REVILLA LAUDS MMDA, MMFF EXECOM FOR EXCELLENT FILMFEST

Senator Bong Revilla today expressed optimism that the local film industry will once again flourish as he commended the Metro Manila Development Authority and all the participants of the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) for having a successful film fest.

Revilla lauded MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando as well as the MMFF executive committee and the producers of eight film entries for its collective efforts in providing the viewers of high quality movies.

"Remarkably for the first time in the history of MMFF, all entries were approved by Cinema Evaluation Board with high ratings, This shows that the organizers and participants made it sure that the moviegoers will get their money's worth in seeing the film entries," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.

The animated film "Dayo," the historical love story "Baler" and the drama "Magkaibigan" all got an A-grade while B-graded films are the comedy flicks "Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After," "One Night Only" and "Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat", as well as the adult comedy "Desparadas 2" and the horror trilogy "Shake, Rattle & Roll X."

The senator also noted the positive ticket sales of the MMFF with a total of P214 million in the first four showing days or an average of P53 million a day. "This is a good sign that our local film industry is indeed recovering. We must continue to make high quality movies to suit the preference and satisfaction of the viewing public," said Revilla, who also lauded this year's MMFF awardees.

The lawmaker vowed to continue pushing for legislative measures to revive the once flourishing movie industry. It could be recalled that Revilla filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 717 to lower the amusement tax slapped to movies to 10 percent from the present 30 percent. With other similar bills, the Senate has already approved it on the third and final reading as a consolidated bill,

Aside from the Amusement Tax Bill, Revilla also filed SBN 19, aimed to establish a National Film Archive to be managed by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). "There should be an efficient government archiving of all award-winning and critically acclaimed Filipino films as one way of preserving the historical, cultural and artistic heritage of the country," he explained.