Union needed to fight off movie industry malpractice
ONCE again, news of some celebrities and their ilks voicing their pent-up emotions for the nth time addressing the deplorable working conditions of the movie industry is hugging the headlines as of late on TV networks.
In- between sobs, Aiza Seguerra was shown on camera disclosing before an august body of legislators her fears that what she was confessing at the time would even be taken against her. She was clearly off-putting producers not to touch her with a 10-foot pole.
In a brief impassioned statement, Bembol Rocco short of pointed out that the exploitative setup of the industry is perpetuated by uncaring producers.
From another voice representing GMA Network, Redgie Magno said they provide a ready ambulance during shoots as required by the Department of Labor ( Dole). Just that.
The controversial death of the dear departed Eddie Garcia was also casually dragged into the reinvestigation. But it sort of ended there for the dead tell no more tales.
The reinvestigation looked like a charade with legislators appearing uninterested and half-yawing in the process. Some people have become dense about the issue and regard this brouhaha as but another shopworn stunt at gaining “pogi” points, if not a waste of people’s money.
The aforesaid scene calls to mind the other year when Film Development
Council of the Philippines ( FDCP) Chairman Liza Diño called a film summit attended by all representatives of the Guilds under the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP). She invited Rep. Chris De Venecia who is an artist by heart to sit with her in said summit.
Chair Liza gathered all the sentiments and proposals to improve the working conditions of the movie industry from said representatives in writing. They were called onstage to discuss and thresh out matters at the open forum that followed.
When all was said and done by said representatives, Caveat raised his hand and spoke out harshly on the proposals, which were nothing but recycled from the time National Artist for Film Lino Brocka organized a radical movement to correct the malpractices of producers in the movie industry. Unfortunately, director Brocka died with his unprecedented and unrealized initiative in the direction.
Straight to the point Caveat almost raised hell at said Summit, almost putting all the representatives on a hot seat asking why not one of them ever made mention of the word “union” or came out with a proposal to form a real honest-to-goodness labor union like they do in Hollywood. Deafening silence from said representatives was all Caveat got. Good that Rep. Chris De Venecia sort of mediated in the direction, saying that it is possible to put up a law where there is none at the moment to form a “union” which Caveat was specifically referring to.
It is a long way to go. One needs a courageous disinterested leader to bring this novel, radical idea to lobby this in Congress. Wondering if there is one in the movie industry willing to take the cudgel?
GUESS WHO ? A ve t - eran and awa r d - winning actress ( AWA ) is quest i o n i n g the intellectual and leadership cap a c i t y of one of her peers who is enthroned in a very sensitive government position. Cue: AWA is by heart an artist and has been appointed in the past as an ambassador of goodwill.