GUILDS TO PROPOSE PROJECTS FOR PSF FINANCING

The thirteen working guilds under the umbrella supervision of the Film Academy of the Philippines will craft their own projects which they will propose for funding by the Presidential Social Fund.

This was agreed upon during a board of governors meeting last Monday, February 26, at the FAP office on the ground floor of the OctoArts building on Panay avenue, Q.C.

This action was in response to an official communication, dated February 5, 2007, from Atty. Erlinda M. B. de Leon, special assistant to the president, which was addressed to FAP Director General Leo G. Martinez.

Martinez told the board of governors that the Palace officially invited the Academy to submit programs and project proposals aimed to “develop and strengthen the film industry and to protect and enhance the artistic and technical skills of film industry workers.”

The FAP director general explained that the Malacañang offer was very timely in view of the fact that the Academy is celebrating its silver anniversary this year while it is still beset by financial constraints brought about by the slash in its share of the Metro Filmfest amusement tax rebates since 2006.

He added that each guild must decide and draw up the project proposals which they intend to submit to the PSF for funding.

Eight of the 13 guilds were present during the meeting. These included the Production Designers Guild of the Philippines (PDGP), represented by Manny Morfe (president); the United Film Musical Directors Association of the Philippines (UFIMDAP), with its president, Prof. Josefino Cenizal; the Screenwriters’ Guild of the Philippines (SGP), with its president, Pablo S. Gomez;

The Philippine Motion Picture Directors’ Association (PMPDA), with its president, William Mayo; the United Film Editors Guild of the Philippines (UFEG), represented by its secretary, Cielito Santillan; the Prodyuser ng Mga Pelikulang Pilipino sa Asya, Inc. (PMPPA), represented by its president, Manuel Nuqui;

The Sounds Technician Association for Motion Pictures (STAMP), with its president Rollie Ruta; and the Filipino Society of Cinematographers (FSC), with its president, Isagani Sioson.

Five guilds failed to send a representative to the meeting. These included the Movie Producers Distributors Association of the Philippines (MPDAP), the Assistant Directors and Production Managers Guild (ADPM), the Actors Workshop Foundation (AWF), the Organization of Specialized Filipino Filmmakers (OSFILM), and the Actors Guild of the Philippines (AGP).

During the meeting, Director General Martinez also reported the
FAP activities for this year’s 25th anniversary celebration. The highlights will include the 25th Luna Awards, the Hindi Kita Malimot (Kantang-Kanta, Pelikulang-Pelikula) a concert of classic movie theme songs, the Salin Gamit Fair and the production of the Pelikulang Pampanitikan pilots.