MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MARCH 5, 2021 — The Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts of the House of Representatives approved on March 4 the substitute bill entitled “An Act Providing for the Promotion of Audiovisual Tourism, Creating the Film Philippines Office, Providing Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes.”  

Also known as the proposed Film Philippines Act, this substitute bill consolidates House Bill (HB) No. 1255 introduced by Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte, Jr., HB No. 3630 introduced by Manila 3rd District Rep. John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto, and HB No. 7634 introduced by 27 lawmakers led by Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher V.P. de Venecia.

Among the salient points of the Film Philippines Bill are as follows:

• To promote the Philippines as a top international filming destination for both local and international productions
• To provide financial incentives to attract film and audiovisual producers, both local and international, to shoot in the Philippines and also work with our local audiovisual service sector
• To give financial investment to encourage international co-productions among Filipino and foreign producers
• To generate domestic employment for workers in the tourism and creative industries
   

De Venecia, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, presided the House Special Committee Hearing which he described as “lengthy, comprehensive, thought-provoking, and galvanizing.”

“The Audiovisual Tourism Incentives Bill will give incentives and support to local content creators and foreign film production companies so that they can shoot in different parts of the country, and this will also help contribute to our economy and culture,” de Venecia said in Filipino in a Facebook post. 

The other lawmakers who introduced HB No. 7634 together with de Venecia are Manila 4th District Rep. Edward Vera Perez Maceda, Batangas 6th District Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, Antique Lone District Rep. Loren Legarda, Pasig Lone District Rep. Roman Romulo, Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, Manila 5th District Rep. Cristal Bagatsing, Sorsogon 1st District Rep. Evelina Escudero, Pangasinan 3rd District Rep. Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas, Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano, Tarlac 2nd District Rep. Victor Yap, Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones, and Cavite 2nd District Rep. Strike Revilla.

Quezon City 5th District Rep. Alfred Vargas, Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres- Gomez, Negros Oriental 2nd District Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria, Zamboanga Sibugay, 2nd District Rep. Ann Hofer, Nueva Ecija, 3rd District Rep. Rosanna “Ria” Vergara, Valenzuela City 1st District Rep. Weslie Gatchalian, AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, Biñan Lone District Rep. Marlyn “Len” Alonte, Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, Batangas 4th District Rep. Lianda Bolilia, Las Piñas Lone District Rep. Camille Villar, BUHAY Rep. Jose Atienza, Jr., and Bataan 2nd District Rep. Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III also introduced HB No. 7634.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño, who was among the resource persons in the House Special Committee Hearing, lauded the approval of the Film Philippines Bill at the committee level.

“Four years ago, this was just a dream. But now, if approved, our government, through the FDCP’s FilmPhilippines Office, will give PHP 500 million in funding support so that we can invest in high-quality film projects in collaboration with international productions,” remarked Diño.

“This will jumpstart co-productions with various countries and will empower our filmmakers to be globally competitive,” she went on. “We extend our utmost gratitude to the Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Bloc (ACCIB) of the House of Representatives, Congressman Toff de Venecia, Congressman Edward Maceda, and the rest of the committee members for recognizing the potential of the film and audiovisual sector.”

Apart from approving the Film Philippines Bill, the House Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts also held an initial deliberation on House Resolution No. 1588 to conduct an investigation on the reported cases of online piracy during the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.