MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MARCH 1, 2021 — The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), through its National Registry (NR) Program, is currently working on a list of freelance film and audiovisual workers to be submitted to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for consideration for the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) financial assistance worth PHP 5,000 to PHP 8,000.

The Bayanihan 2 authorizes President Duterte to exercise powers necessary in implementing COVID-19 response and recovery interventions such as the Unemployment or Involuntary Separation Assistance worth PHP 5,000 to PHP 8,000 for members of creative industries, including film, audiovisual, and broadcast workers.

To avail of this assistance, the FDCP will submit its NR list that contains the beneficiaries of the FDCP’s Disaster/Emergency Assistance and Relief (DEAR) Program, including the information and documents submitted to the FDCP and NR through the DEAR Program as they are needed by DOLE to process the financial assistance through its COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP). 

While being a part of the NR list relieves our registered workers with the requirements needed to qualify for the assistance, it does not automatically guarantee an approval for the cash assistance as DOLE has its own set of criteria for the CAMP processing. The DOLE will review the data, and approvals of the CAMP assistance will be solely decided on by the labor department.

The FDCP NR has begun data encoding and verification of DEAR recipients from various NR groups: National Registry for Audiovisual Workers (NRAW), National Registry for Companies (NRC), National Registry for Organizations and Associations (NROA), and National Registry for Entertainment Press (NREP).

For DEAR beneficiaries who are employees or members of NRC and NROA registrants, the NR asked such NRC companies and NROA groups to complete a datasheet that had CAMP requirements.

Only the DEAR beneficiaries from NRC and NROA whose companies or groups submitted a complete data sheet of their displaced freelancers, as listed in their DEAR application, are eligible to be included in the final list that the NR will submit to DOLE.

As for NR registrants who are not DEAR recipients, they have to apply at DOLE for the CAMP assistance. They can opt to submit their tracking numbers to the NR as it is in close coordination with DOLE. The NR can follow up with DOLE on the applications of registrants who are non-DEAR beneficiaries. 

“The CAMP assistance shows the government’s support for our displaced film and audiovisual workers who continue to feel the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis as the industry is still struggling amid the pandemic,” remarked FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño, who also thanked the lawmakers who approved the extension of Bayanihan 2.

On December 14, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 8063 that seeks to extend the validity of Bayanihan 2 to June 30, 2021. The Bayanihan 2 was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on September 11. 

The creative industries, including but not limited to film and audiovisual workers, are included in the allotment of PHP 13 billion for the government's support program for impacted sectors as part of the PHP 165.5-billion fiscal stimulus package.

The FDCP, through the NR, commits to continue being the bridge between the government and industry to help alleviate the situation of film and audiovisual workers, especially those who have been affected by the pandemic. Aside from the NRAW, NRC, NROA, and NREP, the NR also has the National Registry for Events and Festivals (NREF).