This is a bit different to the Reader scenario. They're not shutting down Google Groups, they've shut down one particular group, without explanation. I think the symfony community would be happy if we could just get to the data to move.
I wouldn't say that they don't care. They certainly appear not to prioritise the customer, who when selling services should always be the single most important priority.
Composer (getcomposer.org) and Packagist (packagist.org) are largely a popular replacement for PEAR, though once you need a C extension (PECL), you're right, it does become a pain.
You should absolutely expect a response. The ICO was set up exactly for cases like these and is funded by the taxes you are paying.
Make sure you have filled in the correct complaint forms and provided your personal details. Sending an email with a link to the lew.io site or this HN thread is useless to them.
The crowns are also ground off I think