‘Abysmal’ state of local film industry alarms solons
SOLONS said it is “alarming” that the Philippine Movie Industry is barely surviving and is now on the verge of collapse.
Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada bared this during a plenary session, noting that only nine local movies have been released out of 20 Filipino films reviewed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) since January this year.
Estrada said the audio-visual services sector, comprised of a 760,000 workforce, is now “on the verge of collapse” even during the pre-pandemic period.
“To help the ailing industry, the senator said the government should consider removing the amusement tax from ticket sales, which will also help film producers recover from losses. Aside from government subsidy,” Estrada said.
“The government should encourage the promotion of Filipino culture/cuisine, tourism, and heritage as part of the content, create or provide scholarships and workshops for scriptwriters, production personnel, and musicians to strive for excellence in the field/industry, and provide tax breaks or lower taxes on the industry to incentivize the local entertainment industry,” Estrada stressed.
Senators Grace Poe and Robin Padilla manifest their support for Estrada’s call on the government to provide more incentives for the local film industry.
Poe said she filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 867, or the Philippine film and Television Tourism Act of 2022, to promote the Philippines through video or the cinema screen.
She said providing incentives to the local entertainment industry would provide more jobs for the country’s talents who are hard-pressed due to the pandemic.
“Not only will it provide jobs, but it will also promote the industry. One film showcasing the beauty of the Philippines, that’s millions of dollars that we save on advertising. I hope that we pass the Philippine Film and Television Tourism Act,” Poe said.
Padilla said providing tax exemptions would help in the fast recovery of the Philippine movie industry.
In his manifestation during the plenary session, Padilla added that granting the local film industry temporary relief on tax could help the industry get back on its feet.
“I hope the industry would be given a chance to breathe. We are not asking for a total suspension of tax but only temporary,” Padilla explained.
Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, in his manifestation, appealed to Filipino people to help revive and support the country’s entertainment industry which he says is currently in a dreary state.
“The industry needs concrete plans and tangible support to restore its vigor. We have to invest in the industry – tap into the potential of our local talents, create a competitive environment where both big and small players thrive, and educate creators so they can fully utilize their intellectual properties,” Revilla said.
Revilla also asked his colleagues to support two of his related bills, SB No. 28 or the “Revival of the Philippine Movie Industry Act,” and SB No. 1049, or the Philippine Film Commission Act – both of which seek to promote the welfare of workers in the entertainment industry.
Sen. Francis Tolentino urges his colleagues to pass these laws that would revive the entertainment industry.
“I agree that there is a need to overhaul existing subsidies being given to the local film industry and not just through a short film festival. Perhaps the good chairperson of the Mass Media Committee can craft a bill that would overhaul and enhance the local movie industry,” Tolentino said.
Tolentino pointed out that other countries provide incentives to their film production outfits. For instance, he said, Columbia provides a 60% cash rebate while Fiji provides a 50% cash rebate.
France, on the other hand, gives a 30% tax rebate for qualified expenditures for international productions, and Canada grants from 30% to 70% cash tax rebate for their movie industry.
