Zsa Zsa Padilla bids farewell to ABS-CBN tower after property sale
Zsa Zsa Padilla poses in front of ABS-CBN building and its tower. | Image: Instagram/@zsazsapadilla
Actress-singer Zsa Zsa Padilla took a trip down memory lane as she bade farewell to part of the ABS-CBN property in Quezon City — including its iconic transmission tower — after it was sold to a new owner, Ayala Land, Inc.
Padilla shared photos of the ELJ building, named after the erstwhile media giant’s chairman emeritus, Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr., as she reminisced about her humble beginnings with the network, including the time when it was still occupied by the government station, PTV 4.
“I’ve witnessed the many transformations of the ABS-CBN compound over the years. When I was beginning my singing career in 1983, the space was still used by PTV 4, and I vividly remember promoting my songs in one of the studios. The ELJ building we know today was just a parking lot back then,” she wrote.
The “Divine Diva” also recounted how some of the network’s shows became a staple in every Filipino household.
“During the [Corazon] Aquino administration, ABS-CBN reopened its doors, and I had the privilege of doing a musical special for a season. Then came a grand new chapter—shows like Home Along da Riles, Palibhasa Lalake, and The Sharon Cuneta Show marked the network’s resurgence, bringing unforgettable moments to Filipino households,” she stated.
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Padilla admitted to feeling melancholic as the compound now faces an uncertain future following the property sale.
“In 1996, I became a regular on ASAP, and from that moment on, the show became part of my life. Fast forward to the present, and standing with my ASAP family at the iconic ABS-CBN tower for [TV] Patrol the other night, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of melancholy,” she expressed.
“This place holds decades of history, memories, and milestones—not just for us, but for everyone who grew up watching. Knowing that the next time we return, the tower may no longer be there, makes this moment even more bittersweet,” concluded the singer.
Last February 27, ABS-CBN Corp. reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that it signed a deal with Ayala Land to sell 30,000 square-meters of its 44,00-sqm of its property located at Sgt. Esguerra Ave. cor. Mother Ignacia Street in the amount of P6.24 billion. This comprises 70 percent of the Lopez-led company’s property.
The sale from the property, which houses the broadcasting center including production facilities, is meant to raise funds to extinguish its debts and pay laid off employees after the House of Representatives did not renew the network company’s franchise in 2020.
