The Kapamilya group bade farewell after 14 years.
In a Facebook post, ABS-CBN Film Restoration head Leo Katigbak sadly announced the closure of the division effective March 31, 2025.
He shared, during the month of April, work mostly focused on doing the final works of the shuttered unit, which was launched back in 2011.
“ABS-CBN Film Restoration ended its 14-year run last March 31, 2025 with April mostly turnover and sampling the last works we completed as the final day loomed,” Katigbak wrote.
He reflected that the folding of the division was a result of the terrestrial network shutdown of ABS-CBN in May 2020, which also obliterated other units in the company like the Regional Network Group and Sports.
“For the last few months, we barreled through as much as we can with what meager resources were available to us and until our very last day, we gave it our all,” the executive revealed.
Since its launch, the ABS-CBN Film Restoration was able to scan, enhance, restore, and remaster over 240 Filipino movies, including the films ‘Giliw Ko‘ and ‘Ibong Adarna‘ that date back to the pre-World War II phase of Philippine cinema.
In the latter parts of his lengthy post, Leo also thanked his colleagues in the industry and ABS-CBN executives, past and present, for “allowing the initiative that became Sagip Pelikula to flourish and save many movies beyond its initial scope.“
Additionally, the defunct’s unit head revealed that current President and CEO Carlo Katigbak delayed the supposed closure of the group in 2020 by keeping a scaled-down team, allowing the Film Restoration Group to still continue its dunction and accomplish more projects.
On a more poignant note, Leo Katigbak shared that “It’s also rather poetic and fitting that we began our adventure with the release of HIMALA and took our final bow with the premiere of TATLONG INA, ISANG ANAK, book-ended by films starring National Artist for Film Nora Aunor.”
Despite the closure of the standalone group, Katigbak narrated that the ‘Sagip Pelikula’ project will not completely go away.
“While that facet of the business is gone, many aspects of what we used to do will be handled by other ABS departments, including the SAGIP PELIKULA advocacy, jointly by Star Cinema and Cinemo beginning May 2025.”
In its Facebook page, pay television channel Cinemo shared an art card confirming that it has adopted the ‘Sagip Pelikula‘ initiative.
“Inaalagaan natin ang ating kultura… Pinangangalagaan ang mga natatanging obra… at muling mabibigyang buhay ang mga dekalibreng pelikula. Sama-sama tayo — patuloy tayong maki-Sagip Pelikula,” the poster read.
Among the long list of films saved through the program are ‘Himala,’ ‘Oro, Plata, Mata,’ ‘Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon,’ ‘Nagalit Ang Buwan Sa Haba Ng Gabi,’ and ‘Kakabakaba Ka Ba?,’ which received second run via theatrical and digital releases over the past decade.