Fifteen months have passed since the declaration of a national state of calamity in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It seems like a short period of time - just over a year - yet, we have a film and audiovisual (AV) industry that continuous to be gravely affected by the lockdown and necessary restrictions.

The industry and government have worked hand-in-hand to mitigate the effects of the pandemic through the provision of donations and financial assistance, issuance and implementation of health and safety protocols in production workplaces, and inclusion of film and audiovisual workers in the fiscal stimulus package.

While such initiatives have provided a much-needed boost for the industry, the key to getting more productions up and running so that displaced workers can resume their livelihoods is through mass vaccination. We need to have the public vaccinated so that our main driver of profit - traditional cinemas - can welcome moviegoers once again.

A semblance of the new normal is insufficient. We need concrete steps to work towards getting rid of the novel coronavirus, so that we may veer away from the new normal and go back to how things were. One effective step is getting vaccinated.

Film and AV workers as economic frontliners

Last June 7 was a historic moment for the Filipino workforce as it marked the beginning of the mass vaccination for the A4 Priority Group, which was simplified to include all private sector workers, government employees, and freelancers who need to work outside their homes. More than 35 million essential workers are under the A4 Priority Group and this most definitely includes our film and AV workers.

Husband and wife Drew Arellano and Iya Villania get vaccinated during the NCR 8 Commitment Ceremony and Symbolic Vaccination of A4 Priority Group on June 7. INSTAGRAM PHOTOS/IYAVILLANIA

The inclusion of our workers in this priority group means that they are finally among those recognized as economic frontliners. The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has lobbied for this position since the start of the vaccination program in the country, given the nature of work and output of film and AV workers - they simulate real life and they need to have close contact daily.

It's such a relief to know that some of our celebrities and production crew and staff have started with their inoculation process.

Married couples Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera as well as Drew Arellano and Iya Villania have been vaccinated recently, and they encouraged their followers to do the same.

"Sa linya ng aming trabaho, madalas ay kailangan mag-shoot sa labas. Kapag sasabak na sa eksena, mask-off. Kailangan naming tanggalin ang aming first line of defense sa Covid-19," Dantes wrote on Instagram. "This is my way of ensuring not only my health and safety, but also my loved ones and my community."

Villania addressed concerns on the brand of vaccines, saying that we shouldn't be choosy. She also said in her IG caption, "Each person vaccinated is a step closer to us achieving herd immunity and a chance to get our old norm back! Don't we all want that?"

However, most of our film and AV workers were unable to register right away with their respective local government units (LGUs) because they had no company ID to show as proof of occupation.

As an assistance, the FDCP National Registry (NR) has been providing the FDCP National Registry Certification to NR registrants so that they may proceed with their inoculation registration and provide the certification as proof of eligibility. Freelancers who wish to register with the NR may do so at nationalregistry.fdcp.ph so that they may immediately download their certification.

Road to the 'old normal'

I got vaccinated on June 8 in Quezon City together with my husband, Ice Seguerra. We are both in the A4 Group as I am a public servant and Ice is a singer, songwriter, and events director. At long last, we are part of the #RESBAKUNA community. The #QCProtekTODO program was so efficient that even our quick trip to the vaccination site took longer than the vaccination process. It was swift, simple and stress-free!

Husband and wife Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera are also vaccinated. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/DONGDANTES

The Quezon City Government took things up a notch by agreeing to vaccinate all QC residents in FDCP's National Registry for Audiovisual Workers (NRAW). This will make things so much easier for our almost 1,500 QC-based registrants, and I thank Mayor Joy Belmonte for her agility and compassion when she assured me, "We'll take care of them."

The FDCP has submitted the list of all QC-based registrants with their information and requirements to the Quezon City Government to help facilitate the vaccination of film and AV workers under the #QCProtekTODO program.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno also responded quickly to FDCP's call for support for the vaccination of film and AV workers, and I thank him for his generosity and efficiency in allowing the vaccination of FDCP's frontline personnel. We will also lobby for the rest of the 3,500 registrants to be vaccinated through the support of the Manila City Government.

The columnist and husband Ice Seguerra, both under the A4 Priority Group, join the call to encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as the opportunity arrives. 

We all miss the days when we did not have to wear face masks and face shields, and we could go out and report to work without worries of contracting a fatal virus. Other countries have started to ease restrictions - allowing more spectators to events, lifting the face mask requirement in some cities, and slowly reopening cinemas - because most of their population have been vaccinated already.

As they are on the road to the "old normal," our country is just getting started. We will also get there, for as long as we do our part. Getting vaccinated is our strongest protection against the virus and the best way to move closer to our "old normal."

I highly encourage everyone to get vaccinated, when given the opportunity, as we look forward to better days in the film and AV industry and work together towards a healthy Pilipinas.

Notes from the Chair
The Sunday Times Magazine  - The Manila Times

Notes from the Chair is part of the Arts Awake section of The Sunday Times Magazine published by The Manila Times. Click HERE to view the article on The Manila Times website.