MANILA - On Tuesday night, many Filipinos in their homes watched the broadcast of ABS-CBN Channel 2 and TV Patrol, hours after the Philippines' telecommunication agency ordered it to stop its TV and radio operations.

A storeowner watches the airing of TV Patrol moments before ABS-CBN signed off on Tuesday. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

The Cercado family of Aglipay Street in Mandaluyong City watch the news broadcast of ABS-CBN News inside their home on Tuesday. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

The Cercado family of Aglipay Street in Mandaluyong City watch the final news broadcast of ABS-CBN News inside their home on Tuesday. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

A resident of Barangay Pinyahan in Quezon City watches the final moments before the sign-off of ABS-CBN from the air on Tuesday. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

An elderly couple share memories about watching ABS-CBN over the years, moments before the network giant signed off on Tuesday. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

The NTC earlier in the day ordered the broadcast giant to “cease and desist” its TV and radio broadcast operations, one day after the company’s 25-year operating franchise expired.

The agency said ABS-CBN must stop its broadcast operations "due to the expiration of its congressional franchise" on May 4. The NTC said the network should "stop operating its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide 'absent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law'."

ABS-CBN Corp., which employs around 11,000 workers, stopped its broadcast operations Tuesday night in compliance with the NTC order.

In a statement, the country's largest media network cited how the order was issued despite earlier legislative resolutions assuring the issuance of a provisional authority pending the renewal of its broadcast license.

Several bills for the renewal of its franchise, which lapsed Monday, are pending at the House of Representatives.