On June 7, 2020, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, and I, as the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson and CEO, signed with immediate effectivity the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2020-001 on the Health and Safety Protocols for the Conduct of Film and Audiovisual Production Shoots and Audiovisual Activities During Covid-19 Pandemic.

As we end the month of June, I want to dedicate this column to my agency. June is doubly special to me because there are two significant occasions that make me feel excited – the anniversary of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and my birthday.

The film and audiovisual (AV) industry in the Philippines, while classified as a non-essential business sector, has been integral in our daily life. It has long been ingrained in the Filipino experience through the consumption of film and audiovisual content, witnessing of live events and performances, and appreciation and preservation of culture and the arts.

By this time, Filipino films would have already made the rounds in international film festivals and our filmmakers would have participated in film markets around the globe.

Lights, camera, action! Good take! Cut! That’s a wrap! These were words we thought we wouldn’t hear echoing across production sets any time soon, given stringent health and safety measures to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic. But as of May 16, they well may be returning with film and audiovisual production shoots now allowed in most parts of the country.

The audio-visual culture and industry have always been ingrained in the Filipino experience, whether through the consumption of film or witnessing live events and performances.

Regional Cinema is Philippine Cinema. I have maintained this mantra since the moment I stepped in as Chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). And among the first of my efforts was to go around the country to connect with regional film communities and discover more about it.

As we draw closer to the date of the lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in the National Capital Region, the local audio-visual industry is becoming more restless. Some are excited, others are confused, while the rest are still scared.

With each new day in this coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis comes the latest government action plan or private sector project that aims to alleviate the public health situation. Covid-19 may have single-handedly impacted the world, but it is not strong enough to dampen the creativity and fighting spirit of Filipinos, most especially those in the film and audio-visual (AV) industry.

It started with the Taal Volcano eruption, when the ashfall made people stay put for safety. Then came the rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.