P75 million government aid to help boost creative industry

Extras, stunt doubles and other movie industry workers avail themselves of free services from various government agencies and receive financial assistance and sacks of rice, through the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation and Metro Manila Development Authority, during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair at Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday. The event is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Miguel De Guzman

Delon Porcalla - The Philippine Star 

October 14, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) of President Marcos has launched a support program worth P75 million aimed at providing financial aid and capacity-building opportunities to over 15,000 members of the creative industry, including financial aid and other services.

The two-day BPSF was held at the PhilSports Arena (Ultra) in Pasig City yesterday and focuses on uplifting professionals from the film, television, theater and radio sectors by offering a range of essential services and benefits.

The initiative is spearheaded by Speaker Martin Romualdez, a major proponent of the BPSF that has served more than 2.5 million families by rolling out more than P10 billion worth of government services and aid in more than 24 areas in the Philippines.

House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias Gabonada Jr. said the BPSF for the creative industry has also extended a P5,000 cash aid to eligible beneficiaries under the Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Romualdez gave each of the beneficiaries five kilos of rice, for a total of 75,000 kilos for the two-day event.

Beyond the financial aid, Gabonada said the BPSF also aims to equip the creative industry with skills and knowledge through various training sessions and industry-specific workshops.

“The BPSF is one program of President Marcos whose objective is to help each sector of society, including those in the creative industry. We have shown you that the government has not forgotten you – the workers in music and the arts and in media,” the Speaker said in his message.