Television viewers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces are being advised to prepare for the scheduled shutdown of analog television broadcasts on November 22, 2026, as the government moves forward with the country’s transition to digital terrestrial television.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has identified Mega Manila as the first major area covered by the analog switch-off, which will affect television stations operating in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Bataan.
The transition is being implemented under NTC Memorandum Circular No. 005-11-2025, which directs television broadcasters in the designated areas to migrate to the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard within the prescribed 12-month period.
However, the November 22 implementation should not be interpreted as a nationwide shutdown of analog television services.
The initial phase is limited to Mega Manila and the broadcast coverage areas served by television transmitters operating in the region. This means that not every municipality or household across the six nearby provinces will necessarily experience the same impact, as the actual coverage depends on the signals received from Metro Manila-based television stations.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has clarified that other regions, including Central Visayas, will undergo the transition in succeeding phases.
According to the government, the digital migration will be implemented gradually, taking into consideration signal availability, household readiness, equipment accessibility, and the number of viewers who still depend on analog television.
The November 22 deadline is expected to affect households that continue to watch free-to-air television using traditional analog receivers and antennas without digital conversion equipment.
Viewers who already own digital television sets with compatible receivers can continue watching available free-to-air digital channels, while those using older television sets may need to acquire a compatible digital set-top box.
The NTC and television broadcasters have also been working on public information campaigns to remind audiences about the upcoming transition and encourage them to prepare before the deadline.
For households outside the initial coverage area, analog broadcasts are not automatically scheduled to end on November 22. The government is expected to assess the readiness of other regions before announcing their respective transition schedules.
The shift marks another significant development in the Philippine broadcasting industry, as television networks gradually move away from decades of analog transmission toward digital broadcasting.