The Disaster/Emergency Assistance and Relief (DEAR) Program of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) now has three programs to assist displaced freelance audio-visual (AV) content workers during a state of calamity due to a major natural disaster or public health emergency like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. After launching DEAR ACTION! for freelance AV content workers and DEAR PRESS! for freelance entertainment press members, FDCP has introduced DEAR LIVE! for freelancers in the AV live performance sector.

The DEAR LIVE! (For Displaced Freelance AV Live Performance Workers) aims to provide P5,000 or P8,000 as financial assistance to displaced freelancers in various fields of the AV live performance industry: performing arts, events, gigs, and shows. These are the talents and performers (actors, singers, dancers, musicians, etc.), production staff (backstage, floor, front of the house, etc.), and technical crew (stage, camera, sound, and production) who suddenly lost work as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Qualified DEAR LIVE! applicants with less than five (5) cancelled or suspended work days from the declared date of the state of calamity will be given P5,000 as financial support while those with at least five (5) days of cancelled or suspended work will receive P8,000. The required number of work days should be part of a scheduled event (whether pre-production, production, or post-production) or must correspond to five engagements, shows, performances, or projects, provided that they are for public entertainment purposes as private events do not count.  For the COVID-19 situation, March 15 to April 30, 2020 is the duration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.

Freelance AV live performance workers who experienced any of the following situations may apply for the DEAR LIVE! Program: 

• You were scheduled to work but were unable to reach your workplace.
• You were scheduled to start work but the job was cancelled or does not exist anymore.
• You developed an illness, sustained an injury, or became sick and thus, are unable to work.
• Your employer or producer has temporarily closed for business, or the place of business was permanently damaged or destroyed.
• You already started the work, but the job was cancelled or postponed.

Additionally, DEAR LIVE! applicants must be on a “no work, no pay” status. They must not have a direct employer and are not eligible to receive benefit payments from their local government unit (LGU) or frontline agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Social Security System (SSS). 

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño-Seguerra explained, “Ang DEAR LIVE! ay tulong ng gobyerno para sa freelance workers natin na hindi qualified sa existing programs ng DOLE at DSWD. The audio-visual industry is quite unique because it is composed of both formal and informal sectors. The goal of  DEAR LIVE! is to cover workers who are not eligible for DOLE's CAMP (COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program) because they do not have direct employers and those who do not qualify for the DSWD Social Amelioration Program because of their income brackets. FDCP still considers them as among the most vulnerable right now because they lost work due to COVID-19.” 

Once all of the qualifications have been met, applicants are required to submit the following documents to support their DEAR LIVE! claim:

1. Copy of current membership to the National Registry for Companies (NRC). For non-members, a filled out NRC membership application. 
2. Filled out DEAR LIVE! For Companies Application Form (available at http://fdcp.ph/dear-program)
3. Affidavit of Agreement of the Company with at least an affixed signature. Notarized copy to follow post quarantine (downloadable at http://fdcp.ph/dear-program).
4. Affidavit of Agreement  for each worker applied for with at least an affixed signature. Notarized copy to follow post quarantine (downloadable at http://fdcp.ph/dear-program).
5. Any Proof of Income of each worker applied for

• Latest income tax return (ITR)
• Payslips
• Vouchers
• Official receipts issued to clients

6. Any Proof of Engagement of each worker applied for (from March 15 to April 30, 2020 for COVID-19 claims)

• Call Sheet
• Text Message
• E-mails
• Contract of Service
• Certificate of Engagement
• Any Certification duly signed by the employer or producer

7. Any Notice of Cancellation of Work of each worker applied for (from March 15 to April 30, 2020 for COVID-19 claims)

• E-mails or text messages regarding suspension of work
• Proof of cancellation
• Any Certification duly signed by the employer or producer

The coverage of the DEAR LIVE! Program is nationwide. It is open to all eligible freelance AV live performance workers, but FDCP reserves the right to prioritize low-income individuals who earn P3,000 or less per show or P20,000 or below per project. All documentary requirements should be submitted online to the FDCP National Registry, the implementing office of the DEAR Program ([email protected]). Applicants may also apply online via the FDCP website (http://fdcp.ph/dear-application). If you only have partial documents upon filing a claim, FDCP will give you 21 calendar days from the time of application to complete the requirements. Failure to do so will forfeit the application or will result in the return of benefit payment. The DEAR LIVE! application period is from April 13 to May 13, 2020. 

DEAR LIVE! beneficiaries will receive their P5,000 or P8,000 aid from FDCP via bank deposit or through a money remittance service. As the DEAR fund is a government fund for the welfare of beneficiaries, and in the spirit of serving the community and AV industry, approved applicants will be asked to render return service within two (2) years after receiving their DEAR LIVE! assistance. The return service requires beneficiaries to participate in at least two (2) FDCP-led or FDCP-supported events, activities, or projects as a volunteer worker or professional.

Diño-Seguerra added, “FDCP, which is under the Office of the President, aims to complement the government programs and support our workers in this time of crisis especially that the ECQ is extended until April 30. Every effort from each agency counts and FDCP is heeding the call of its stakeholders from the audio-visual industry through DEAR.” As for AV live performance workers who are company employees (regular, contractual, seasonal, project-based, contract of service, etc.) and are affected by the state of calamity, they may refer to CAMP and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) of DOLE as well as the programs of SSS, DSWD, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Finance (DOF), and their respective LGUs.

For inquiries and more information: 

DEAR hotline: 0917-8003227 (text only)

DEAR e-mail: [email protected]

DEAR website: http://fdcp.ph/dear-program 

DEAR online application page: http://fdcp.ph/dear-application

Facebook page: http://facebook.com/FDCPNationalRegistry 

Banner image is from the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 3 Grand FanCon.