Manila – The Institute for Labor Studies participated in the meeting called by the House Committee on Labor to discuss current bills aimed at strengthening protection for workers in the entertainment industry. The hearing took place last February 3, at the House of Representatives, in Constitution Hills, Quezon City.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) delegation comprised of Atty. Tecelyn B. Maramag, Senior Labor and Employment Officer from the Institute’s Advocacy and Publications Division (APD), together with DOLE NCR-Regional Director Atty. Sarah Buena Mirasol, Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) Executive Director Engr. Noel C. Binag and OSHC Director Lilibeth T. Caraga, and Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) Labor Officer Dr. Marco Antonio Valeros.
The primary agenda is a continuation of the inquiry and deliberation of the measures on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the film, television, and theater industry of the Philippines, and an inquiry on seven bills, in particular House Bill No. 181, titled, “An Act Creating an Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHA) for Film, Television and Theater Industry of the Philippines, otherwise known as the “Eddie Garcia Act,” and for other purposes authored by Rep. Michael Odylon L. Romero.
The ILS has two published researches related to fostering protection and regulation of working conditions for workers in the entertainment industry, namely “Work Arrangement and Working Conditions in Television’s Film Production and Broadcast Industry: Issues for Social Dialogue,” authored by Celia V. Cabadonga published in 2016, and the 2018 study titled, “Policy Analysis on the Issuance of Work Permit for Children in the Theater Industry based on RA 9231” authored by Atty. Maramag.
The hearing was also attended by representatives from the Actors Guild of the Philippines, Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, and Film Development Council of the Philippines who served as resource person. Together with other longtime production members from the media and entertainment industry, they recounted on-set experiences which underscored the need for robust set of Occupational Safety and Health standards applicable to the industry. A move was passed to consolidate seven related bills, and a technical working group will be formed and led by the House Sub-Committee on Labor Standards.