ABS-CBN picks up the pieces of its once flourishing institution of stars, but a seemingly uninterrupted line of celebrity departures continues to undermine the effort. Will the remaining homegrowns and new aspirants be enough to make the institution capable of keeping its stronghold?
The last few months may have seen the most network transfers in Philippine showbiz history. However, the streak seems to continue in the next few months or so. Following ABS-CBN’s shutdown, the scenario of ABS-CBN’s biggest homegrown stars leaving the once number one TV network has been written all over the wall.
The shutdown has since then, like a Moses’ staff that continues to calve what used to be a seemingly untraversable ocean between major TV networks, whose network exclusivity policies kept talents from making projects beyond their backyards.
A year and a month into losing its free TV broadcast franchise, ABS-CBN continues to exist on free television, but many of the faces that most viewers used to see on their screens, are no longer identified as Kapamilyas. More are feared to join the exodus as the Network practically rebuilds its stable of stars from scratch with new recruits and transferees, alongside faithful loyalists.
The ensuing string of celebrity departures from ABS-CBN should no longer surprise fans. There are, however, a number of stars, whose Kapamilya exit didn’t only shock but also hurt some viewers, who do not find comfort in following them to another network.
Among those personalities include ABS-CBN’s pioneering star-builder, Johnny Manahan.
Manahan was a long-time Kapamilya executive who served as the head of ABS-CBN’s main talent management agency, Star Magic. Among the Kapamilya projects he was most affiliated with, is the long-running Sunday noontime musical-variety show, ASAP Natin ‘To, where he served as a director for decades. Manahan’s exit from the show sparked controversies, as many of the stars of ASAP, went with him to lead the new musical variety show, Sunday Noontime Live.
Following the show’s cancellation in January, Manahan is now linked with Kapuso host, Willie Revillame. Both are reportedly set to doing projects under the Kapuso network.
Some of the biggest ABS-CBN homegrowns Manahan managed to tag along in his TV5 transfer, were Star Magic’s Piolo Pascual and Maja Salvador. Both joined “Mr.M” for the first and only season of the now-defunct, Sunday Noontime Live.
Pascual had most of his career highlights with ABS-CBN, including becoming a bankable movie star and a teleserye staple. Among his most memorable projects are the 2014 Star Cinema box-office hit, Starting Over Again, and the 2001 TV series, Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka. Like Manahan, Pascual is also reportedly joining GMA Network, following his brief TV5 stint.
Maja Salvador, on the other hand, is staying with TV5, after SNL’s cancellation.
She’s been appearing as a title character on the primetime drama series, Niña Niño, and serving as a judging panel member, for the talent reality search, POPinoy. Following her two-decade-long Star Magic stint, Salvador set up her own talent management company, Crown Artist Management.
John Lloyd Cruz, also an ABS-CBN homegrown, was among Salvador’s first recruits.
Through her agency, Cruz was able to stage her showbiz comeback and a first television appearance on GMA Network’s Wowowin.
He went on a hiatus in 2017. His showbiz success occurred because of the projects he did with ABS-CBN, including the record-setting box-office hits he starred alongside movie queen–Bea Alonzo.
Alonzo, similarly, has practically detached herself from ABS-CBN as the next projects she is reportedly doing will be with GMA Network.
Her Star Magic exit was among what shocked fans the most, last year. She is now being managed by industry veteran, Shirley Kuan.
Alonzo is set to work with GMA Network’s homegrown star, Alden Richards in a movie under GMA Pictures (formerly GMA Films) and APT Entertainment.
Kadenang Ginto star, Beauty Gonzalez, on the other hand, first appeared on a TV5 project, before confirming her shift to GMA Network, in June.
Also, a major shocker this year was Bobet Vidanes’s sudden departure from his brainchild show, It’s Showtime.
He previously affirmed his commitment to stick with the show last year. Yet, he ultimately followed one of It’s Showtime’s former mainstays, Billy Crawford in TV5.
Vidanes now directs Crawford’s game show, The Wall Philippines..
Crawford joined TV5 for a year now and did projects with the Kapatid Network. His most recently was the Masked Singer Pilipinas. Also a Viva Artist, he hosts the noontime show–Lunch Out Loud that goes head-to-head with the noontime show he left in ABS-CBN.
Comedienne Pokwang made her departure from ABS-CBN in August last year to do Chika, Besh and Fill in the Bank on TV5.
The Clown in A Million winner was with ABS-CBN from 2004 until she parted ways with Star Magic. Following the cancellation of her shows on TV5, she signed her first GMA Artist contract in June, this year. She joined fellow former Kapamilyas–Richard Yap, Albert Martinez, Khalil Ramos, and Royce Cabrera, who all made their transfer to GMA Network earlier.
Yap achieved leading-man status through the top-rating shows he did with ABS-CBN. The 54-year-old actor first became a household name, when he made his teleserye debut via the Kim Chiu-starrer, My Binondo Girl (2011).
With Be Careful with My Heart (2012), however, Yap found even better fame. The record-breaking daytime drama paved the way for his film and recording debuts. He is set to appear on GMA Network upcoming drama, I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, which stars Heart Evangelista.
Martinez makes his return to the Kapuso Network via the upcoming series, Las Hermanas. The actor was with ABS-CBN for the last 15 years. He last appeared on the Angel Locsin-starrer, The General’s Daughter in 2019.
As ABS-CBN collects the pieces of its once mighty enterprise of stars, more homegrowns are allegedly making their shift to GMA Network.
Xian Lim, who just finished his hosting stint on TV5, is reportedly appearing as a new Kapuso very soon. He would be joining former Star Magic execs Johnny Manahan and Mariole Alberto.
Amid these explosive and shocking departures, however, some returns equally merit a mention. Many of the young stars who tried their luck with TV5, including Donny Pangilinan, Maris Racal, Zephanie, Sue Ramirez, and Jane Oineza, either have navigated their way back or set to return to ABS-CBN.
On top of this, ABS-CBN continues to expand its roster of talents with newly-discovered stars and transferees from other TV networks. And while it remains to be seen when exactly is ABS-CBN getting its former glory back, proofs are screaming that it is getting there.
