The ABS-CBN Millennium Transmission Tower glows against the night sky on its final evening of operation, July 9, 2025. For over five decades, the iconic structure stood as a symbol of Philippine broadcasting history. Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Archives.
ABS-CBN’s iconic Millennium Tower goes dark after Ayala Land acquires the property. Network reflects on loss, legacy, and its evolving media role.
QUEZON CITY — After decades of broadcasting news, drama, and public service to millions of Filipino households, the Millennium Transmission Tower of ABS-CBN was lit for the last time on July 9, 2025.
Standing above the ABS-CBN Broadcast Center along Mother Ignacia Avenue, the 219-foot tower had long been a visual landmark and symbol of Philippine media history. First activated in the 1960s and modernized after the network’s return to air in 1986, the tower served as the backbone of ABS-CBN’s signal distribution until it was formally decommissioned this month.
Property sale finalized
In February 2024, ABS-CBN confirmed the sale of roughly three hectares of its 4.4-hectare property to Ayala Land Inc. for PHP6.03 billion. The sale did not include the adjacent Eugenio Lopez Jr. (ELJ) Communications Center, which continues to house the company’s operations.
Ayala Land, in a statement, said it intends to develop the area into a mixed-use district. As of this writing, no finalized redevelopment plans have been released. The Millennium Tower is the first of several structures to be dismantled, with the remainder of the Broadcast Center expected to be cleared in the coming months.
A network in transition
The tower’s closure comes five years after ABS-CBN was forced off-air when its 25-year legislative franchise expired in May 2020. The House of Representatives later voted to deny its renewal following a series of hearings. The move prompted nationwide debate, and more than 11,000 jobs were affected by the shutdown.
Despite the loss of its free-to-air frequency, ABS-CBN pivoted toward digital platforms, cable syndication, and international content distribution. It now airs programs through blocktime partnerships with TV5 and A2Z, and its streaming presence has grown via YouTube, iWantTFC, and global platforms.
An emotional goodbye
Veteran broadcaster Karen Davila, who has been with ABS-CBN for nearly 25 years, was among those who marked the tower’s final night with reflection.
“An emotional goodbye to our beloved ABS-CBN tower… the first to be dismantled before the iconic ABS-CBN building in the coming months,” Davila wrote in a social media post. “The tower that has broadcast to millions of Filipinos for decades since 1986. My heart aches.”
Davila acknowledged the pain of the 2020 franchise denial, calling it “unjust,” but also highlighted the resilience of the organization: “It is amazing, we are still here — standing, smiling, creating. Resilient.”
She also quoted ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, who said, “Memories are not held by things but carried by people,” emphasizing that the network’s mission to serve the Filipino continues.
A symbol of stories
There was no grand send-off for the tower. A quiet group of employees, alumni, and supporters gathered to witness its final glow. While its signal may be gone, many say its spirit lives on through the stories still being told.
