The Lopez family’s controlling shareholders will invest P2.2 billion of their own money in ABS-CBN Corp., providing fresh financial support as the media company addresses obligations to long-serving employees and pursues its recovery plans.
The investment will come from the three branches of the Lopez family majority: Crème Investment Corp., Mantes Corp., and Presta Holdings Co. Inc. Details of the investment are still being finalized with ABS-CBN.
Earlier this week, Creme Investment announced its decision to sell a 25.7 percent stake in privately held Lopez Inc. to businessman Ramon S. Ang for an undisclosed amount.
“ABS-CBN has been part of this family for generations,” Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III said on behalf of the family members. “The mission my father set out to pursue remains the heartbeat of this family, to be in the service of the Filipino. We are putting our own money behind this conviction.”
The commitment is notable not only for its size, but also for its timing, as ABS-CBN continues to rebuild its business after losing its legislative franchise in 2020.
The company has since been forced to reshape its operations, moving away from its traditional broadcast model and leaning more heavily on digital platforms, content licensing, partnerships, and other businesses.
The fresh capital could give ABS-CBN greater financial breathing room as it manages employee-related obligations while investing in businesses that can generate more sustainable revenues.
For the Lopez family, the move also signals that its commitment to ABS-CBN remains firmly anchored in the company’s broader mission, rather than being purely a financial calculation.
Still, the investment does not remove the commercial challenges facing the company. ABS-CBN will need to turn its deep content library, established brands, creative talent, and digital reach into recurring and profitable revenue streams.
The P2.2-billion infusion provides additional runway. The harder task will be using that runway to build a business model capable of supporting the company well beyond its current recovery phase.
