A thankful Bong Revilla recently pronounced his desire for changes and entertainment industry reforms specifically about the MTRCB and its functions.
He's been around the country, going to different regions to hear common folk stories to asses where he could help. Albeit doing this, he never incurred an absence in sessions, saying he's not going to take things easy.
He mentioned how much love he's gotten from his recent show "Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis" together with Beauty Gonzales and an ensemble cast. Ratings were good, so was the feedback and he's looking forward to do more shows, a movie, and a dream project if everything fits.
He also touched on the Eddie Garcia Law which was done to protect actors and production from the unbelievable working hours they have in the past. Recent pronouncements from producers deem some parts of the regulation is a bit counter productive, and Bong Revilla wants to make sure some terms should be revisited, perhaps improved. Child actors are only allowed 4 hours, but some projects may require them to do more and they might need to see what they could do without sacrificing safety for them too. He says "The Eddie Garcia Law certainly is helping a lot of people, but I heard some producers are reacting with the terms, and some are gravely affected. I think we have to revisit the law again. We need to have a dialogue with the producers, the stakeholders, the actors, because some senior actors are not being tapped to cast anymore. This goes the same with the kids, it's going to be hard to get them to shine if we are being limited to 2 to 4 working hours. It's going to be hard to look for the next Nino Mulach, we need to revisit, study it further, including how government could support or fund them. We have a lot of actors in the Senate and I think it will be easy to prepare laws. Don't fret, because we all want to help the industry."
He also touched on the rising ticket prices for movies, and plans to find a way laws to make it more affordable in the coming years. He says "To watch movies together with your family, you would need to shell out more than a thousand pesos to get decent food, drinks and watch the film. It's too much. We need to think about those who can't afford to go to the movies. We need to fix it, and make sure things would get abused."
About the MTRCB taking more roles in regulation of digital streaming platforms and social media he says "Let's see if they are the right agency to handle it. It should be studied further, but it's an option, certainly. Things are getting out of control on social media, just a cellphone would gain them access. We think that should be further studied."
Here's the press conference on video:
Aside from the tasks he's doing now, he still makes time for family. His secret? Time management, something that has been inculcated in him by his father, the late Ramom Revilla. Every weekend, they always make sure to sit down for lunch or dinner, and talk amongst themselves if they need to resolve things at work, or with personal matters.
He says "You should always find time for family, despite the schedule. It's a need. Like tomorrow, it's a Sunday. Yes there are times we have to work on weekends, but the few hours we can talk, we need to make an effort. This is something my Mom and Father taught us early on. I remember us lining up for questioning. Talk about the week that passed. We just continue to do that. I always tell them to use their heart, and they'll never go wrong. It's what would guide them. Never to also harm people, because that will go back to you. I went through pains, they saw it, and I was with them when I recovered. If a leader went through a really tough time, you could see my sons, they're tested by me. I am always there to guide them, I monitor them even when I'm busy."
Pushing changes and reforms see a tough task ahead, but it is somehow needed. So is genuine connections, thoughtful leadership.
