December Avenue bassist Don Gregorio leaves band

December Avenue announced the departure of its bassist, Don Gregorio, from the band.

On the band's official Facebook account, Don shared his official statement, explaining his decision stemmed from wanting "to focus on my growing family."

“After 17 years of being the bassist of December Avenue, I’ve decided to step away from the band to focus on my growing family,” Don wrote, saying that it’s about time to be fully present for his wife and their kids.

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng sumuporta – sa shows, sa messages, at sa pagmamahal niyo sa music naminn,” he added.

Don also asked the fans to continue supporting December Avenue.

“They’re not just my band – they’re my brothers,” he said. “And they’ve still got so much more to share with all of you.”

In a separate statement, December Avenue acknowledged Don’s departure and said that as a band, “family comes first.”

“He’s stepping into a new chapter in life as a full-time dad. And while it’s tough to imagine playing without him beside us, we fully support and respect his decision,” the band wrote.

“That said, we want to make it clear: we will not replace Don,” they added.

December Avenue then thanked Don for the music and their friendship.

“Don isn’t just our bassist – he’s one of the founding members of December Avenue,” they said. “We’ll always be cheering you on.”

There has been no word as to who will replace Don.

December Avenue has achieved quite the success. They were named Spotify Philippines' most-streamed artist in 2019, besting global superstars Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.

In 2024, December Avenue’s hit song “Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw” was among the songs featured in “Hello, Love, Again,” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. It’s the Philippines’ highest-grossing film of all time.

— Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News