By Pangasinan Congressman Christopher “Toff” de Venecia
Patuloy natin binibigyang boses ang iba't ibang sektor na kabilang sa creative industries.
Kaya naman ang Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Bloc (ACCIB), na ating pinangungunahan, ay naghain ng panukalang Music Industry Development Act para ma pump-prime ang ating lokal na industriya ng musika at OPM.
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Pangasinan Congressman Christopher “Toff” de Venecia (Photo Credit: Manila Bulletin |
Kasama na
din dito ang pag-improve ng music education natin na napapaloob sa
MAPEH program ng DepEd at para magkaroon din tayo ng mga music
festivals kung saan ito ay magiging avenue para sa ating local
musicians na ipakita ang kanilang talento.
Maraming
Salamat sa Manila Bulletin para sa inyong feature!
Excerpts
of the news article:
A group
of lawmakers at the House of Representatives is set to file on
Tuesday, Sept. 1, the Music Industry Act of 2020 to help pump-prime
the Philippine music industry.
The group, called the Arts and Culture and
Creative Industries Bloc (ACCIB), is composed of 22 lawmakers, whose
objective is to introduce and support legislations that protect and
promote culture, the arts, and the creative industries.
Some of its members are: Reps. Vilma Santos-Recto
(6th Dist, Batangas), Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th Dist, Leyte), Edward
Maceda (4th Dist, Manila), Jose Atienza (BUHAY partylist), Juan
Miguel Arroyo (2nd Dist, Pampanga), Baby Arenas (3rd Dist,
Pangasinan), Camille Villar (Lone Dist. of Las Piñas City), Lianda
Bolilia (4th Dist, Batangas), and Loren Legarda (Lone Dist. of
Antique).
Rep. Christopher De Venecia (4th Dist,
Pangasinan) is the group’s convenor.
In a privilege speech, De Venecia said that
“despite having a very talented pool of musicians and having a
relatively young population who have agency, currency, and propensity
for creativity and innovation, we are still not maximizing the
potential of our music industry the way South Korea for example has
ignited the global dominance of K-Pop.”
He pointed out that the Korean craze, called the
Hallyu Wave, has been estimated to contribute US$11.6 billion to the
South Korean economy.
“But what we have to learn from the experience
of South Korea is that they did not become the global influence they
are overnight.” He said, “their country’s leadership
decided to invest significant funding, infrastructure, human resource
development, marketing and incubation, in partnership with the
private sector, for the development of their music industry and
ensured that there would be governance structures and sound policies
in place to ensure its sustainability.
“This is precisely what we hope to do with this
measure,” he stressed.
De Venecia said that while the business aspect of
music-making is definitely highlighted in this bill, “it does not
neglect our duty to ensure the preservation of our musical heritage.”
Thus, under this bill, he said the Music
Development Council shall be created and shall endeavor to work with
the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples to preserve musical traditions in
the Philippines.
“This Music Industry Development Bill is not a
silver bullet but a measure that should work in consonance with other
congressional initiatives that can pump-prime this sector of the
creative economy.”
On a separate measure, de Venecia said they will
need to revisit the Intellectual Property Code and ascertain whether
or not it needs updating as it affects almost all sectors of the
creative economy.
Also, he said the amusement and entertainment tax
as enshrined under the Local Government Code might have to be
revisited as these have proven to be very much restrictive to the
growth of the creative industries, not only to live events, but also
to film.
“Which is why we are equally grateful to the
House Leadership in including the relaxation of amusement tax in the
Bayanihan 2 as a form of regulatory relief to first movers in both
film and live events,” he said.
He is also pushing for the need to explore how
Original Pilipino Music (OPM) might be mainstreamed in broadcast
media to instil greater appreciation of the local music among the
people, either through incentives, regulatory measures, or a
combination of both.
The government, through the Optical Media Board,
must continue to clamp down on music piracy, even if the modalities
by which this is done is likewise transforming alongside evolving
technologies, he said.
De Venecia said that while many creative
industries like music pivot towards the digital space, it is equally
important to have sound ICT infrastructure in the country “so we
welcome any efforts by the DICT and other agencies that will endeavor
do so.”
He added that if most concerts in the interim or
even as the country heads towards the new normal will involve live
streaming for amplified reach and sustainability of the creative
industries, “then let’s strive to ensure that patrons wouldn’t
be bothered by buffering, low-resolution, and intermittent internet
connections.”
De Venecia said that amidst the grim public health
crisis Filipinos are currently facing, “we heed the plight of
artists whose livelihoods are in peril, having been deprived of their
bread and butter, and yet continue to share their talent and artistry
to the world.”
“We want them to know that Congress, through the
leadership of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, is determined to help them
as best we can, just as they have helped millions of Filipinos during
this pandemic,” he said.
“In our book, the creative class of the
Philippines is just as much front-liners because they cater to our
mental health. Without music to keep us company during these past
months, it’s unlikely that we might have survived,” De Venecia
said.
He added, “It is high time for us to finally
give the music industry, among many other sectors of our creative
economy, the support and attention it deserves.”