FDCP expresses confusion over Liza Diño’s removal from MMFF executive committee

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has expressed confusion over the removal of its chair, Liza Diño, from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) executive committee.

“On July 23, 2020, FDCP received a letter from MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim informing FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño of her removal from the MMFF Executive Committee,” it shared on its Facebook page Friday.

FDCP said Lim’s letter was the first official communication they received from him on the matter. It also said it had reached out to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for further clarification.

“As far as FDCP is concerned, in the last meetings conducted by the MMFF Executive Committee which FDCP attended and even with the FDCP Board of Trustees where MMDA is also a permanent member, none of the issues raised in the letter have been officially taken up. Hence, the confusion of the agency,” it added.

On July 20, MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago released an unsigned and undated document allegedly from FDCP that stated that MMFF should be transferred under the agency.

On Friday, FDCP said that what Pialago posted was a 2017 position paper forwarded to MMFF for comments. 

“In a meeting in October 2017, the MMFF Executive Committee discussed the document as one of the agenda,” FDCP clarified. “[S]ince then, up to this date, no further actions were made by any of the parties on the matter.”

In fact, the organization shared, FDCP even accepted “subsequent invitations to be part of the executive committee after 2017 in support of the Philippine film industry.”

According to reports, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Danilo Lim sent a letter to Diño on Tuesday accusing her of attempting to transfer MMFF’s management from MMDA to FDCP.

In the letter addressed to Diño, Lim said that since Diño did not resign “out of delicadeza” over the issue, they had no other choice but to withdraw her membership from the committee.

FDCP said it would release a detailed statement after meeting with the MMDA.

MMFF, which usually runs in December, is managed by MMDA. – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News