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Film industry stakeholders call for cheaper movie tickets

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Anna Cerezo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- Film industry stakeholders are advocating for price cuts on cinema tickets to ensure moviegoing remains accessible to all Filipinos, consequently drawing more audiences back into theaters.</p><p>“Wala nang nagpo-produce dahil mahal na ng tickets -- P300-P700. Dati ang sine, pinaka-cheap na entertainment. Pero ngayon isa na ito sa pinakamahal dahil nasa mall. Kung nasa mall ka, hindi pwedeng P1,000 lang ang pera mo; hindi na kayang bayaran ng driver, ng manggagawa, hindi kaya ni Aling Kasing at Mang Isko,” said actor, director, and Free the Artist Movement member Joel Lamangan during the group’s event on Sunday in Quezon City, which discussed the plight of industry workers.</p><p>“Kailangan nating kalampagin sila upang magising sa katotohanan na maaaring mawala ang industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino. Maaaring walang magsasabi ng kuwento ng bayan na ito. Maaaring magising kinabukasan na hindi na mga Pilipino ang nagkukuwento sa atin—baka banyaga na. Hindi tayo gumagawa dahil magsasara na, dahil wala nang tumutulong,” he added.</p><p>According to actor and Mowelfund President Rez Cortez, the box office success of the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) was a testament to the great demand for Filipino films.</p><p>“Ang maganda nito, napatunayan ng nakaraang MMFF na bumabalik na sa sinehan ang ating audience. At nag gross ng P1.7B ang MMFF at na-dominate ng &#x27;Rewind.&#x27; Ang hindi maganda doon, ang nanonood lang ay middle class and upper dahil di na kaya magbayad sa sinehan ang mga class C,D,E,” he said. </p><p>“After the festival, lahat ng pelikulang pinalabas, wala nang kumita.</p><p>Karamihan, first day ay last day,” he added.</p><p>Lamangan stressed that poor sales numbers triggered a ripple effect in the whole film industry.</p><p>“May panahong may pelikulang Pilipino every week, dalawa. Ngayon wala. Nadaanan namin, dati pila talaga mula Lunes hanggang susunod na Lunes. Maraming nanonood, nagpro-produce. Ngayon kalakaran sa pelikula, mahaba na 10 days para gumawa. May 5-7, quality tingnan niyo -- pangit. Bakit? Dahil minamadali, dahil kokonti ang budget, dahil walang nanonood,&quot; he said. </p><p>“Ang manggagawa, walang trabaho. May kilala akong ating crew nakatira na sa sementeryo dahil wala na pang upa ng bahay. Wala na kasing trabaho, he added.</p><p>The &quot;Batang Quiapo&quot; actor then called on fellow members of the film industry to advocate for their rights and to be recognized as a legitimate industry.</p><p>“Pakita natin sa kanila na aware tayo na api-apihan tayo sa larangan na ito. Lalo na hindi tayo tinatrato na industriya. Hindi tayo tinitingnan na industriya kagaya ng kamatis, sibuyas. Wala silang pakialam sa atin. Mga sinasabi na batas para sa atin at industriya, naramdaman niyo ba na tumutulong dapat sa &#x27;tin? Iba, nasa planning stage pa lang,” he reasoned.</p><p>“Isang daang taon na mahigit ang industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino, iyon pa rin ang problema. Mag-aapat na dekada na ako sa industriya at nakita ko kagaya ni Rez at Manny ang pagbagsak ng industriyang ito, at unti-unting bumabagsak. Napakasakit sa amin niyan,” he added.</p><p>The members also discussed pushing further the pending implementation of the Eddie Garcia Law and the establishment of the Philippine Creative Industry Council.</p><p>The attendees of the meeting also agreed to form an alliance with other stakeholders.</p><p>&quot;Kailangang magsama-sama tayong lahat para dito,” Lamangan said. </p><p>“First step is kunin ang mga grupo na interesado sa alliance. Saka na pag-usapan ang detalye of what to achieve. Unite muna tayo, magsanib-puwersa tayo,” Film Academy of the Philippines director general Manny Morfe asserted. </p><div><a href="https://news2.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/movies/video/07/11/20/the-top-10-game-changing-movies-from-abs-cbn-get-reel-with-andrew-paredes">The 10 ABS-CBN movies that changed Philippine cinema | Get Reel w Andrew Paredes</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/28/23/diokno-hopes-ph-cinema-will-be-alive-after-mmff-2023">Pepe Diokno hopes PH cinema will be alive after MMFF 2023</a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Film industry stakeholders are advocating for price cuts on cinema tickets to ensure moviegoing remains accessible to all Filipinos. </p>

Film industry stakeholders are advocating for price cuts on cinema tickets to ensure moviegoing remains accessible to all Filipinos.