NOEL FERRER
Sa star-studded ABS-CBN Ball na ginanap sa Solaire North, Quezon City, noong Abril 4, 2025, ay usap-usapan na ang pag-stop ng operations ng ABS-CBN Film Restoration o Sagip Pelikula program, initiated and guided by Ma’am Charo Santos-Concio.
Ngayong Labor Day, May 1, kinumpirma ng ABS-CBN Film Restoration head na si Leo Katigbak ang malungkot na balita.
Read: Pinoy celebrities support restoration of Filipino films
LEO KATIGBAK'S POST
Facebook post ng ating mahal na si Leo (published as is):
“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.
“Sadly it is still a casualty of the efforts to close down the company in 2020 by a man who wrought havoc and killed dreams as well.
“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.
“ABS-CBN Film Restoration had an amazing journey, some 240+ movies scanned, enhanced, restored and remastered, reintroduced to new audiences from as early as 1939.
“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.
“The team would like to thank then Chairman Gabby Lopez and President Charo Santos who had the vision to future proof the filmed assets of the company and allowed the initiative that became SAGIP PELIKULA to flourish and save many movies beyond it's initial scope;
“Carlo Katigbak who afforded us another 5 years, delaying the department's closure in 2020 with a scaled-down group, during which time SAGIP accomplished many more noteworthy restorations;
“And Cory Vidanes, my first friend in ABS, who through our remaining weeks anchored us through a most difficult period.
“Special thanks to Freddie Garcia or FMG who saw the diamond in the rough when I was starting and polished me with challenges that help define me to this day.
“Our heartfelt thanks too to colleagues who gave more than we had the right to ask in support of our common passion:
“Manet and her Team at Central Digital Lab, Gale and Kantana, Davide and Ritrovata, Sunny and Sherbet Ilacad, Mike Idioma and Wildsound, Malou Santos and Star Cinema, Justin Besana and his outstanding posters, Raquel who was always present and all the personalities/celebrities who came to promote their movies decades since they first came out or advocated for SAGIP Pelikula through the various campaigns or just attending our events and lending their cache to spread the word.
“Then there are our partners who unselfishly promoted our advocacy through the years: various departments within ABS, Star Cinema, Cinema One, FDCP, CCP, KTX, the Universities and schools that welcomed us, Ayala and Rockwell that ran our festivals.
“Special mention to Piolo Pascual who was with us since Day 1 promoting the initiative, and National Artist for Film Ricky Lee who lent his voice and shared our passion, providing the soul that sent our spirits soaring.
“Many have been part of the Archives from Jo, Ferdie and Mel who started the journey with me under the guidance of Charo…Mary, Froi, Jr, Carmela, Ian, Lota, Adri, Lorenz, Kim, Andeng, George, Patrick, Kane, Jesselee, Mona, Marivic, Mark, Grace, Glaiza, Garnet, Mia, Jackie, Sam and Apple across our decades plus run… to Julie, Mik, Marco and Jane who fought the good fight to the very end.
“I could not have asked for a better team as we headed to the finish line. We are colleagues, friends and family through thick and thin, for better and many worst moments.
“If this were SURVIVOR, we were the final 5 in Tribal Council and the jury has spoken… time to snuff the torch… but our passion will live on.
“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.
“Preserving the past to inspire the future is a never-ending quest and we hope we were able to encourage many including a new generation to take up the challenge.
“Sa mga tumangkilik, naniwala, nanaginip… maraming salamat po.
“Ako si Leo Katigbak… nakiki-Sagip Pelikula.”
Sorry pero aminin natin, aftermath at impact pa rin ito ng pagkakansela ng franchise ng ABS-CBN sa ilalim ng dating administration.
Kaya sana, mag-isip-isip ang mga botante kung sinu-sino ang may kagagawan ng mga ganoong moves na apektado talaga tayo sa industriya.
Read: FDCP Parangal ng Sining, bibigyang-pugay sina Gloria Romero, Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, Jaclyn Jose
JERRY OLEA
Sa presscon ng Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) noong Enero 27, 2025, sa Limbaga 77 restaurant, Quezon City, nabanggit na ni FDCP Chairperson Jose Javier Reyes na naglaan ng pera ang gobyerno para bumili ng restoration machine.
RESTORATION MACHINE
Sa kasunod na presscon ng FDCP noong Marso 28, 2025 sa Seda Vertis North, nagbigay ng update dito si Direk Joey.
Pagmamatuwid ni Direk Joey, “In all fairness and in all objectivity, the government support is grabe. I mean, government is supporting the various projects…
“The government gave FDCP money to buy a restoration machine so that we can restore our films here."
“Di ba? And no other administration has done that!” pagpapatuloy pa ni Direk Joey, na lubos ang pasasalamat sa pamahalaan.
"Kailangan munang matapos ang gusali sa Intramuros, Manila na paglalagyan ng restoration machine bago iyon kunin.
“Patapos na yung film vault, e. Ang ganda-ganda! Ang ganda-ganda nung film vault,” sambit ni Direk Joey.
“So yun pa, yung mga ‘Wow!’ Akala nila, yung building na lilipatan namin, building ng FDCP. Hindi!
“Two-thirds nun, vault. Two-thirds nun, film vault. One-third lang yung aming office doon.”
May mga naka-lineup nang Pinoy movies kapag natapos na ang film vault at nailagay sa gusali ang restoration machine.
Pahayag ni Direk Joey: “Unang-una siguro on top of the line is yung pelikula ni Gloria Sevilla, the most important Visayan film, Badlis Sa Kinabuhi.
“Plano ring i-restore ang mga Bernal films, OK, like Relasyon, Broken Marriage, The Graduates, Ito Ba Ang Ating Mga Anak?.
“Inuuna namin yung mga films ng mga National Artists.”
Ikinalungkot ni Direk Joey Reyes na napakarami nang dead films.
Gusto sana nilang i-restore ang original na Temptation Island directed by Joey Gosiengfiao, pero wala na ito.
“As in wala na! Sabi ko, ‘We must restore that!’ E, wala na, dead film na pala! Ang natitira na lang, betamax,” himutok ni Direk Joey Reyes.
“So, hindi mo mare-restore. But hinahalughog namin. Hinahalughog namin.”
Read: Joey Reyes on FDCP budget, film restoration, new building
GORGY RULA
Nalungkot ako nang nabasa ko ang FB post ni Sir Leo Katigbak.
Sinubukan nilang masagip, pero tuluyan pa ring nalunod.
Pero nagpapasalamat pa rin tayo dahil na-restore ang ilang classic Filipino films at maayos na itong napapanood ng mga kabataan.
Mabuti at nandiyan ang FDCP.
Ang tantiya ni Direk Joey Reyes ay baka buwan ng June ay puwede nang maipagpatuloy ng FDCP ang pagre-restore ng mga luma nating pelikula.
Kailangan talaga ito, lalo na’t namamaalam na ang mga magagaling at malalaking artista natin noon.
Isa na rito si Nora Aunor.
Sayang nga yung iba pang pelikulang hindi na talaga ma-restore dahil nasira na ang mga ito ng baha at sunog.
Kabilang dito ang mga pelikula ni dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada.
Marami sa mga pelikula nitong prinodyus ng JE at Emar Productions ay nasira na talaga dahil sa baha.
Mabuti at may naiwan pa na sa pagkakaalam ko ay naibenta ang karamihan nito sa GMA-7.
May ilang pelikula ng Regal Films na nasira rin ng baha.
Natanong namin noon kay Mother Lily Monteverde kung puwedeng i-restore ang Wating (1994) na obra ni Direk Ishmael Bernal.
Sa pagkakaalala raw niya ay isa ito sa nasira ng baha.
Itong mga lumang pelikulang prinodyus ng mga kagaya nina Fernando Poe Jr., Ramon Revilla Sr., Rudy Fernandez, pati kay Direk Carlo J. Caparas at ng Regal Films ni Mother Lily, ay magandang pamana sa kanilang naiwang pamilya na hanggang ngayon ay napapakinabangan pa rin nila.
Read: FDCP Parangal ng Sining, bibigyang-pugay sina Gloria Romero, Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, Jaclyn Jose