Actor-turned-Senator Jinggoy Estrada doesn’t want to ban korean dramas (K-Dramas) and foreign telenovelas, but wants more support for local talents and productions.
A day earlier, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, Estrada insinuated that he had considered a ban on foreign made telenovelas.
“Ang aking obserbasyon, pag patuloy tayo na nagpapalabas ng korean telenovela, ang hinahangaan ng ating mga kababayan ang itong mga Koreano at nawawalan ng trabaho at kita ang mga artistang Filipino. Kaya minsan, pumapasok sa ating isip na i-ban na ang mga telenobela ng mga foreigners (In my observation, if we keep on airing korean telenovelas, our citizens will prefer these and our local artists will lose jobs and income. That’s why, sometimes, I think about banning foreign telenovelas),” Estrada told the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) during its Senate budget hearing.
However, after drawing flak on social media, he admitted on Wednesday, Oct. 19, that his aforementioned statement came from a place of frustration.
“My statement stems from the frustration that while we are only too eager and willing to celebrate South Korea’s entertainment industry, we have sadly allowed our own to deteriorate because of the lack of support from the moviegoing public,” he said on Oct. 19.
Estrada explained that he wanted Filipino consumers to offer more support for the local film and television industry, and that he had “nothing against South Korea’s successes.”
“I wish that the zealousness of our kababayans in patronizing foreign artists can be replicated to support our homegrown talents who I strongly believe are likewise world-class. I have nothing against South Korea's successes in the entertainment field and admittedly, we have much to learn from them,” he continued.
“Pero huwag naman nating kalimutan at balewalain ang trabaho, ang mga pinaghirapan at angking likha ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino (But let’s not forget and belittle the effort, the struggle, and the works of our fellow Filipinos). South Korea’s phenomenal success is rooted in their love of country. It is high time that we follow their example and do the same for our own entertainment industry that is at best, barely surviving,” Estrada concluded.