600+ freelance movie workers nakinabang sa DEAR program ng FDCP  

Liza Dino

KUNG hindi kami nagkakamali, ang Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) ang unang namahagi ng tulong pinansiyal para sa mga taga-movie industry at miyembro ng media na walang kinikita ngayon dahil sa enhanced community quarantine.

Nag-release ng mahigit P4.5 million ang FDCP mula sa reallocated funds through the Disaster/Emergency Assistance and Relief (DEAR) Program, para matulungan ang freelance audio-visual (AV) content workers na naapektuhan ng COVID-19 crisis.

As of April 6, mahigit 600 displaced freelance AV content industry members na ang nakatanggap ng one-time tax-free DEAR financial support. Ang mga film and television workers under DEAR ACTION ay nakatanggap ng P8,000 habang P5,000 naman para sa entertainment press members mula sa DEAR PRESS program.

Ayon kay FDCP Chairperson Liza Dino, “Ang DEAR Program ay tulong ng gobyerno para sa ating workers upang maibsan man lang ang hirap na pinagdadaanan nila. In this time of global crisis, it’s important to be one with the industry and help our own. Every gesture counts.

“Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this initiative. Let us keep spreading the word out there as we are still accepting applications for our freelance workers who lost work during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDCP is here to help. Please do not hesitate to send your inquiries through our text hotline and e-mail. Our DEAR Agents are ready,” aniya pa.

Pero ani Diño may ilang changes sa application process, “Firstly, there is no more cap on the income eligibility of DEAR ACTION! applicants. All eligible AV content workers can apply but FDCP reserves the right to prioritize low-income individuals who have a talent fee of P3,000 or below per day or a package rate of P20,000 or below per project. 

“Secondly, the required number of suspended or cancelled work days was reduced from seven days to five (5) days—whether in pre-production, production, or post-production. Thirdly, AV companies such as productions and suppliers can now apply for DEAR ACTION! on behalf of freelancers whom they have engagements with,” lahad pa niya.

“The FDCP DEAR Program was launched on March 23 to help freelance AV content workers who suddenly lost work or became out of work because of a major natural disaster or public health emergency such as the COVID-19 crisis. 

“The DEAR fund is only activated once the President of the Republic of the Philippines declares a state of calamity. In light of the COVID-19 situation, FDCP aims to assist 2,500 freelance AV content workers with a budget of P20 million coming from its limited funds. The release of the DEAR ACTION! and DEAR PRESS! financial aid began on March 27.

“Eventually, FDCP hopes to help 50,000 disaster-affected AV freelancers from the content and live performance sectors across different fields: animation, new media, television, and film. The national film agency continues to seek additional support from the Office of the President and the upper and lower houses of Congress,” ayon pa sa nakasaad na panuntunan ng FDCP.