IlOILO City – Twelve regional ‘TV Patrol’ programs of ABS-CBN – the erstwhile giant in the broadcast industry – aired their final newscasts yesterday.
This unfortunate development was the latest consequence of the House of Representatives’ denial of the network’s franchise bid on July 10, which led to the closure of ABS-CBN Regional’s operations.
In Iloilo City, media practitioners from various outlets and press corps along with other sectors joined the employees of TV Patrol-Panay on their last day in a candle lighting activity, a simultaneous event with other regional stations nationwide around 6 p.m. yesterday.
The participants pushed the campaign for a people’s initiative to renew the network’s franchise.
According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), aside from displacing hundreds of employees, the closure of ABS-CBN’’s regional stations deprived millions of Filipinos throughout the country a major source of credible news and information as the nation struggles amid a pandemic.
The earlier shutdown of ABS-CBN’s free TV and radio, according to the NUJP, already deprived people of access to news and information.
“It is clear that democracy is under siege, by the government no less, as seen in the relentless assault on the critical and independent media, and the continuing attacks on the people’s basic rights and freedoms,” the group said.
They also expressed continued support to colleagues in ABS-CBN.
“To our colleagues in the community of independent Filipino journalists and to the Filipino people, let us stand together and resist the continued undermining of our laws, of our rights, of our liberties, by the very institutions supposed to protect these. We can, we must, ward off the darkness before it totally descends on us,” NUJP said.
The 12 regional stations that aired their last broadcast yesterday were the following:
* TV Patrol North Luzon (Baguio, Dagupan, Ilocos, Isabela and Pampanga)
* TV Patrol Bicol (Naga, Legazpi)
* TV Patrol Palawan
* TV Patrol Southern Tagalog (CALABARZON)
* TV Patrol Central Visayas (Cebu, Dumaguete, Bohol)
* TV Patrol Negros (Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental)
* TV Patrol Panay (Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Guimaras)
* Patrol Eastern Visayas (Samar, Leyte)
* TV Patrol North Mindanao (Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental Lanao Del Norte, CARAGA, Dipolog)
* TV Patrol South Central Mindanao (SOCSKSARGEN, Cotabato)
* TV Patrol Southern Mindanao (Davao)
* TV Patrol Chavacano (Zamboanga)
Aside from these local newscasts, ABS-CBN Regional likewise stopped producing new episodes of its nine morning shows as well as its public service initiatives such as the “Grand Halad sa Kapamilya.”
“ABS-CBN Regional serves Filipinos in remote areas not reached by other television signals,” said ABS-CBN Regional head Tata Sy in a statement.
“But more than delivering breaking news, ABS-CBN Regional news teams are also the first to bring aid and relief to communities struck by calamities,” she added.
For over three decades, ABS-CBN Regional has been producing various local “TV Patrol” editions for airing on the network’s 21 regional stations, serving viewers in the provinces with local and national news in their own dialects.
“Inspired by Kapitan Geny Lopez’ vision of building bridges in the air, ABS CBN Regional through its ‘TV Patrol’ programs and public service has accomplished more than just building the proverbial bridges. In its distinctive way, ABS CBN Regional helped build a nation,” Sy said./PN
