The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has stated that the Disaster Emergency Assistance and Relief (DEAR) program will remain open since many workers in the industry remain unemployed especially freelancers.
The DEAR program aims to give a one-time cash assistance amounting to Php 5,000 to Php 8,000 to workers of the film industry who have been gravely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Currently, 3,000 displaced workers have received financial aid.
The FDCP estimated that the number they are evaluating will balloon up to 5,000. However, this is still far from almost 800,000 affected workers in the industry. The council is asking the national government for additional funds to help those who are in need.
Meanwhile, minimum health protocols are being implemented in productions such as the wearing of protective gear, observance of physical distancing and the maximum limit of 50 people in each production. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
