(ABS-CBN NEWS) MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Monday warned production outfits to comply with the recently-enacted Eddie Garcia Law, saying they could already be held liable even with the pending the issuance of the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
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“Malinaw ang nakasaad sa batas: Itinatakda na sa 8 hanggang 14 na oras lang kada araw ang dapat na working hours ng mga manggagawa sa entertainment industry. Ang hindi pagsunod sa probisyon ng ngayon ay ganap ng batas na Eddie Garcia Law ay may karampatang multa na P100,000 hanggang kalahating milyong piso,” Estrada said.(The law is clear, entertainment industry workers should only be made to work from 8 to 14 hours a day. Violating the Eddie Garcia Law carries fines of P100,000 to P500,000)
Estrada claimed that some production outfits continue to be engaged in shooting days that are 20 to 22 hours long, which would be a violation of Section 9 of Republic Act 11996.
He said some production executives have claimed that RA 11996 is not yet enforceable due to the lack of any existing IRR for the law, which was enacted in May.
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“The hours of work shall be eight hours a day which can be extended to a maximum of fourteen, exclusive of meal periods. In no case shall the total number of work hours be more than 60 hours a week. They cannot circumvent the law by claiming that the Eddie Garcia law cannot be enforced without an IRR. This is untenable,” Estrada, added.
Estrada pointed to a Supreme Court ruling issued on October 6, 2008, which held that implementing rules are not necessary to give legal effect to the provisions of a law.
“Isinabatas natin itong Eddie Garcia Law para magkaroon ng malinaw at makatarungan na mga patakaran, pamantayan at alinsunod sa matagal ng panawagan ng mga manggagawa sa movie at TV industry na matiyak na mapapangalagaan ang kanilang kapakanan at karapatan sa trabaho,” he said.
(We passed this Eddie Garcia Law so there will be clear and fair guidelines and standards and because of the clamor from movie and TV workers for job safety and security)
Signed on May 24, the law recognizes the economic, social, and cultural contributions to nation building of workers in the movie and television industry.
The law was named after Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 at age 90 after suffering a neck injury during the shooting of a show.