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.

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Other journalists then expressed their sorrow as these local broadcast groups ceased their operations.

“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.

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.

“It really hurts. Wag niyo pong kalimutan itong ginawa nila,” Manalo said.

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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.