On August 28, the regional network teams of ABS-CBN aired their last broadcast as part of the network’s retrenchment program.
With this, Kapamilya journalists expressed concern for local communities as they might be deprived of a venue to be heard and of a source of news and information.
Jeff Canoy, Jing Castaneda, and MJ Felipe expressed gratitude for regional network groups as they held an important role in their communities.
Maraming, maraming salamat, RNG.
Malaking bahagi kung sino ako bilang journalist ay dahil sa inyo. Dahil sa ipinamalas ninyong galing, tapang at sigasig sa coverage.
Malaking bahagi kayo ng kasaysayan.At hindi rito nagtatapos ang ating kuwento at pagkukuwento. pic.twitter.com/t4eBnQu8zu
— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) August 28, 2020
Maraming salamat sa aming mga Kapamilya sa iba't ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas. Kapit lang. Sa awa ng Diyos at pagmamahal ng taong bayan, makakabalik tayo. Hindi natin malilimutan kailanman ang yugto'ng ito sa ating mga buhay. Hinding hindi. pic.twitter.com/MGXi1iJKII
— MJ Felipe (@mjfelipe) August 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/JINGCASTANEDA/status/1299269598827573249
Other journalists then expressed their sorrow as these local broadcast groups ceased their operations.
Today, all stations of the ABS-CBN Regional Network Group across the country will air their final newscast.
These providers of credible news to local communities – in their language – will go dark forever.
In this endless chain of painful days, today hurts deeper than others. pic.twitter.com/ej1bYGOxD9
— Chiara Zambrano (@chiarazambrano) August 28, 2020
“These providers of credible news to local communities – in their language – will go dark forever.
“In this endless chain of painful days, today hurts deeper than others,” Chiara Zambrano said.
Today is the last broadcast of various TV Patrol Regional News. Show your support by watching! I don’t know how much pain my fellow Kapamilya journalists are feeling right now, but certainly this is a huge loss to us all.
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) August 28, 2020
Kevin Manalo also sympathized with these network groups and said that Congress took away a news source of far-flung areas and the livelihood of employees.
“The congress has cut out an important source of information, especially in the far flung towns. I hope they’ll regret what they did, someday.
My heart goes out to all the Kapamilya workers whose happiness and source of living are forcefully taken from them. To all the Filipino viewers, too, who find meaning in our stories.
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) August 28, 2020
“My heart goes out to all the Kapamilya workers whose happiness and source of living are forcefully taken from them. To all the Filipino viewers, too, who find meaning in our stories.
It really hurts.
Wag niyo pong kalimutan itong ginawa nila.
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) August 28, 2020
“It really hurts. Wag niyo pong kalimutan itong ginawa nila,” Manalo said.
It's heartbreaking to see the journalists and workers of ABS-CBN all over the country signing off today.
Never forget that in the middle of the pandemic, thousands of Filipinos lost their jobs not because of the virus – but because of a president's vindictiveness.
— Gideon Lasco (@gideonlasco) August 28, 2020
So many goodbyes today.
But I don't want to settle for sob stories.
We live to fight another day. #LumabanHuwagTumiklop https://t.co/L02BsvWX1a
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) August 28, 2020
One of the last reports out of TV Patrol Chavacano is the story of a college student who died in the Jolo blasts this week. She was a scholar raising money for online learning.
With the closure of ABS-CBN's regional network, stories like hers will be out of the primetime news. https://t.co/Lj3IiCVf5Q
— Regine Cabato (@RegineCabato) August 28, 2020
Growing up in Zamboanga at a time when bombings were prevalent, TV Patrol Chavacano was one of the main gateways for Filipinos to know the human faces affected by the violence often associated with Mindanao.
Here's the report in full. https://t.co/13Nxt2ov4m
— Regine Cabato (@RegineCabato) August 28, 2020
The loss of ABS-CBN's regional newsrooms aren't just a blow for journalists, but the communities they report for. If there is another Zamboanga / Marawi siege or Jolo bombing, expect that with less local journalists around, stories like this will be fewer and harder to find.
— Regine Cabato (@RegineCabato) August 28, 2020
Final newscast of TV Patrol Bicol after 23 years of delivering news, stories, and information to Bicolanos, using the Bicol language. @ABSCBNNews @ANCALERTS @DZMMTeleRadyo pic.twitter.com/uWu4B8nsiC
— Mylce Mella-C (@JessaMylce) August 28, 2020
These regional network groups deliver their news in their local communities using their local dialects.
The cessation of operations of the 12 regional network groups is part of the retrenchment program of ABS-CBN which faced the non-renewal of its franchise as denied by the House of Representatives on July.
For days to come, more shows will cease to broadcast and more employees are expected to lose their jobs during the pandemic.
