WE TAKE OUR hat off to Liza Dino Seguerra. Since she took over as chair of the FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines), she has not stopped thinking of ways on how to help the local film industry, like her strong support for films that are exhibited in international filmfests.
Now, she wants to help the thousands of marginalized industry workers, like utility men and make up artists, by hooking up with the Pag-Ibig Fund, the Social Security System and PhilHealth that can give them many benefits. She just signed a memorandum of agreement with the head of these government agencies.
Liza is also organizing a two-day National Film Workers Summit to be held on August 30-31 at the UP Film Institute inside the UP Campus. They will create a National Registry of film workers that will serve as a database for monitoring and providing of basic social service to film workers.
The Magna Carta for Film Workers will be drafted for the workers to protect and promote their rights and interests as employed or self employed workers of the film industry. They will adopt a crowdsourcing approach in drafting the Magna Carta through sector consultations and focus group discussions. Let’s pray for Liza and the success of this very noble endeavor of hers for the benefit of the workers in the local film industry. We also pray for her ambassadors who are diligently helping her: Director Joel Lamangan, Cherry Pie Picache, Bibeth Orteza, Kalila Aguilos, Moira Lang and Bituin Escalante.
