Between Sun Tzu's Art of War and Kim Chiu's Law of the Classroom

This rather complicated war of wits and acumen, being faced by ABS-CBN, should have been guided by a set of ancient rules, formulated by wise warriors, rather than fiction writers who have never seen battle. If the protagonists were to pick up some unsolicited advice, ABS-CBN should have sent to the battlefield their best generals, and never delude themselves into thinking that getting a franchise is just a walk in the park.

Getting a franchise for ABS-CBN isn’t like going to the house of a barangay captain ask for a permit. It’s confronting political giants in an arena, controlled by hardened politicians, who have their own partisan agendas and biased axes to grind. ABS-CBN should send their war-tested generals and battle-scarred warriors, not innocent-looking vestal virgins, who appear like red riding hoods, going into the forest of big bad wolves. This isn’t "Ang Probinsyano" where Cardo Dalisay always wins, and who never runs out of bullets, simply because he is protected by both the script writers and the directors. This is war.

ABS-CBN’s strategists and tacticians must be guided by an overall master plan, designed by men and women of wisdom, who are battle-scarred, astute, scheming, and well-experienced, having fought many wars themselves. These hardened generals should either follow Sun Tzu's “Art of War” written more than 500 years BC, or picked up unintended wisdom from Kim Chiu's Law of The Classroom. Kim should be seen as ABS-CBN's Joan of Arc. Getting a franchise isn’t like an audition for “Showtime” or “Your Voice Looks Familiar”. It’s war.

History tells us wars and battles have been won because of the genius of frontline generals, master strategists like Rameses II of Egypt, Julius Caesar of Rome, Hannibal of Carthage, Mao Tse Tung of China, and Yamashita of Japan. Men who follow Sun Tzu's rules: Attack when the enemy is unprepared. But when the adversary is well-entrenched, postpone engagement. Ambush the adversary in a place and at a time least expected. These rules were neglected by ABS-CBN. In fact, its adversaries used these against the network.

ABS-CBN should have known better, it walked into an ambush. Sun Tzu says that all wars are based on deception, this was neglected. Appear weak when you’re strong, and appear strong when you’re weak. Never attack a walled garrison. You’ll be massacred. Send in spies and build an army inside the enemy's territory. The House of Lord Alan Peter is a walled garrison. The friends of ABS-CBN are in the Senate but the arena is in the House. Wrong plans, wrong preparation, or none at all. The friends of ABS-CBN in the Lower House are few and becoming fewer, men like Edcel Lagman and Lito Atienza are voices crying in the wilderness, and are overwhelmed by the superior and fierce forces of the ruling majority coalition. led by Field Marshall L-Ray Villafuerte. ABS-CBN will most likely be massacred there. They should retreat and regroup and seek reinforcement.

The only saving grace of ABS-CBN, at this point in time, is to follow Kim Chiu's Law of the Classroom. “Huwag lumabas sa classroom, and if you did, ayusin mo, mag sorry ka sa teacher.” All these wars started when Zeus, the highest god of Mount Olympus was angered. He is the supreme teacher. ABS-CBN should be wise enough to follow Kim's nugget of wisdom, pure, simple, and easy to execute. The war has already been lost. Negotiate an honorable surrender. Do a Yamashita to Zeus' MacArthur. “Ayusin mo”.