FAP nagreklamo sa share ng MMF

Tomorrow na ang pinakahihintay na concert ni Megastar Sharon Cuneta sa Araneta Coliseum ng kanyang pre-Valentine concert, My Mega Valentine 8:00 p.m.

Araw-araw daw nagre-rehearse si Sharon habang papalapit ang concert. Matagal-tagal na ring hindi nagko-concert si Mega kaya maraming excited na mapanood ang kanilang idol. Kaya naman ready na talaga si Mega.

Makakasama niya as guests si Kuh Ledesma na nauna nang inamin ni Sharon na malaking influence sa kanya bilang singer, Christian Bautista at Christopher de Leon ang kanyang perennial leading man na ngayon ay isa na ring certified singer matapos maglabas ng sariling album.

Ang My Mega Valentine ay produced ng Artist House. Si Louie Ocampo ang musical director at si Johnny Manahan ang stage director.

Sa mga wala pang ticket, please call Ticketnet at 911-5555 at Artist House at 8174660/8162496.

So watch na kayo ng concert ni Mega.

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Nag-react si Mr. Leo Martinez, chairman ng Film Academy of the Philippines sa lumabas na item dito last Thursday. Pero instead na magpaliwanag, ang copy ng sulat niya kay Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang kanyang ipinadala.

Masyadong mahaba ang sulat para i-print entoto. So I chose lang ng excerpt sa kanyang ipinadalang sulat.

"Mr. del Rosario has no authority to create at will new recipients to the MMFF, in this case the FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines) and the (OMB) Optical Media Board. Worse, he is taking the meager funds of the recipients to give to his recipients of choice which are government offices created by law and with budgets from the General Appropriations Act.

"And beyond legal consideration, Madam President, FDCP and OMB never helped in the operation of the MMFF. The proceeds this year have improved. Yet Mr. Del Rosario would take it away from those who worked hard for it to give to on-lookers. This is not just unethical, it is how a bully works.

Madam President, we denounce any effort by Mr. del Rosario to manipulate the MMFF. Sharing scheme to suit his own selfish end. We, the beneficiaries are amenable to changes, but for the proceeds to be distributed according to what was previously agreed: 40% to MOWELFUND, 30% to FAP and 30% to Motion Picture Anti Film Piracy Council. Should Mr. Del Rosario’s scheme be implemented, we would rather, Madam President, close shop, or perhaps struggle to survive through our own means without government support no matter how painful and difficult it may be.

"As always, we rely on your Excellency’s fair judgement to keep our film industry alive and protect the business and employment of our members from extinction."

Naka-sign sa nasabing sulat sa presidente sina Mr. Martinez (FAP Director-General), Atty. Espiridion Laxa (Chairman), Eddie Romero (Senior Adviser), Wilson Tieng (President, Movie producer Distributors Association of the Philippines, Robert Arevalo (adviser) at marami pang iba na head ng ibang organization ng FAP.

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Hinihingan ko sana ng reaction si Mr. del Rosario pero hindi raw muna ito magsasalita. Pero isang malapit sa kanya ang nag-react sa sinabi ni Mr. Martinez. "Sad ang naging reaction ko sa nabasa kong sulat ni Mr. Martinez kay PGMA. Sad because ng dahil sa pera o pondo na galing sa kita ng Metro Manila Film Festival kailangang umabot pa sa ganito ang hinaing ng FAP kay Mr. del Rosario na appointed Consultant on the Entertainment Industry ng Office of the President.

"Kasi pakiramdam ko naman, walang masama sa ginawa ni Mr. del Rosario na mag-recommend na bigyan din naman ng share ang FDCP and OMB ng kita ng MMFF since matagal na rin naman silang (FAP) naging beneficiary ng MMFF kasama ang Mowelfund and Anti Piracy Council.

"I asked somebody kung may connection ang FAP at FDCP. Ang sagot ng isang showbiz authority, meron and in fact walang masama kung mag-share sila sa 30% na originally ay solo ng FAP," react ng isang malapit kay Mr. del Rosario.

Sa final decision kasi ng office of the president, signed by Executive Sec. Eduardo Ermita, dated January 24, nadagdag sa recipient ang FDCP at OMB sa distribution ng kinita sa MMFF.

May source adds: "And shocked lang ako, bakit kaya parang sobra ang galit ni Mr. Martinez kay Mr. del Rosario? At kina Mr. Jackie Atienza (FDCP chairman) and Mr. Edu Manzano (OMB Chairman). Nakaka-alarm ang word na unethical and bully at tinawag na on-lookers (I assumed referring to FCDP and OMB). On-lookers lang ba sila sa MMFF?

"Sad talaga dahil sa panahong ito, dapat walang awayan at bangayan na nangyayari dahil kailangan ng suporta sa isa’t isa para makabangon ang industriya natin."

Well, at the end of the day, iisa ang industriya sana ay magtulungan na lang. Ini-appoint ng tanggapan ni Presidente Arroyo si Mr. Del Rosario as Consultant on the Entertainment Industry. Most probably kung nagre-recommend man siya sa mga nangyayari sa paligid ng movie industry, kinukunsulta siya ng tanggapan ng pangulo na nagtiwala sa kakayahan niya para tulungang makabangon ang industriya ng pelikula sa bansa.

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Salve V. Asis’ e-mail [email protected]