At A Glance
- Vice Ganda puts speculation about his ABS-CBN future to rest after signing a new contract with the network following his recent absence from "It's Showtime" and fresh MTRCB scrutiny.
For a moment, Vice Ganda's absence from “It’s Showtime” had people wondering if something bigger was happening behind the scenes.
Was the superstar comedian simply taking another break, or was his time with ABS-CBN quietly coming to an end?
Those questions gained traction after Vice took leave from the noontime program at a particularly sensitive time, with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) summoning the producers of “It’s Showtime” over complaints about some of the show's July 24 skits.
Against that backdrop, his absence inevitably fueled speculation.
Was Vice being sidelined? Had ABS-CBN suspended its prized star? Or was he preparing to walk away from the network altogether?
The answer, it turns out, was much less dramatic.
On Friday, Aug. 7, Vice returned with a major announcement that effectively put those rumors to rest: he had signed a new contract with ABS-CBN.
The contract signing was attended by ABS-CBN Chairman Mark Lopez, President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes and Chief Financial Officer Ricardo B. Tan Jr., putting some serious executive weight behind the network's continued partnership with its biggest entertainment names.
And Vice was clearly happy to be back in familiar territory.
“I am very, very happy,” he told “TV Patrol.”
He described the new agreement as a continuation of his life as a Kapamilya, adding that even without a contract, he would remain loyal to ABS-CBN.
“Actually, kahit wala namang contract, habang-buhay akong Kapamilya,” Vice said.
For a star whose recent absence had prompted questions about his future, the message could hardly have been clearer.
ABS-CBN is not letting go of Vice Ganda.
In fact, the network appears ready to keep him around for years to come.
Vice also thanked his bosses for continuing to trust him and promised to keep producing projects for ABS-CBN across different platforms.
“Sila na ang pinakamalaking supplier ng pinakamalaking content sa iba’t ibang platforms,” he said, referring to ABS-CBN's role in producing content for various platforms.
And there is already more work ahead.
Vice revealed that a project involving him is lined up for GMA-7 next month, underscoring the increasingly flexible arrangement that allows ABS-CBN stars to work across platforms.
But he made one thing clear: wherever audiences see him, ABS-CBN will remain part of the picture.
“Sa lahat naman ng projects ko, kung saang platform man ako makita, hindi puwedeng hindi ko kasama ang ABS,” he said.