August 31 Is The Last Day of Work Of An 80-Year-Old PH Media Giant Who Opposed Duterte Government

Hanggang sa muli, mga Kapmilya (Until next time, family!)

The Philippines’ TV Network Giant Alto Broadcasting Network – Chronicle Broadcasting Network (ABS CBN) bade their byes off the air after almost 80 years, and after failing to secure a broadcasting franchise by the Congress, which was for many, an alleged politically-motivated decision involving cronies by the current administration.

Last May 5, the biggest network, who has a tagline “in the service of the Filipino people” ended airing programs after their franchise, ending by October 2020, were not renewed by the legislative department. The country’s National Communications Network issues cease-and-desist order to them.

This fate was foreseen as President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to have the renewal blocked because of alleged propaganda by the network to the president. In the 2016 Presidential Election, it was identified that ABS CBN did not allow campaign ads of PDU30 and played instead of a rival ad, who’s a coding a tirade against him.

Come May until July 2020, the executives of the station were forced to explain some issues hurled against them which include tax evasion, labor complaints.

However, the irony came when all the Philippines agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenues (for tax), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) came to issue statements saying that the network is cleared of the accusations based on their records.

After two months, equivalent to 13 Senate hearings, the 70 congressmen voted to block the franchise renewal, and only 11 opposed to the decision.

There are an estimated 4,000 employees who will be losing jobs because of the shut down of operations by ABS CBN.

As early as July, the network announced the layoff or retrenchment of employees across the nation. This includes the News and Public Affairs, Entertainment, Digital and Radion, and the regional stations in 17 areas across the Philippines.

On August 28, all the main news program, TV Patrol, ended in all these provinces. This brought tears and dismay to many locals who, according to them, gave them news about their areas which is aired in their dialect, are are not usually covered in the nationwide airing of TV Patrol Manila.

The casualties cover all rank and file production employees and staff, as well as the main anchors and celebrities.

“Pinoy fans now have limited ways to revel in the Kapamilya spirit beyond their screens as ABS-CBN’s experience and retail businesses are shutting down their operations permanently by August 31, including the Studio Tours, ABS-CBN Store, Hado Pilipinas, Heroes Burger, and ABS-CBN Studio Experience,” the network included in the statement

Not known to many the services mentioned Studio Tours is a service inside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City that greeted local and foreign audiences in educational tours inside the network’s studios since 1997.

Through this, visitors can personally experience behind-the-scene situations in the production of various programs at the network.

ABS-CBN Store, meanwhile, are dedicated to fans by selling celebrity and network merchandise.

The Kapamilya Network also added, “the country’s pioneer studio city located in TriNoma, the ABS-CBN Studio Experience, closes down after two years of housing physical attractions and digital innovations.”

Furthermore, they gave updated so the theme park which was built in 2019 inside of one of the biggest malls in the country: “The indoor theme park allowed Filipino families to experience various ABS-CBN shows via the It’s Showtime Directors’ Booth; Pinoy Big Brother: Breakout; Minute To Win It: The Experience; The Voice: Open Mic; and the Kapamilya Theater attractions,”

Burger joint Heroes Burger, and Hado Pilipinas, a techno sport merging digital sports with physical activity, is also officially closing curtains for business.

On the other hand, some its entertainment programs are still being shown in the networks YouTube and Social Media pages and was re-branded under “The Kapamilya Channel”