Reopening of cinemas to revive ₱13-B industry — DTI

The reopening of traditional cinemas is expected to bring back displaced workers and revive the entertainment industry, which was pegged at P13 billion, and employed roughly 300,000 Filipinos before COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantines padlocked theaters nationwide, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said yesterday.

- BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT and JEAN FERNANDO

Quoting industry figures, the DTI chief said the local entertainment industry, including film production, distribution, and cinemas, has a size of around P13 billion pre-pandemic. The industry employs 300,000 Filipinos.

The industry, however, shrunk to ₱1.3 billion in 2020 following the lockdowns and quarantines that padlocked cinemas for almost a year now. The reopening of traditional cinemas is expected to bring back the displaced workers.

Lopez said this amid the hesitation by some Metro Manila mayors to reopen traditional cinemas to moviegoers for fear this will trigger more transmission of the virus as theaters are normally in enclosed and in an air-conditioned complex.

MMC opposes

Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said yesterday the Metro Manila Council (MMC) is now drafting a resolution to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease opposing the resumptions of operations of cinemas in areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

Olivarez said the MMC’s resolution to the IATF opposing the opening of cinemas will be submitted today, February 15.

He said Metro Manila mayors are apprehensive with the recommendation to reopen cinemas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) because it did not go through “proper consultation.”

DTI defends move

Secretary Lopez defended the move saying that the decision was reviewed by experts in the technical working group of the IATF with the Departments of Health, Labor and Employment, Tourism, Trade and Industry, Interior and Local Government, and Finance. There are also extra protocols required such as ventilation, he said.