On Their Last Working Day, ABS-CBN Employees Star in Own Station ID

An undisclosed number of ABS-CBN employees ended their last working day Monday and headed off into an uncertain market where the coronavirus pandemic is causing the economy the bleed jobs.

Christian Abuel, among the laid off workers, had a starring role in a send-off station ID. He removed his ABS-CBN ID with the broadcast tower as backdrop. He stood at the compound's empty center road, the site of many riotous live shows and parties.

More: Haunting Goodbye Shows ABS-CBN Through Retrenched Workers' Eyes

Only two stars sang in the video, "Tinig ng mga Nawalan," on screen and off screen pair Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo. They shared billing with employees who were unofficially unemployed at sunset: Yay Galvez, Wow Vergara, Reggie Espiritu, Nico Alay-Ay, Joko Balisa, Julius Ramos, Maynard Jamisola, Nathan Perez, and Aileen Gooco among others. Wearing face masks and face shields, they had their clenched fists on their left breast in a sign of solidarity.

ABS-CBN's free TV operation is dead for now. Its went off air on May 5, after its franchise expired and Congress denied its application for a renewal.

This story originally appeared on Reportr.World. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.