The recovery of ABS-CBN, already slow and painful, has only gotten more challenging after TV5 issued a notice of termination of its TV Content Supply Agreement—a move that threatens to shut a major broadcast distribution avenue for the listed entertainment company and underscores its financial fragility since it lost its franchise in 2020.
ABS-CBN confirmed receipt of the notice and said it “deeply regrets” the development, calling the timing critical as it continues to navigate “unprecedented challenges” triggered by its forced broadcast shutdown. The company stressed that contrary to media reports, both the amounts involved and the manner of TV5’s payment claims “remain disputed.”
TV5 is reportedly demanding payment of P946.16 million at the end of October, a sum that further highlights the scale of ABS-CBN’s financial obligations amid its ongoing struggle to rebuild its operations and revenue streams.
“We acknowledge our obligations to TV5 and are doing everything we can to address these payments,” the network saidd. ABS-CBN added that it has asked for more time and is working urgently within the 30-day deadline given to resolve the issue. It emphasized that any delays were not deliberate but the result of “severe financial constraints imposed through circumstances beyond our control.”
ABS-CBN’s financial troubles trace back to its 2020 franchise loss, which wiped out its primary revenue stream and forced a sweeping reconfiguration of how and where its content could be seen. The company later forged airtime partnerships with TV5, GMA Network, Manny Villar’s ALLTV, and Eddie Villanueva’s A2Z—broadcasters that still held franchises. ABS-CBN also leaned into streaming, signing licensing deals with Netflix and Viu, while consolidating its platforms under iWant.
ABS-CBN programs such as the Coco Martin-led “Batang Quiapo,” as well as the new series “Roja” and “What Lies Beneath,” have delivered strong viewership on the primetime block of TV5. It is unclear, how the termination of the content deal will affect both ABS-CBN and TV5.
Still, ABS-CBN asserted it would not retreat. “We will not abandon our Kapamilya,” it said, vowing to find alternative ways to reach viewers should the partnership collapse. The network said it remains open to “fair and reasonable solutions” that reflect the extraordinary circumstances it continues to face.
