Empoy Marquez pays homage to ABS-CBN after property sale

Empoy Marquez shares a roadside view the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City. Image: Instagram, Facebook/@empoy

Comedian-actor Empoy Marquez looked back on ABS-CBN’s contribution to his career following the network’s sale of a portion of its property to Ayala Land Inc.

Marquez felt nostalgic after he unintentionally passed by the property while riding his bike. 

“Kahapon hindi ko alam bakit dinala ako paa ko sa pag sikad sa lugar na ito (Yesterday I don’t know why my feet brought me to this place),” he wrote, sharing a photo of the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City taken from the highway, including its iconic transmission tower.

The “Kita Kita” actor recalled how the network did not only open opportunities for him but also gave him a sense of family.

“Ilang beses ako tumungo kasama ng mga kaibigan ko upang lumahok sa patimpalak ng ‘Masayang Tanghali Bayan’ sa contest na Mr. Suave 2003. Sa simula ko sa tahanan na ito nagkaroon ako ng kapatid kapatid kaberks inutusan ang kapuso ko na pahalagahan lalo ang kapamilya,” he expressed.

(I went with my friends several times to participate in the ‘Masayang Tanghali Bayan’ contest, the Mr. Suave 2003. When I first started in this network, I had friends, siblings who taught me to value these relationships.)

Marquez then expressed his deep gratitude to the network for serving as a vehicle for him to be in the entertainment industry.

“Salamat Lord sa ABS-CBN dahil ginamit mo silang instrument upang magkaroon ng isang ako sa industriya at makapag pasaya ng mga tao,” he concluded.

(Thank you Lord for ABS-CBN because you used it as an instrument for me to have a presence in the industry and make people happy.)

Actress-singer Zsa Zsa Padilla previously bade farewell to part of the ABS-CBN property as she also reminisced about her humble beginnings with the network.

On Feb. 27, ABS-CBN Corp. reached an agreement with Ayala Land to sell 30,000 square meters of its 44,000-square-meter property at Sgt. Esguerra Ave. cor. Mother Ignacia Street for P6.24 billion.

Proceeds from the sale of 70 percent of property, which houses the broadcasting center including production facilities, is meant to pay off its debts and compensate laid-off employees after the House of Representatives did not renew the network’s franchise in 2020.