METRO MANILA – The country’s movie industry is losing P12 billion in box-office revenues as cinemas remain closed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) said.
“Masakit siya kasi akala namin na nakakita na kami ng silver lining, dahil P12 billion na ang nawawala sa industriya. We really need the cinemas, 80 percent ng revenue na kinikita ng mga filmmakers natin, mga producers natin ay sa sinehan natin,” FDCP chairperson Liza Diño-Seguerra told CNN Philippines.
She said filmmakers earn more in cinemas than in movie streaming platforms.
“Kahit meron na tayong mga bagong platforms, meron na tayong mga streaming platforms, hindi pa rin ito maikukumpara sa kinikita ng ating mga producers kapag pinapalabas muna sa sinehan,” Diño-Seguerra said.
Metro Manila mayors earlier decided to keep cinemas and gaming arcades closed given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region. The World Health Organization said Metro Manila continues to record a high number of infections daily as there is still a “thick chain” of transmission in the community.
Diño-Seguerra said 460,000 workers in the film and audiovisual industry were affected by the pandemic. With this, the FDCP is relying on the cash aid meant for the industry workers under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.
“Kasama ang film and audiovisual workers sa Bayanihan 2. And dahil in-extend itong pagbigay ng support sa Bayanihan 2, hinihintay na lang namin na ilabas ng DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) ang P5,000 to P8,000 sa mga manggagawa ng industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino,” she said.
She added the FDCP has also recently released P12 million to support scriptwriters, producers, post-production staff, and distributors. Another P15 million will be released soon, she said.(CNN)
