In the  interest  of  service and pursuant to  FDCP Advisory  No.  1, Series  of  2020  on the Activation  of  the  FDCP  DISASTER/EMERGENCY  ASSISTANCE  AND  RELIEF  (DEAR) PROGRAM, a disaster-triggered funding mechanism of the Film Development Council of the  Philippines  that  provides  financial  assistance  to  its  stakeholders  who  are  directly affected by a major natural disaster, the following clarificatory guidelines are issued for the DEAR ACTION! PROGRAM for displaced freelance audio-visual content workers :

Facing the widespread suspension of production shoots and the consequent financial stress on film-workers placed due to the COVID-19 quarantine measures, a group of Filipino filmmakers have come together to create the fundraising effort ‘Lockdown Cinema Club’ as a means of supporting the many vulnerable members of the Filipino independent filmmaking community. 

It has been a week since the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) introduced the Disaster/Emergency Assistance and Relief (DEAR) Program to help audio-visual (AV) content industry stakeholders who are affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 situation has led to the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases related to COVID-19 and the declaration of a nationwide state of calamity by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Relative to FDCP Advisory No. 01 on the activation of the FDCP DISASTER/EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF (DEAR) PROGRAM, a disaster-triggered funding mechanism of the Film Development Council of the Philippines that provides financial assistance to its stakeholders who are directly affected by a major natural disaster, the DEAR PRESS! PROGRAM (for displaced freelance entertainment press) is hereby activated with the following guidelines issued:

If you are a technical crew, production or post-production staff, stunt person, actor, dubber, or any other freelance audio-visual (AV) content worker with a “no work, no pay” status whose work was abruptly cancelled or postponed as a direct result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation, then you can apply for the DEAR ACTION! financial assistance worth P8,000 from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation No. 922, Series of 2020 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines relative to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the FDCP DISASTER/EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF (DEAR) PROGRAM is hereby activated as of March 23, 2020 with the following guidelines issued

At a time when almost everything is at a halt due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Filipino Audio-Visual industry is suffering from the suspension of work and cancellation of events as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease. While regular and contractual employees get to continue their tasks via alternative work arrangements and still get paid, most of the Audio-Visual (AV) industry workers are not as fortunate to have employment during the national state of calamity. These include freelancers—from talents, to production staff, and technical crew members who get paid on a "per day" basis, “no work, no pay” scheme, and have no direct employer to work for.

A selection of five Filipino films will be screened in this year’s Osaka Asian Film Festival (OAFF). Crisanto Aquino’s Write About Love (2019) and Rae Red’s Babae at Baril will screen in the Osaka Asian Film Festival’s official competition section. Meanwhile, Metamorphosis (dir. Jose Enrique Tiglao, 2019) and Sunshine Family (dir. Tai-sik Kim, 2019) join Jade Castro’s official 2019 PPP entry LSS (Last Song Syndrome) in the festival’s “Special Program: New Action! Southeast Asia.” 

In another victory for Philippine Cinema in the international scene, Filipino director Rafael Manuel’s short film Filipiñana bagged the prestigious Silver Bear Jury Prize in this 70th Berlin International Film Festival during its Closing and Awards Ceremony last March 1, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.  

In a successful night of cultural exchange, Cinematheque Centre Manila saw an overflow of people attending Japan Film Week 2020’s Premiere Night, held by the Cinematheque as a collaboration between the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Japan Foundation in Manila.