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MANILA, Philippines — The Senate passed on a third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2505 or the Eddie Garcia Bill, named after the veteran actor who passed away last 2019.
Garcia was 90 years old when he died days after he suffered an injury on a production set, leading to a call for improved safety protocols for the film, television, and radio industry.
The bill passed the Senate on a final reading last February 19 with several celebrities present to witness the passage, including Iza Calzado, Ricky Davao, Randy Santiago, Tirso Cruz III, Martin Nievera, Pops Fernandez, celebrity couple Marian River and Dingdong Dantes, and Garcia's wife Lilibeth Romero.
Three of the bill's co-authors are actors themselves, namely, Robin Padilla, Lito Lapid, and Bong Revilla, while two are children of veteran actors — Grace Poe (daughter of Ferdinand Poe Jr.) and Jinggoy Estrada (son of Joseph "Erap" Estrada).
Among the bill's provisions are a normal eight-hour work or up to a maximum of 14 hours or a total of 60 hours in a week and specific provisions on social welfare benefits and insurance from work-related incidents or deaths.
It also guarantees opportunities for gainful employment and decent incomes and protection from abuse, harassment, hazardous conditions, and economic exploitation.
Once signed into law, the government will then establish a Movie and Television Tripartite Council composed of individuals from the government, employers, and workers in the entertainment industry.
On the same day, Padilla issued Senate Resolution No. 909, which recognized the box office success of "Rewind" starring Rivera and Dantes — the couple's first feature film in over a decade.
The film featured at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival and went on to become the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time, earning P902 million at the global box office.
"This achievement is a testament to the return of a vibrant and flourishing Philippine film industry — attributed to the hard work and commitment of artists, writers, directors and all members of the production teams," Padilla said in the resolution.
Joining Rivera and Dantes for the recognition at the Senate was director Mae Cruz Alviar and other members of the film's production team.
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