Artist, filmmaker groups slam ‘overreaching’ production guidelines of gov’t

Several groups of artists and filmmakers have slammed what they called the “overreaching” joint administrative order (JAO) of the Health and Labor Departments, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) for the resumption of production shoots amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The JAO containing clarificatory guidelines on health and safety protocols was released earlier this month.

According to Atom Araullo’s Wednesday report on “Stand for Truth,” artist and filmmaker groups expressed concern that the JAO may eventually lead to censorship.

“You have to report and submit seven forms, seven days prior to the shoot, centralized to FDCP, including information on budget, which is really intrusive,” said Paolo Villaluna, president of the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc.

“Not only is it prone to abuse eventually, there is this fear that if you give out these information now, if FDCP has the power to monitor now, eventually, they will have the power to regulate, and they will have the power to censor,” added Interguild Alliance spokesperson Mara Paulina Marasigan.

The groups also said that the JAO covers too many industries that go beyond the mandate of the FDCP.

“There’s this confusion that why is it that even live events, and theater, and everybody actually who has a crew who will be shooting is included in this JAO which is what we’re saying that this is an overreach,” Marasigan explained.

“We were given a chance to discuss the document after the fact. No’ng natanggap namin ’yung email, truth be told, the paper itself was actually already signed,” Villaluna added.

Other groups such as the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, AKTOR, the Philippine Motion Picture Producers Association, and TBA Studios have likewise opposed the JAO.

FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño explained that the JAO only sought to ensure the health and safety of film production crew amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As to the coverage, kung bakit na-cover ang lahat ng audio visual industry, it’s really more to help more sectors to open. Kasi pag covered ka ng JAO, meron kang basehan para payagan ka na mag start ng production,” she said.

“Home productions are not included here because we’re doing our best to transition and just adapt to this new normal,” Diño added.

She also said that they conducted consultations prior to the release of the JAO but not all sectors were entertained.

“We hosted 17 consultation meetings not just with our different organizations, but with other allied sectors as well,” she said.

Diño said the JAO is executory but the FDCP is open to making changes once the situation improves.

Artist and filmmaker groups continue to hope for the trashing of the JAO. -Julia Mari Ornedo/MDM, GMA News