House OKs bill granting incentives to internationally recognized Filipino filmmakers 

House of Representatives. INQUIRER.net file photo / RYAN LEAGOGO

The House of Representatives has approved on final reading a bill granting incentives to Filipino production entities and filmmakers who won in notable international film festivals. 

One hundred and sixty-two lawmakers voted to pass on third and final reading House Bill No. 7823, or the Film Industry Incentives Act, on Monday. No one voted against or abstained during the voting. 

Once enacted into law, Filipino filmmakers or production entities, whose films have won the highest recognition for technical or artistic excellence in notable international film festivals, will receive the following:

– P5 million for an international award-winning full-length feature or documentary film;

– P3 million for an international award-winning short feature or documentary film;

– P2 million for a film director, main artist, screenplay, or for technical support filmmaker personnel including scriptwriter, cinematographer, editor, production designer, musical scorer, sound director, audio or video technician category who received the highest international awards in their respective categories. The amount will be equally divided if there are more than one awardees;

– P1 million for supporting artists or technicians who garnered the highest award in their respective categories; and

– “Grade A” from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

HB 7823 defines notable international film festivals as those which have given recognition to films for the last five years and are “well-known for their international profile, audience-size and the quality and breadth of their festival and programs.”

The budget needed for the proposed legislation will be included in the budget of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Read the bill here: HBT7823