PAGSISIYASAT SA KALAGAYAN NG VISUAL ARTS SA BANSA AT IBA PANG MAY KAUGNAYANG INDUSTRIYA, TINAPOS NA NG KOMITE

Tinapos na ngayong Huwebes ng Espesyal na Komite ng Creative Industry and Performing Arts sa Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan, na pinamumunuan ni Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia, ang kanilang imbestigasyon batay sa House Resolution 2035, na nakatuon sa kalagayan ng visual arts sa bansa, at iba pang may kaugnayang industriya. 

Tinalakay ng Komite ang iba’t ibang pagsisikap at inisyatiba ng pamahalaan upang tulungan ang industriya ng visual arts. 

Batay sa survey na kanilang isinagawa mula 2018 hanggang 2019, sinabi ni League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) Junior Policy Officer Miki Monteverde, na ang mayoridad ng kanilang mga kasaping lungsod ay nagpahayag ng interes, upang paunlarin ang kanilang mga sektor ng visual arts at cultural mapping. 

Subali’t binanggit niya rin na nanatiling may hadlang sa kakulangan ng kapasidad sa teknikal, at pagkaantala ng tugon sa ayuda mula sa pambansang pamahalaan. 

Samantala, sinabi ni Rights Action Philippines Chairman Rey Dulay na mayroon pa ring kakulangan ng mga art centers, sa kabila ng kautusan ng Department of Interior and Local Government sa paglikha ng mga Local Culture and Arts Council sa mga munisipalidad. “Importante pong magkaroon ng activities within a community kung saan magkakaroon ng interaction ang mga artisits to promote the arts and culture ng bawat community,” ani Dulay. 

Tinalakay naman ni Artists’ Welfare Project, Inc. (AWPI) Executive Director Jenny Bonto ang iba’t ibang usapin at kapakanan na kainahaharap ng mga lokal na visual artists.

Sinabi niya na ang mga visual artists ay nangangailangan ng mga murang materyales, pagsasanay, pagmemerkado, espasyo, at digitization. 

Nangangailangan rin sila ng abot-kayang halaga ng pangangalaga sa kalusugan, social assistance, payong legal sa mga kontrata at pagpiprisinta, regulasyon, gawad, bawas sa buwis at mga insentibo, mga pamuhunan, kabilang na ang pagka-inklusibo. 

Ipinahayag niya rin sa Komite na kadalasan sa mga visual artists ay tahimik lamang sa mga pag-abuso at paglabag, dahil sa takot na mawalan ng trabaho at kita. 

Sa kanyang tugon, sinabi ni De Venecia na ang Freelance Protection Bill ay kinabibilangan ng non-retaliation clause, na kailangang maisulong para sa pagsasabatas nito upang mapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga manggagawa. 

At panghuli, sa turismo ng visual arts, sinabi ni Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB PHIL) Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Baby Landan, na nagbabahagi ng oportunidad sa convergence ang Kagawaran ng Turismo (DoT) sa mga visual artists, sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang pagtatanghal, domestic invitational programs, ayuda sa pagmemerkado sa mga sustainable community-based tourism destinations, at suporta sa pagmemerkado sa iba pang inisyatiba na may kaugnayan sa turismo.    

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PANEL CONCLUDES INQUIRY INTO THE STATE OF PH VISUAL ARTS AND OTHER RELATED INDUSTRIES 

The House Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts chaired by Rep. Christopher De Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan) on Thursday, concluded its inquiry based on House Resolution 2035, which focused on the state of Philippine visual arts and other related industries.

The panel tackled various efforts and initiatives of the government in helping the visual arts industry. 

Based on a survey they conducted from 2018 to 2019, League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) Junior Policy Officer Miki Monterde said that majority of their member-cities expressed interest to enhance their visual arts sector and cultural mapping. 

However, she noted that the roadblock remains on the lack of technical capacity and the delayed response for assistance from the national government. 

Meanwhile, Rights Action Philippines Chairman Rey Dulay said that there is still a lack of visible arts council offices, cultural organizers, and art centers despite the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum on the Creation of Local Culture and Arts Council in municipalites. 

“Importante pong magkaroon ng activities within a community kung saan magkakaroon ng interaction ang mga artists to promote the arts and culture ng bawat community,” Dulay said. 

Artists’ Welfare Project, Inc. (AWPI) Executive Director Jenny Bonto  discussed various issues and welfares that local visual artists are facing. 

She said visual artists need low-cost materials, training, marketing, space, and digitization. 

They also require affordable health care, social assistance, legal advice on contracts and representations, regulations, grants, tax cuts and incentives, investments, as well as inclusivity. 

She also told the panel that visual artists are often silent on abuses and violations for fear of losing their jobs and income. 

In response, De Venecia said that the Freelance Protection Bill includes a non-retaliation clause that needs to be lobbied for its enactment to protect workers' welfare. 

Finally on visual arts tourism, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB PHIL) Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Baby Landan said that the Department of Tourism (DoT) provides convergence opportunities to visual artists through various expositions, domestic invitational programs, marketing assistance to sustainable community-based tourism destinations, and marketing support for other tourism-related initiatives. (30)