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DYCB-TV channel 3, locally and formerly known as ABS-CBN Cebu, was a commercial VHF television station owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation. Its studios and Central Visayas news center were located at the ABS-CBN Broadcast Complex, North Rd., Jagobiao, Mandaue, Cebu. while its analog transmitter was situated at Mt. Busay, Brgy. Babag 1, Cebu City and its digital transmitter was located at Babag 2, Brgy. Busay Hills, Cebu City. It was the first VHF television station in Cebu, and it serves as the network's first provincial television station in the Philippines.

History[]

Beginnings (1961–1972)[]

ABS-CBN Cebu started commercial television operations on June 14, 1961 as DYCB-TV channel 3, the first provincial TV station in the Philippines. DYCB-TV was launched by Bolinao Electronics Corporation, later renamed Alto Broadcasting System to be established in Cebu City and the Central Visayas. It first aired a four-hours-a-day schedule (6:00–10:00 p.m.), transmitting on a 50-mile radius within Cebu and nearby islands. The station's 390 ft (118.9 m) transmission tower (then the tallest structure in Cebu) was originally from the network's flagship TV station, DZAQ-TV 3, used during the first telecasts in 1953.

Martial Law era; Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation and GTV (1973–1986)[]

After the declaration of Martial Law by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, and the takeover of ABS-CBN by his crony, Roberto Benedicto, DYCB-TV was subsequently shut down on September 21, 1972. The closed network's intellectual unit was taken over by crony-owned Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation in December 1973, Benedicto changed their call sign to DYCW-TV. A year later, in 1978, Channel 3 Cebu became an owned-and-operated station of the state-run Government Television (later the Maharlika Broadcasting System, now People's Television Network) and at the same time, its call letters were reverted to the original DYCB-TV. Following that, the station started broadcast delivering programs from Metro Manila via DWGT-TV, as well as local programming on Channel 3; with the commercial BBC transferring to its newly bought DYCW-TV Channel 11.

ABS-CBN's revival and transfer to Broadcasting Complex in Mandaue City (1988–2020)[]

On June 28, 1988, as part of the nationwide relaunch of ABS-CBN which began the year before with the flagship station in Manila, DYCB-TV, following a year of preparatory work, relaunched under its network's original owner and introduced a variant of the national Star Network ident with the famous numerical gold tri-ribbon channel 3 logo with a star at the end, with the number 3 being made up of three white stripes (later changed to the red, green and blue stripes, matching that of Channel 2 Manila's later idents). Two years before, the former Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation, which ended operations on March 20 after the People Power Revolution, and even GTV's successor Maharlika Broadcasting System was closed down. Both became the basis of state-run People's Television Network, Inc. (PTNI); after a year, PTV handed over Channel 3 back to its former owners as VHF Channel 11 was given to the newly launched station DYPT-TV. ABS-CBN would only begin to restart broadcasts in the province in late 1987 with test programming. At that time the channel reopened, the station's studio and transmitter were located along P. Del Rosario cor. Leon Kilat St., Cebu City, which operated for a decade until 1998 with the transmitting power output of 20,000 watts (ERP of 134,000 watts).

On August 29, 1988, TV Patrol Central Visayas (first known as TV Patrol Cebu), the channel's flagship newscast was launched as the first and the longest-running regional TV Patrol in the Philippines. With this feat, ABS-CBN Cebu became the first ABS-CBN Regional station to introduce local newscasts.

In January 1989, DYCB-TV commenced its domestic satellite broadcasts to bring programs live from the network's flagship station to becoming a hub for viewers in the Central and Eastern Visayas regions. In March 1995, the Radio/TV Regional Network (RTVRN) division was renamed as the Regional Network Group (RNG), thus beefing up Cebu-produced ABS-CBN programs, joining the network's Mindanao stations TV-2 Cagayan de Oro (now TV-4 Cagayan de Oro), TV-3 General Santos, TV-3 Zamboanga and TV-4 Davao. During that time, ABS-CBN Cebu launched two Visayan drama series Kang Kinsa Isabwag ang Mga Bulak and Siya ug Ako sa Kangitngit (all filmed in Cebu) along with the original sitcom Milyonaryong Mini. Later that year, the RNG expanded further to other parts of the Visayas and into the rest of Mindanao, to be followed on by its launch to regional Luzon viewers, first in Northern Luzon on November 27, 1995 and followed by Bicol and Southern Luzon on July 1, 1996.

On March 12, 1998, ABS-CBN Cebu closed its old studios at P. del Rosario St. in Cebu City (which was inaugurated since the network was reopened in 1988) and transferred to Mandaue City, Cebu, the home of its current studios, with new studio equipment, regional news department rooms and TV production facilities. That year, the ABS-CBN Broadcast Complex located at North Road, Jagobiao, Mandaue, was opened, with a 50,000-watt transmitter station situated in Mt. Busay, Brgy. Babag 1, Cebu City having activated, resulting in an clearer and better signal reception in the Central and Eastern Visayas regions. ABS-CBN Channel 3 Cebu since then has been the third VHF television station established in Mandaue City (after RPN Channel 9 is owned by Radio Philippines Network in 1971 and PTV Channel 11 by the state-run People's Television Network in 1986 (until 2015, later moved to its relay transmitter in Brgy. Busay, Cebu City), and also IBC Channel 13 owned by the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation, which currently has its regional transmitter in Brgy. Kalunasan, Cebu City to this day).

On February 22, 2015, ABS-CBN Cebu started broadcasting its ISDB-T digital broadcast on UHF 37 with the launching of ABS-CBN TVplus in Cebu.

On May 5, 2020, ABS-CBN Cebu went off the air suspended for the second time as a result of the cease and desist order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) after the franchise expiration.

On August 28, 2020, TV Patrol Central Visayas aired it's final broadcast after 32 years with Leo Lastimosa as it's final anchor, and ABS-CBN Cebu closed its studios.

Programs[]

Final aired programs[]

  • Christ the Healer
  • Living Word TV (2011–2020)
  • Maayong Buntag Kapamilya (2005–2020)
  • News Patrol Central Visayas
  • Siete Palabras @ Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (every Good Friday; formerly from GMA Cebu)
  • Sinulog (Annually)
  • TV Patrol Central Visayas (2001–2020)

Previously aired programs[]

  • Agri Tayo Dito
  • Alas Diyes Na
  • Amor Chicko
  • Ang Dumuduong sa Sto. Nino (1997–1998)
  • Angelina: Hulog Sang Langit (1999–2000)
  • Ang TV Cebu
  • Awitanghalan
  • Banat Visayas, Sulong Mindanao! (now Banat Kabisayaan, Sulong Mindanao)
  • Campus Idol (1989–1994)
  • Chika-hai Ta! (2004–2007)
  • For Life Presents
  • Halad sa Kapamilya (2005–2010)
  • Homebuddies (1994–2004) (also broadcast over ABS-CBN TV-4 Davao, ABS-CBN TV-2 Cagayan de Oro (now ABS-CBN TV-4 Cagayan de Oro), ABS-CBN TV-3 General Santos and ABS-CBN TV-3 Zamboanga)
  • Kang Kinsa Isabwag ang mga Bulak (1995–1996)
  • Kapalaran (2002–2004)
  • Kapamilya, Mas Winner Ka! (2007–2018)
  • La Roca Negra (1998–1999)
  • Let's Do Business
  • Little Big Star Cebu (2005–2007)
  • MAG TV Na! (2008–2018)
  • Maayong Hapon, Sugbu
  • Mayor Otik (1999–2000)
  • Milyonaryong Mini (1995–1996, remake 2006–2007)
  • PAL Newscast
  • Powerline (1995–2003)
  • Primitivo Ala Swerte
  • Sabado na, Game pa! (2005–2007)
  • Sabado Na Gyud (later retitled as "Sabado Na Gyud, Ngiga Gud", 1995–2005)
  • Siya ug Ako sa Kangitngit (1996–97)
  • Star Treats on 3 (1994–1999)
  • Summer Sunshine
  • The Hour of Truth (1994–2000)
  • Theatre Royale
  • Tubag!

Notable personalities[]

  • Leo Lastimosa
  • Haide Acuña
  • Phoebe Fernandez
  • Rico Lucena
  • Vilma Andales
  • Annie Perez
  • Roy Empleo
  • Christine Fernandez
  • Mia Zeeba M. Ali Faridoon
  • Nicole Tuazon
  • Joseph Teves
  • Fidel Cascabel
  • Daryll Carillo
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