Two bills have been filed at the House of Representatives, seeking to provide much-needed support to the country’s creative industry and media practitioners.
House Bill (HB) 8101, or the proposed Philippine Creative Industries Act, authored by Creative Industry and Performing Arts Chair and Pangasinan Rep. Christopher De Venecia proposes financial and institutional support to targeted creative industries.
HB 8140 of ACT-CIS Rep. Rowena Taduran provides security of tenure and better benefits for all workers in the media industry.
“These are twin measures,” de Venecia said at a news conference, adding that hearings for both measures were conducted almost simultaneously.
The proposed Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which has been approved by the House on second reading, provides for the creation of the Philippine Creative Industry Development Council and formulation of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Plan.
Creative industries identified in the measure include traditional cultural expressions, music and the performing arts, architecture and interior services, animation and digitized creative content, audio-visual, broadcast and interactive media, cultural sites, and visual arts. When enacted, the measure will help freelancers formalize themselves into the economy.
Meanwhile, Taduran’s House Bill 8140 seeks to professionalize the private mainstream media sector by providing workers just compensation and job security.
Taduran said that most private media firms are still implementing the “talent system” and are only giving “allowances” as remuneration for their workers.
She added that media workers form part of the country’s frontliners, and are therefore entitled to receive hazard pay and other health and social benefits.