the broadcasting network that challenges the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC’s) cease and desist order.
“Because of this supervening event, there is no actual substantial relief which ABS-CBN Corporation would be entitled to regardless of the Court’s disposition of the merits of the petition,” the SC said in a statement on Tuesday, August 25.
The NTC issued the cease and desist order on May 5, just a day following the expiration of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.