MANILA, Philippines — Veteran broadcaster Julius Babao tearfully recalled his best years in ABS-CBN in a YouTube vlog titled "My Last Day in ABS-CBN (Part 1)."
"Actually, sa totoo lang, hindi ko s'ya pinapansin before," Julius said while laughing and crying as he opened his vlog gazing at the iconic ABS-CBN Tower.
"'Di ko talaga pinapansin. Dinadaan-daanan ko lang s'ya. Pero ngayon, it's my last day in ABS, I've come to appreciate kung ano s'ya," he said before breaking into tears and bidding his home network for 28 years a goodbye.
The media giant wished Julius well on his future endeavors after the "TV Patrol" news anchor signed off as a Kapamilya last December 31.
"It is the last day of 2021 and it is also my last day in ABS-CBN," Julius said in his vlog.
In a statement sent to Philstar.com last December 31, the Kapamilya network said that after announcing last New Year's eve that he is leaving "TV Patrol," Babao made his final broadcast on “TeleRadyo Balita" yesterday.
“Hindi po ito pagpapaalam kundi isang pahayag ng pasasalamat sa lahat ng aking mga naging Kapamilya sa loob ng 28 taon,” the 53-year-old newsman said in his farewell speech in "TV Patrol."
“Dito na po ako lumaki sa ABS-CBN, nagkaroon ng magandang karera, nakilala ang aking asawa at nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makatulong sa maraming mamamayan."
"Julius began his career in broadcast journalism at ABS-CBN, where he embodied the company’s mission of service for 28 years by reporting on important national issues and events, producing unflinching exposés of abuses that benefited the helpless, and serving Filipinos in need of various types of assistance through his TV and radio programs," ABS-CBN said in its statement.
"We respect his decision to pursue his professional career outside of ABS-CBN and wish him well in his future pursuits."
Julius is reportedly going to transfer to TV5 as Raffy Tulfo's replacement in "Frontline Pilipinas," also hosted by Julius' fellow former ABS-CBN newscaster Cheryl Cosim.
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Julius' wife Christine Bersola-Babao, who Julius met in ABS-CBN, is already with TV5. The couple, however, has not yet confirmed Julius' move.
"It's a bittersweet feeling that I feel right now kasi nga, lilisan na 'ko sa network na tumagal din ako ng 28 years na lilipat naman sa isang bagong station na maraming mga opportunities na naghihintay para sa'kin," he said in his vlog.
"So I feel blessed. I feel sad because I'm leaving a lot of people in ABS-CBN na naging bahagi na rin ng aking pamilya and a network na andaming mga blessings na ibinigay sa akin, andaming mga opportunities na binuksan, andaming mga awards na natanggap because of my shows. So many, many memories to cherish dito sa ABS-CBN."
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