Senator Jinggoy Estrada raised the possibility of banning Korean dramas in the Philippines to further help the local entertainment industry.
Estrada said that Filipino-made programs should be promoted instead of foreign works.
“Ang aking obserbasyon pagpatuloy tayo nagpapalabas ng Korean telenovela, ang hinahangaan ng ating mga kababayan ay itong mga Koreano at nawawalan ng trabaho at kita yung ating mga artistang Pilipino,” Estrada said during the Senate hearing on the budget of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
“Kaya minsan pumapasok sa aking isipan na i-ban na itong mga telenovela ng mga foreigners at dapat ang mga artista nating Pilipino talagang may angking galing sa pag-arte ay ‘yun naman dapat ang ipalabas natin sa sariling bansa natin,” he added.
The senator who was a former actor laments how Korean actors and actresses thrive in the country than our own.
“Kung ang pino-promote natin ay mga produkto ng Koreano, kaya nagkakaroon tayo ng halos maraming produktong Korean dito sa atin imbis na i-promote natin yung sarili natin ang napro-promote natin yung mga banyaga,” he added.
The senator, later on, said that he was just airing his frustration and isn’t planning to push any sort of ban.
“Kaugnay sa aking pahayag kahapon sa mga foreign-made shows, 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,” said Estrada.
Senator Robin Padilla on the other hand wants higher taxes for foreign series.
“Maari po bang taasan natin itong tax ng mga foreign series na pumapasok sa atin para kahit papaano po yung subsidiya nito bigay natin sa mga workers sa industriya natin, sa local, kung papaano po ginawa natin diyan sa rice tariffication, gawin nating foreign teleserye tariffication dahil marami pong nawawalan ng trabaho dito,” Padilla said.
“Ang hirap naman pong i-ban natin sila pero dapat po siguro maging patas lang po tayo kawawa po ang ating industriya,” he added.
