TV Patrol and Kapamilya Favorites Return to Original Home
Kapamilya entertainment and news programs are making their way back to free TV, thanks to a partnership between ABS-CBN Corp. and Advanced Media Broadcasting System Inc. (AMBS), the current operator of channel 2.
Beginning May 13, ALLTV will welcome a diverse range of ABS-CBN programming into its fold, featuring popular selections from Jeepney TV. TV Patrol, the Philippines' longest-running TV news program, will likewise air on the channel.
Viewers can look forward to these programs being broadcasted throughout the day, although the exact lineup of shows has yet to be announced.
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Previously, ABS-CBN operated channel 2, but it faced an unsuccessful bid to renew its Congressional franchise during former President Rodrigo Duterte's term.
Since then, the network has shifted its focus toward enhancing its online streaming services and establishing partnerships with a variety of TV operators to maintain the broadcast of its shows on free television.
"There's a bit of a sentimental note for us today because we are bringing one of our longest-running programs, TV Patrol, back to channel 2. I know there are some who feel something over our return to our former channel, a home that was once ours," says ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak. "But in all humility, let's try and put all of the past behind us and embrace instead our mission to serve the Filipino, wherever they may be."
The agreement signing took place at Britanny Hotel in Villar City, attended by Villar Group's Chairman Manny Villar, Sen. Mark Villar, Paolo Villar, the president and CEO of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., along with Camille Villar, president and CEO of All Value Holdings Corp. President Maribeth Tolentino and CFO Cecille Bernardo were represented AMBS.
In a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange last February 27, the Lopez-owned network refuted speculations about its intentions to regain its broadcast frequency via a fresh congressional franchise. It also dismissed claims regarding its plans to reclaim the assets it disposed of following the halt of its broadcasting activities.
“ABS-CBN Corporation disposed of assets that the company no longer needed to various broadcasting networks after we ceased operations as a broadcasting company,” the company said. “It is not true that ABS-CBN is applying for a new franchise nor does it intend to buy back any of the assets it sold.”
Following the termination of its free-to-air TV operations in 2020, ABS-CBN has experienced significant financial setbacks. During the initial nine months of 2023, the network recorded a net loss of P3.3 billion, a steep increase from the P1.87 billion net loss reported in the corresponding timeframe in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Villar-owned AMBS took over the frequencies once operated by ABS-CBN in 2022, marking a new chapter in the broadcasting landscape.
