1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero (Facebook)

1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero has thanked President Marcos for making the Eddie Garcia Law a reality. 

“We would like to express our deep gratitude to the President for honoring the life of Manong Eddie, Manoy to family and friends, and his contributions to the entertainment industry,” said Romero, Garcia's stepson. 

“Manong Eddie’s untimely death was not in vain with the enactment of the law bearing his name,” he added. 

Garcia, one of the country’s most awarded actors, died in June 2019 after suffering an injury during the taping of a television series. 

Romero, principal author of House Bill (HB) No. 1270, or the Eddie Garcia Act, said his stepfather “tripped on loose cables” on the film set and “suffered cervical cracks and fractures”. These injuries led to his death. 

He says the tragic accident highlighted the need for a safe workplace for entertainment industry workers, many of whom are self-employed independent actors, actresses and performers. 

Romero further said that it “served as a wake-up call for the industry and for us policymakers in Congress that led to the enactment of the law protecting the welfare of workers in the movie and television industry". 

The late Bicol actor was the only FAMAS Hall of Fame awardee in three categories: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Fest Director. He garnered at least five awards in each category, the most in FAMAS’ history.