Film industry, ‘highly dependent’ sa freelancers; tatalupan ng DTI

MANILA, Philippines- Sinabi ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) na dapat nang usisain at tingnan ang movie at TV industry dahil sa pagiging “highly dependent” sa mga freelance workers.

“Our study showed the industry is highly dependent on freelancers, and we need to look into that because even big studios could only hire full-time workers in limited numbers,” ayon kay Assistant Director Jo-Dann Darong ng competitiveness bureau ng DTI sa isinagawang pagdinig ng House Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts.

“These unorganized film workers and technical crews in the Philippines may have resulted in bargaining down pay and other compensation items,” ayon kay Darong.

“As of 2018,” mayroon lamang na 5,927 fully employed individuals sa motion picture, video and television industry (MPVT), ayon kay Darong, sabay sabing malabo na tumaas ang pigura dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic.

“This (5,927 figure) is as of 2018 which is the last census, and we really need to provide data on those employed as freelance workers,” ang wika ni Darong.

“We need a lot of effort in making sure that the official statistics are available because the freelance workers, the self-employed ones, are the ones pushing the agenda and generating revenues in film production and stages,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Ang House panel probe, na ninais ni Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar, ay tinitingnan ang kalagayan ng Philippine cinema, naglalayong makalikha ng hanapbuhay sa movie productions, muling buhayin ang Philippine cinema’s golden era at palawakin ang pagsisikap na makuha ang first nomination o manalo sa Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.

Sinabi ni Darong na dahil sa pandemiya, mapigilan nito ang movie production process, kung saan ang mga studio ay naka-confined sa production bubble o kino-confine ang buong cast at crew sa isang lokasyon para mapigilan ang COVID-19 transmission.

Aniya, ” this setup resulted in scheduling problems for many freelancers who are now forced to commit to being present in the production bubble, limiting the number of engagements they can do.”

“This (production bubble) also entailed added cost for the producers which would increase the investment necessary to produce a movie,” ayon kay Darong.

At habang ang mga Filipino film workers ay may sapat na antas ng kasanayan, may pangangailangan pa rin na i-enhance ang kanilang kakayahan sa pamamagitan ng pag-engage ng mga ito sa pagsasanay at workshops sa ibang bansa.

“There are emerging new competencies that need to be embraced by the Filipino film workers and players so we can globally compete,” aniya pa rin .

Maliban sa “restricting production”, sinabi ni Darong na dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic, nabawasan ang kita mula sa Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Sinabi nito na ang box office revenue noong 2020 ay umabot lamang sa P50 million o malayo sa pre-pandemic earnings na P995 million noong 2019 at P1.06 milion noong 2018.

“There is really a need to look at revenue sources and reduce cost associated, transactional or not, in establishment and production of film,” ayon kay Darong. Kris Jose

Film industry, ‘highly dependent’ sa freelancers; tatalupan ng DTI
Source: Filipino Pinoys