DOLE: Creatives urged to promote labor rights through storytelling
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- DOLE and the Film Academy of the Philippines convened creative guilds to promote labor rights and ethical practices in the film and television industry.
- Key laws on workplace safety and harassment were discussed, reinforcing DOLE's push for inclusive and values-driven storytelling.
Dr. Marco Antonio S. Valeros, DOLE-BWC Medical Officer IV and MOVE Chair, discusses key provisions of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and Safe Spaces Act during the second REEL CHANGE forum organized by the DOLE-BWC and Film Academy of the Philippines at the Dencar Theater, MOWELFUND, Quezon City. (Photo from DOLE-BWC)
Content creators and filmmakers have been urged to embed labor rights and social inclusion in their work as part of efforts to build a values-driven creative industry, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
In support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for dignified and inclusive workplaces, the DOLE, through its Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC), partnered with the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP).
The collaboration brought together 11 creative guilds and production groups on June 13 at the Dencar Theater of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (MOWELFUND) in Quezon City for a forum focused on responsible storytelling and ethical workplace practices.
The forum, “REEL CHANGE: Empowering Filipino Filmmakers through Learning and Innovation,” highlighted the role of storytelling in advancing labor awareness and promoting ethical practices in the workplace.
DOLE-BWC Medical Officer IV Dr. Marco Antonio Valeros called on production leaders to enforce zero-tolerance policies and establish Committees on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and Safe Spaces Act.
Intimacy coordinator Dr. Missy Maramara led a workshop on consent-based scene protocols, while DOLE-BWC Policy and Program Development Division Chief Ma. Felichie Ericka P. Valeriano emphasized the need for industry-wide collaboration to uphold workers’ rights and professional integrity.
Now on its second run, the “REEL CHANGE” forum is part of DOLE’s continuing effort to empower creatives as advocates of inclusive and respectful work environments.