Leo Martinez Voices Concerns Over Eddie Garcia Bill
LEO MARTINEZ – Veteran actor, comedian, and director Leo Martinez shared his thoughts on the Eddie Garcia bill.
House Bill No. 7762 is named after the legendary actor-director Eddie Garcia, who fell into a coma and passed away after an accident during the taping of a GMA Network teleserye in June 2019. Because of Eddie’s fate, at the age of 90, there was a widespread appeal to provide protection for all those working in the film, television, and radio industries.
If it becomes law, all employers in the entertainment industry would be required to have contracts with their employees and independent contractors. The contract must detail the position and scope of the employee’s duties, all their benefits, and the significant employer policies affecting the employee, according to HB 7762.
HB 7762 establishes the following policies for all employees in the entertainment industry:
- Eight hours of normal working hours per day, which may be extended to 12 hours. Hours worked beyond the fixed eight hours shall be paid as overtime.
- The minimum wage for workers and independent contractors shall not be lower than the wage rate in the region where they work.
- Employees are automatically covered by the Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
- It is the employer’s obligation to provide the basic necessities of the employee, such as food every six hours of work, an adequate supply of drinking water, restrooms, private dressing rooms, comfortable holding areas, and free accommodation for out-of-town tapings, shootings, and other activities.
- There should be an occupational safety and health officer who will conduct assessments at the workplace, particularly for outdoor productions.
- There should be service vehicles available for any emergencies on production sets.
Based on a report from PEP, Leo Martinez expressed his sentiments through a video, regarding some details about Eddie Garcia, using his alter ego Congressman Manhik-Manaog, whom he popularized in criticizing issues revolving around our society.
He reportedly thought that this law was created for workers in the entertainment industry, but it seems to favor TV networks and producers of local movies. This author was personally sent the said video by Leo, through FB Messenger, with a length of 5 minutes and 21 seconds.
Introduction by Leo, known as Congressman Manhik-Manaog: “Akala ko ba, ang Eddie Garcia Bill na yan ay para sa mga manggagawa? E, bakit ang sa tingin ko ay mas kampi ang Eddie Garcia [Bill] sa mga networks at producers, kesa sa manggagawa!
“Tingnan ninyo, Section 9, Working Hours muna.
“Sinabi na naman ng DOLE [Department of Labor and Employment], na ang working hours na nakatalaga sa Labor Laws for local and ILO Convention ay in terms of maximum working hours per week – 40 hours standard, plus 8 hours maximum overtime, for a total of 48 hours maximum per week.
“E, bakit yang Eddie Garcia Bill is sobra-sobra? Sixty hours daw ang maximum! Pero pag kinompyut mo ang 14 hours times 5 days, equals 70. O, e, di mali ang arithmetic, labag pa sa batas.”
Leo Martinez also questioned the absence of the provision regarding senior citizens.
“At bakit naman nawala yung provision for senior citizens na dapat ay 8 hours lang ang trabaho, sabi ng DOLE? Anong nangyari? Bakit?
“Tapos, kung ang 14 hours na trabaho ay para sa lahat ng mga manggagawa, e, papaano naman yung mga nadating bago dumating ang mga artista, mas maaga dumating sila, at mas huli pa ang pack-up?
“E, di 16, 17, 18 hours na ang trabaho nila? Okey pa ba yun? Okey ba yun sa inyo? Bakit? Ano ba ang nangyari?
“Bakit pa natin ‘ginising’ si Eddie Garcia kung ganoon rin lang at wala namang pagbabago? Bakeeet?” questioning litany of Leo in character.
Leo continues: “Ngayon, rights to renumeration naman, Section 25.
“Sinabi na sa ating Intellectual Property Law na ang artista ay maaaring sumingil ng hindi hihigit ng 5 percent ng kanilang original daily talent fee tuwing ire-replay ang kanilang ginawang pelikula o TV show.
“Samakatuwid, kung PHP1,000 ang iyong daily talent fee, e, dapat, PHP50 ang dapat na ibayad sa iyo, tuwing ire-replay ang ginawa mo. Yan ang sabi sa batas.
“Pero bakit ang Eddie Garcia [Bill], e, kumampi na naman sa mga networks at producers? Sinabi nila na ang renumeration daw ay DEPENDE sa pag-uusap ng producer at artista? Mali! Labag sa batas yan!
“At ere pa ang matindi… Sabi ng Eddie Garcia Bill, lahat daw ng intellectual property rights ay puwede ilipat o ipasa sa producer sa pamamagitan ng kontrata. O, mali yon!
“Dapat naman ay alam na ninyo na mali yon at labag sa batas yon. Labag yon sa Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances na batas na noong 2021 pa. O, bakit nagkaganoon? Bakit ililipat yon?
“Ang moral rights, sabi ng Beijing Treaty, ay hindi puwedeng ilipat by contract. Ang moral rights ay kasama diyan yung pagtutol mo sa pag-distort sa pag-edit ng iyong performances o pag-edit sa makakasira sa iyong reputasyon, at ang pagbibigay ng credit sa yo.
“Yan ang mga moral rights na hindi puwedeng ilipat o ipasa sa producer by contract.
“Ang pagpasa ng moral rights o paglipat ng moral rights ay kailangang by legislation, not by contract. Yan ang sabi ng batas.”
At the end of the video, Leo boldly declared that based on the questionable details he disclosed, in his opinion, Eddie Garcia Bill is a “magulang.”
“Kaya ngayon… in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, ang pakiwari ko, e, napaka… ‘very parent’ yang Eddie Garcia Bill na yan.
“Parent… magulang! Ginugulangan ang mga manggagawa para ibigay sa mga network at producer.
“Aba’y wag naman! Maawa naman kayo sa mga manggagawa ng sining at telebisyon. Sila naman ang kampihan ninyo. Hindi ba?”
Leo looked at the sky and then said, “Okey ba yon, Eddie Garcia, Manoy?”
“Maraming salamat po sa inyo,” Leo ended his video that spread on social media and many of those who watched it were grateful for his explanation.
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