ABS-CBN Cebu wraps up after three decades of public service

The last episode of TV Patrol Central Visayas war aired late afternoon on Friday, August 28, 2020. | Photos courtesy of Jude Michael Torres

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu regional office of media giant ABS-CBN officially signed off on Friday, August 28, 2020, after 32 years of public service.

The station broadcasted its final episode of TV Patrol Central Visayas late afternoon on Friday through its official social media handles.

ABS-CBN Cebu that is based in Barangay Jagobiao in Mandaue City airs local television programs for viewers in the entire Central Visayas region.

The broadcasting company decided to suspend the operations of all its regional stations, the first casualty after Congress denied its franchise renewal that would have given them another 25 years to operate.

In Cebu, their last day at work left segment producers, anchors, reporters, and crew members teary-eyed while they started to pack their belongings and bid their colleagues goodbye.

“Wa mi kahibaw asa mi padung inig human sa ABS CBN Cebu… way training sa news writing and news operation makaandam ani nga adlaw,” veteran Cebuano journalist and anchor Leo Lastimosa told viewers of TV Patrol – Central Visayas shortly before they went off air on Friday.

(We still do not know where we will be headed after ABS CBN Cebu.  No amount of training and news operation prepared us for this day.)

Nevertheless, Lastimosa said the station’s around 100 employees are grateful for the support and trust of the public.

Although emotional, Lastimo shared his optimism that a stronger and more formidable ABS-CBN will reemerge soon.

“Kami nagsalig di pa ni mao ang katapusan. Salig mi na mubalik ra ang ABS-CBN, mas lig-on, mas andam, mas takos sa pagtigbabaw sa kamatuuran sa pagpanlipud sa paghatag ug tingug sa mga dinaogdaog,” Lastimosa said.

(We are confident that this is not yet the end of the road for us.  We are confident that a much stronger and better prepared ABS-CBN will one-day resume operations to again give voice to the oppressed.)

READ: ABS-CBN employees in the Visayas: Goodbye

Media groups and supporters of ABS-CBN blamed President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies for the rejection of their franchise renewal bid.

An ongoing signature campaign seeks to push for the renewal of the franchise of the network through a people’s initiative.  The needed signatures is at least 3 percent of registered voters in each legislative district and at least 10 percent of total registered voters in the country. / with reports from the Philippine Daily Inquirer