The ABS-CBN Ball is back after the pandemic.
Tonight, the 2023 ABS-CBN Ball returns after a four-year long hiatus. With the theme ‘Forever Grateful,’ the event also marks the return of big events at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, which recently re-opened after temporarily shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In line with the theme, the 2023 ball not only gathers the network’s stars, personalities, creatives, and executives, as well as politicians and advertisers. But it also extends to ABS-CBN’s platform partners, which the Kapamilya network extends its thanks to for being with them these past few years.
Some of the notable attendees from outside of ABS-CBN are GMA personalities led by the network’s executives Chairman Felipe L. Gozon and Senior Vice President for Program Management Annette Gozon-Valdes. TV5 host Ryan Agoncillo also joined wife Judy Ann Santos at the red carpet.
The ball will also be for charity, as part of the proceeds will go to the ABS-CBN Foundation and its projects.
ABS-CBN Ball, which first took place in 2018, was the replacement of sorts for the annual Star Magic Ball, which itself began in 2007. As the ABS-CBN Ball, it became a much more open event to Kapamilya stars handled by other artist management companies, as well as other showbiz personalities from other talent agencies and even TV networks.
The last time the ball was held was in 2019, before taking a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, there was supposed to be an ABS-CBN Ball, set to be held on October 2, 2022. However, likely due to scheduling conflicts of many artists, it had to be canceled.