A significant chapter in Philippine broadcasting history came to a close on July 9, 2025, as ABS-CBN executives, celebrities, employees, and alumni gathered at the network’s Quezon City headquarters to bid farewell to the iconic ABS-CBN Tower—also known as the Millennium Transmitter.
The symbolic structure, which stood tall as a beacon of Filipino entertainment and journalism for decades, is set to be dismantled following the sale of approximately three hectares of ABS-CBN’s property to Ayala Land, Inc. The deal, which includes the main broadcast building, studios, Dolphy Theater, and chapel, will be finalized by December 2026.
During the emotional send-off, current and former members of the ABS-CBN family donned shirts reading “Forever Family” and “Kapamilya Forever,” recalling their years of service and the legacy built within the walls of the compound.
Former network executives Gabby Lopez III and Charo Santos-Concio led the ceremony alongside current leaders Carlo Katigbak, Mark Lopez, and Cory Vidanes. Prominent figures like Noli de Castro, Karen Davila, Coco Martin, and Maricel Soriano also paid their respects to the now-dormant transmitter, which once delivered content to millions of Filipino households.
The Millennium Transmitter, originally constructed in 1969 and revived in 1986 following the restoration of democracy, became a landmark not only for its imposing height but for what it represented—free public service, cultural identity, and journalistic integrity.
The building’s closure follows years of uncertainty after the network was denied a franchise renewal by Congress in 2020, during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Despite this political setback, ABS-CBN has continued to evolve, shifting operations to digital platforms and content partnerships while maintaining its commitment to Filipino storytelling.
Veteran news anchor Karen Davila was among many who shared heartfelt messages online. In an Instagram post, she wrote:
“An emotional goodbye to our beloved ABS-CBN Tower… the first to be dismantled before the iconic building in the coming months. The tower that has broadcast to millions of Filipinos since 1986. My heart aches.
I am so moved seeing everyone come together. After what’s unjustly been done to ABS-CBN—we are still here, standing together, smiling, creating. Resilient.
‘Memories are not held by things but carried by people’ — a powerful truth from our president, Carlo Katigbak. A testament that we will continue to tell stories that will live in the hearts of the Filipino.”
While the skyline of Quezon City may soon lose one of its most recognizable silhouettes, the spirit of ABS-CBN lives on in the people it has inspired and the stories it continues to tell.
A Tower May Fall, But the Voice Remains.