Camille Naredo

People arrive at the Gateway Cineplex in Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City on November 10, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

People arrive at the Gateway Cineplex in Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City on November 10, 2021 as it opens its doors to patrons for the first time since the start of arious COVID-19 quarantine measures in the capital region. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Gateway

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177367169833120211110-covid-cinema-opening-JC--16.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="People arrive at the Gateway Cineplex in Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City on November 10, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/>People arrive at the Gateway Cineplex in Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City on November 10, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — Hoping to bring more Filipinos back to cinemas, lawmakers and producers discussed movie ticket pricing in a House Committee on Creative Industries meeting on Monday with lawmakers opposing an increase and producers mentioning high production expenses.Cavite 2nd District Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla was among members of the House against a spike in ticket prices. “I do agree with the representative of CEAP that an additional P2 over and above the tickets being sold in the box office would entail another problem. Instead of promoting more Filipino films to be watched, mas bumibigat po para sa bulsa ng ating manonood,” Mercado-Revilla said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/1/14/vice-ganda-weighs-in-on-high-mmff-ticket-prices-1611">READ: Vice Ganda weighs in on high MMFF ticket prices</a></div>Perci Intalan of the Film Producers Guild of the Philippines said there are not enough programs to support the return of filmgoers, adding ticket pricing remains a “big issue” for the health of the film industry.Intalan told lawmakers that the distribution of free movie passes for senior citizens or for events such as the Metro Manila Film Festival encourage people to appreciate films, but not necessarily support the industry. &quot;The price of the ticket is a big, big issue because ultimately, for the health of this industry, we want people to go back to cinemas. And I think we don&#x27;t have enough programs that support that,&quot; Intalan said.&quot;For example, right now, for instance, when we joined the Metro Manila Film Festival, there are a lot of movie passes being given out. Those movie passes are not compensated back to the producers or to the cinemas. They&#x27;re just given away for free. I mean, that&#x27;s loss of income already,&quot; he added.&quot;When Mondays, Tuesdays, there are days when senior citizens get to watch movies for free. There&#x27;s no compensation for our side, right? So, the health of the industry– we&#x27;re actually encouraging people to watch for free. We&#x27;re encouraging people to appreciate our films but not necessarily telling them, ‘Go to the cinema, buy a ticket, support the industry.&#x27;&quot;Intalan added that not many producers can afford decreasing the prices of movie tickets, due to high production costs. “Not many producers were able to go down that low because some productions are just too expensive. You won&#x27;t be able to recover it. So there is also that factor. What I think I was noting just earlier was that the ticket price is one thing that is, I think, where all the pressure is now on for us because that&#x27;s the only way that we can recover,” he explained.<div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/1/6/mmda-to-discuss-lowering-movie-ticket-prices-for-mmff-2026-2137">READ: MMDA to discuss lowering movie ticket prices for MMFF 2026</a></div>Intalan brought up the possibility of establishing programs to help producers cover losses from senior citizen discounts and free movie passes so they could lower ticket pricing for all. “So if there are programs that will help us, say, cover for whatever– movie passes, senior discounts, or anything then it will be easier for us to go lower because there&#x27;s another way to compensate,” Intalan added.The movie industry is yet to reach half its gross earnings prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines’ (CEAP) Bing Advincula. “Before pandemic– [in] 2019, the movie industry grossed around almost P13 billion. So, when it came back 2022, the gross was P4.5 billion. Then 2023, P6.5 billion. [In] 2024, it&#x27;s P6.1 billion. Then 2025, P6.7 [billion],&quot; said Avincula. &quot;So meaning wala pa ho tayo doon sa even kalahati before pandemic. Because pandemic– iniba talaga nito ‘yung behavior ng mga customers natin. So we really need all the help that we can get from the government and from the other stakeholders.&quot;Meanwhile, actress and producer Bela Padilla appeared at the hearing to express support for a bill on the creation of the Philippine Film Commission, citing the need to protect Filipino filmmakers and natural resources. &quot;I do think it&#x27;s very important that we have film commission already– a one-stop shop for foreigners also who are coming in, filmmakers who are coming in who want to shoot and to film in the Philippines. Not only for them to be able to shoot more efficiently, but to protect also Philippine filmmakers, to protect our natural resources, and to, I guess, give them the best of what we have,&quot; Padilla said. &quot;There are so many creative Filipino talents. We have amazing actors, directors, writers, but right now we&#x27;re not seeing amazing actors, directors, writers, but right now we&#x27;re not seeing, I guess, what the government can do for us also.&quot;

Hoping to bring more Filipinos back to cinemas, lawmakers and producers discussed movie ticket pricing in a House Committee on Creative Industries meeting on Monday with lawmakers opposing an increase and producers mentioning high production expenses.

Hoping to bring more Filipinos back to cinemas, lawmakers and producers discussed movie ticket pricing in a House Committee on Creative Industries meeting on Monday with lawmakers opposing an increase and producers mentioning high production expenses.

Lawmakers, producers discuss issues in movie ticket pricing, programs to cover loss from discounts

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Lawmakers, producers discuss issues in movie ticket pricing, programs to cover loss from discounts

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 16, 2026 10:40 PM PHT

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