A senior legislator on Monday said better pay and protection await movie and television workers with the recent issuance of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for Republic Act (RA) 11996 or the Eddie Garcia Law.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the IRR released by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provides for stronger safeguards in the workplace and better compensation, especially for the ordinary movie and TV workers.
“With the DOLE’s recent issuance of the IRR of the Eddie Garcia Act, we look forward to our actors and other workers in the film and TV industry soon having a safer environment in their workplace along with proper compensation and other benefits for their unconventional work schedules,” he said.
Villafuerte, principal author of RA 11996, hopes all film and television industry workers would benefit from the labor protection features of the DOLE-issued IRR, including independent contractors.
The law also covers services rendered by those who were hired during “out-of-town shoots and/or lock-in production work that require them to stay in location sites for 24 hours straight or even for several days or months.”
President Marcos signed the Eddie Garcla Law last May. The approved final House version (House Bill 1270) of which had consolidated six similar bills, including the lead HB 1270 that was principally authored by Villafuerte.
In a recent statement, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the IRR for RA 11996, which was released last September 30, include “the protection of labor rights, promotion of decent work, and equality of employment opportunities for all movie and television industry workers.”
“These (workers) include those engaged in the preproduction, production, and post-production in movie and television activities, excluding news media and documentary productions,” Laguesma said.
Under the IRR, film and TV workers must be provided with contracts detailing job positions, just compensation commensurate with skills and competencies, normal working hours of eight hours and not over 14 hours or no longer than 60 hours weekly, social security benefits, and insurance against accidents at no cost to them, said Laguesma.
The IRR also laid out the responsibilities of employers such as the provision of safe working conditions, including first aid, proper safety equipment, and regular safety meetings, as well as compliance with safety standards set under existing laws and the submission of safety programs to DOLE.
It also requires adequate meals, safe drinking water, proper rest facilities, and accommodation to all covered workers, and slaps on IRR violators a fine ranging from P100,000 to P500,000.
The law was named after veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died while filming a television series.
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