NET25’s banner year ends with star-studded countdown

Last Tuesday, Dec. 31, the excitement was palpable in the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, as thousands of eager spectators gathered for NET25’s annual New Year’s Eve Countdown, which was set to begin at 9 p.m. that night.

Hours before the event began, the entire Ciudad de Victoria — home of the Philippine Arena — was transformed into a lively hub of attractions and amusement rides where families and friends gathered to enjoy the festivities and look forward to the arrival of the new year with their loved ones.

One of the Philippine Arena’s popular attractions is Gancho Street, where concessionaires serve an assortment of delectable foods and drinks. It is also a very Instagrammable site with colorful neon lights adorning the entire stretch that ends at the Philippine Stadium itself all lit up in bright, dazzling colors.

The excitement and anticipation reached fever pitch as the skies grew dark and the main event drew near.

The star-studded extravaganza — which was also a celebration of NET25’s silver anniversary — promised to welcome 2025 with unforgettable performances from NET25’s Starkada and some of the Philippines’ top musical acts, including Maki, The Dawn, and more.

Hosted by KC Montero, Pia Guanio-Mago, Tonipet Gaba and David Chua, with Starkadas Via Lorica and Gia Gonzales as co-hosts, The 25 in 2025 NET25 New Year Countdown was engaging from start to finish. Throughout the night, the audience was energized by an impressive lineup of performances from Freestyle, Calein, Nobita, Jumanji, and Shamrock.

The iconic rock band The Dawn kicked off the festivities with an electrifying performance, setting the stage for a night full of music and celebration. Their version of Salamat was spot-on, proclaiming gratitude not only for the year that was coming to an end, but also giving thanks for the network’s upcoming silver anniversary.

Shamrock then initiated the revelry when lead singer Bradley Holmes requested that the lights in the concert area be turned off, after which he asked the audience to light up their mobile phones during the performance of Alipin.

The crowd also joined Freestyle as the group sang its hit Before I Let You Go.  Starkada singers