Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _4255

Introduced by Rep. DAN S. FERNANDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that “The State shall
give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and
sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and
promote total human liberation and development” (Article II, Section 17,
italics supplied).

Movie producers invest a lot of money to produce a movie. It is
only fair that they be given the opportunity to get a return on their
investment. Unfortunately, local movies tend to lose their competitive
edge over major foreign films for a number of reasons.

This bill aims to obligate the State and the movie theatre owners to
support our local movie producers by encouraging and motivating them
to make more films which, in turn, would create more job opportunities
for Filipinos. Further, more local movies produced and shown in theaters
would entice younger generations to watch original Filipino films that
will foster patriotism and nationalism in them.

To complement the effort of promoting local films through
increased screening time, this measure seeks to declare the month of
September of every year as the “Philippine Movie Industry Month.” This
is in line with the official launch in September 2019 of one hundred (100)
years of Philippine cinema and also the day (September 12, 1919) when
the first Filipino film DALAGANG BUKID of Jose Nepomuceno was
released in cinemas. To celebrate the occasion, a ten (10)-day national
film festival, to be known as the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, would also
be held annually.


An innovative feature of this bill is the creation of the so-called
Box Office-Online System and Tracker (BOOST), an electronic
monitoring system that publishes in real time the box office numbers of
the film industry. At present, there is no system in place that
electronically collects and collates data of the Philippine movie industry.
BOOST aims to fill that need for an accurate database of the industry
performance.

Not only intended for tax purposes, BOOST as a transparency
measure is designed to provide available data in the earnest hope that
potential foreign investors might be encouraged to pour money into our
local film industry. Needless to state, sound film policy also depends
upon the availability of accurate and valid data on our movie industry.

In view of the foregoing considerations, the early approval of this
bill is fervently requested.

HON. DAN S. FERNANDEZ
First District of Laguna


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.__ 4255

Introduced by Rep. DAN S. FERNANDEZ

AN ACT
REVITALIZING THE PHILIPPINE MOVIE INDUSTRY
THROUGH INCREASED SCREENING TIME IN MOVIE
THEATERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Local

Movies Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It shall be the policy of the State
to promote and support the development and growth of the local film
industry as an aesthetic and cultural medium for a better understanding
and appreciation of Filipino social values and national identity, and as an

indispensable economic partner in nation-building,

To achieve this end, the State shall formulate and implement
policies and programs to upgrade the art and craft of film-making and

encourage production of films for commercial purposes, intended for


public entertainment, that seek to enhance the quality of life, examine the
human and social conditions and contribute to the dignity and nobility of

the human spirit.

SEC. 3. Duties and Obligations of Movie Theater Operators. -
Notwithstanding the provision of any law, rules and regulations to the
contrary, movie theater operators shall:

(a) Run Movie and Television Review and Classification Board
(MTRCB) — approved and rated local movies at the minimum span of
five (5) consecutive days to support local movie producers;

(b) Divide theater screening slots between local films and foreign
films at the ratio of forty percent (40%) and sixty percent (60%),
respectively;

(c) Equally divide movie trailer slots — 50% local film and 50%
foreign film movie trailers - prior to the actual film screening of a
featured movie; and

(d) Make Fridays as start of movie play dates, instead of
Wednesdays, to give local movies a better fighting chance in the box

office.

SEC. 4. Creation and Operationalization of the Box Office-Online

System and Tracker. — In order to further promote the Philippine movie


industry and in the interest of transparency for tax and other regulatory
purposes, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP)
established under Republic Act No. 9167 is hereby mandated to create
and operate the Box Office-Online System and Tracker (BOOST), an
electronic monitoring system that publishes in real time the box office
numbers of the film industry. Subject to the implementing rules and
regulations to be issued under this Act, all exhibitors and cinemas are
hereinafter required to enroll with BOOST and transmit all data as may
be prescribed by the FDCP, such as the number of audiences entering a
relevant movie theater and the amount of sales of admission tickets,

without intentional omission or manipulation.

SEC. 5. Declaring September of Every Year as the Philippine
Movie Industry Month. — In commemoration of the Centennial
celebrations of Philippine cinema in September 2019, the month of
September of every year is hereby declared as the Philippine Movie
Industry Month. In conjunction thereto, the FDCP shall hold a ten (10)-
day national film festival, to be known as the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino

(PPP), to celebrate the Philippine Movie Industry Month.

SEC. 6. Monitoring and Enforcement. — To attain the objectives of

this Act, the FDCP shall:


(a) Adopt a monitoring and reporting system to track violators, and
impose fines and penalties for any violation of this Act, with due process;

(b) Cause or initiate criminal or administrative proceedings with
the concerned government agencies for violations of this Act; and

(c) Cause the closure or suspension of any theater or cinema in

violation of this Act, upon observance of due process.

SEC. 7. Penalties. - Any person who violates the provisions of this
Act shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but
not more than five (5) years or a fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000.00) but not more than one hundred thousand pesos
(P100,000,00), or both imprisonment and fine at the sound discretion of

the Court.

SEC. 8. Appropriations, - The amount necessary for the
implementation of this Act shall be included in the budget of the FDCP

under the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety (90)
days after the approval of this Act, the FDCP shall issue the necessary

rules and regulations for the effective implementation hereof.


SEC. 10. Separability Clause. — If any portion of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and

effectivity of the other provisions not so affected.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances,
rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this

Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication either in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers

of general circulation.

Approved,