Filipinos are no strangers to hard work, especially in the entertainment industry where the glamour often overshadows the grueling hours and conditions behind the scenes. But the Eddie Garcia Bill, currently under scrutiny in the Senate, aims to shed light on these issues, offering a safety net for industry professionals. Supported by industry giants like Iza Calzado and Dolly de Leon, the bill is stirring up conversations about safety, dignity, and fair pay in a field that captivates millions.
Named after the late, great Eddie Garcia—a veteran actor whose career was tragically cut short due to on-set negligence—the bill targets hazardous working conditions, abuse, harassment, and economic exploitation. One of its cornerstone provisions mandates a standard 8-hour workday for all entertainment sector employees. This game-changing legislation could revolutionize how the Philippine entertainment world operates, giving more than just a glimmer of hope for a safer, more equitable future.
This period can only be extended for up to 12 hours, with workers being adequately compensated for waiting and travel times. All employees rendering over 8 hours must likewise be provided with overtime pay.
The untimely demise of Eddie Garcia, who died at 90 years old after tripping on a cable while filming at a site that was later found to have violated occupational health and safety standards, led to the proposed legislation. Garcia starred in over 600 films and television series and was the only individual inducted in three categories in the Filipino Academy for Movie Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director.
Golden Globes-nominated Dolly de Leon and award-winning actress Iza Calzado recently pushed for the bill’s approval at a Committee on Labor hearing on August 29, 2023. They attended as representatives of the nonprofit organization Aktor – League of Filipino Actors, which advocates for artists’ rights. Individuals from GMA Network and ABS-CBN Corporation were also in attendance.
At the hearing, de Leon shared that she experienced a 23-hour workday, undergoing long intervals while waiting to perform her scenes. “Minsan po, hindi naman po makakatulog ulit… Lalo na ‘pag malaki ‘yung role natin sa pelikula or sa serye, madalas kaming nakasalang. So minsan po talagang the whole time, gising kami,” she said. “Until now, practice rin po yun talaga. Umaabot po nang bente oras.”
(Sometimes, we can’t sleep again… Especially when we have a big role in a movie or series, we often are left on standby. So sometimes, we are awake the whole time. Until now, this is really the practice. It can take up to 20 hours.)
Calzado added that, as the entertainment industry struggles to deal with the pandemic’s toll on cinema, the fight for workers to attain fair working conditions remains. With this in mind, the legislation further prohibits a workweek beyond 60 hours, allowing leeway for a minimum 12-hour rest period between workdays.
“As co-creators in the art of storytelling, we stand united in our call for regulated working hours to ensure optimal performance and safeguard our physical and mental well-being,” Calzado declared. “We understand the value of delivering captivating performances that breathe life into the stories we tell. By capping working hours, we aspire to consistently operate at our best, enriching the artistic and cultural landscape while prioritizing our health and vitality.”
Aktor proposed that the regular workday may run for up to 14 hours, inclusive of meal and rest breaks. Other media-focused organizations, particularly the Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association and the National Alliance of Broadcast Unions, were in deliberations if this period should include or exclude travel time.
Beyond its focus on work hours, the bill guarantees social security and welfare benefits to entertainment workers, as well as employer-provided insurance. Other clauses in the act require firms to establish gender-inclusive and PWD-friendly bathrooms, regular meal times, safe accommodations, and emergency vehicles on set. Workers in the sector should also enjoy the right to receive minimum wage and to unionize.
Along with this, the bill seeks the creation of the Film, Television, and Radio Entertainment Industry Tripartite Council under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). It will be the agency tasked with granting exceptions to the current work-hour limitations. Beyond this, it will be an avenue for employers and workers “to represent their respective groups in the crafting of policy decisions that will affect them and the industry as a whole, and serve as an avenue to express their aspirations, present their programs or bridge gaps in cases of conflict among them,” the bill said.
The bill also reiterated employers’ adherence to current laws governing sexual harassment, mental health, intellectual property, and the employment of minors, among others.
The legacy of Eddie Garcia, the bill’s namesake, lives on. He won the Gold Remi at the 2019 Worldfest Houston International Film Festival. In 2021, he was honored posthumously with a special tribute to his life’s work at the 23rd Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF 23) in Italy.
Ready to be part of the change? SPREAD THE WORD about the transformative Eddie Garcia Bill and the incredible people advocating for it. SHARE THIS ARTICLE now to keep the conversation going and make the Philippine entertainment industry a safer, fairer place for everyone involved. Let’s make sure Eddie Garcia’s legacy continues to pave the way for lasting change.
WATCH the Senate Hearing of the Eddie Garcia bill here:
A proposed legislation is seeking to better the plight of entertainment workers in the Philippines. Watch the Senate hearing for the Eddie Garcia bill here: https://t.co/X0Oyldo1j0
— GoodNewsPilipinas.com (@GoodNewsPinas_) September 4, 2023
Good News Pilipinas is a Lasallian Scholarum Awardee. TELL US your good news story tips by messaging GoodNewsPilipinas.com on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or e-mailing editor@goodnewspilipinas.com
