Ban on Korean dramas in Ph
By Cynthia Montojo
“Ang aking obserbasyon ‘pag patuloy tayong nagpapalabas ng Korean telenovela, ang hinahangaan ng ating mga kababayan ay itong mga Koreano at nawawalan ng trabaho at kita yung ating mga artistang Pilipino,” Senator Jinggoy Estrada is considering ban on Korean telenovelas in the country, stressing that Filipino-made shows should be promoted instead. Estrada said at hearing on the proposed 2023 budget of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) … “kaya minsan pumapasok sa aking isipang i-ban na itong mga telenovela ng mga foreigner at dapat ang mga artista nating Pilipino talagang may angking galing sa pag-arte ay ‘yun naman dapat ang ipalabas natin sa sariling bansa natin”.
“Kung ang pino-promote natin ay mga produkto ng Koreano, kaya nagkakaroon tayo ng halos maraming produktong Korean dito sa atin imbis na i-promote natin yung sarili natin ang napro-promote natin yung mga banyaga,” Estrada stressed.
At the same hearing, Senator Robin Padilla also pushed to raise tax on foreign series to help shore up local film industry.
“Maari po bang taasan natin itong tax ng mga foreign series na pumapasok sa atin para kahit papaano po yung subsidiya nito bigay natin sa mga worker sa industriya natin, sa lokal, kung papaano po ginawa natin diyan sa rice tariffication, gawin nating foreign teleserye tariffication dahil marami pong nawawalan ng trabaho dito,” Binoe said.
Padilla was referring to the measure that allows unlimited importation of rice as long as private sector traders pay a 35-percent tariff for shipments from neighbors in Southeast Asia.
“Ang hirap naman pong i-ban natin sila pero dapat po siguro maging patas lang po tayo kawawa po ang ating industriya,” he added.
FDCP Chairman Tirso Cruz III agreed that there should be balance to promote and protect local films.
He said that one of the agency’s programs is focusing on creation and promotion of local films.
“Ang isa pong pangunahing programa namin ay talagang mag-focus sa paggawa ng mga local films muna dahil sabi namin ang unang-unang importante ay ang maniwala ang kapwa Pilipino sa pelikulang Pilipino,” the FDCP chairman said.
“Kaya ang ginagawa naming focus ay sa local films dahil kung kami man po ay pupunta sa film festival ay gusto naming dala yung sariling ating ilalaban natin sa competition na ipakikita natin sa mga festival na ang mga Pilipino ay mas matindi gumawa ng pelikula at madamdamin at mas maganda,” he added.
Pip also asked for additional budget for establishment of agency’s own building in a bid to protect and secure films in its keeping.
He said the FDCP currently pays about P6 million a year in rent for the building where it houses 44,221 elements, including some from golden era of films and classic films that have been entrusted to the agency for safekeeping and restoration.
“Huwag naman sana, kung magkaroon ng sunog diyan, sayang naman ‘yung mga old films, mga classic films ng ating mga artista,” said Estrada, an actor himself whose father, former president Joseph Estrada, is one of the biggest icons in Philippine cinema.
The FDCP chairman is also worried that the films might be affected as they experienced flooding in the building a few times.
“Actually, it is one of our dreams to really have our own building to protect our natural heritage in the form of film yung assets natin … because when this is lost, ang laking bagay na mawawala… and unfortunately, sometimes we are already suffering flooding and we’re really worried about the vaults right now, I would like to request the opportunity to be able to request budget for the building…actually, if the good chair has time I have presentation here of how building would look like and how much it would cause… I do believe that it is really not that expensive because we are very prudent in spending especially knowing that we are using tax payers money” Cruz said.
Senator Mark Villar, who presided over the hearing, then asked for the copies of the report for the requested building.
Based on the presentation, FDCP proposed budget of P245.358 million for 2023, an 0.98% decrease from its P247.809 million budget in 2022.
Villar said proposed budget will be submitted to the plenary.
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