Hmmm, wala pa akong nakitang reaction kahapon habang sinusulat namin ito sa ipinasang bill ni Sen. Manny Pacquiao para palitan ang pangalan ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) at gawing Philippine Film Festival.
“The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual event that showcases quality and potential high grossing films produced by Filipinos. Its creation under Proclamation No. 1459 on 1975 recognized the curial role of the cinema as a mass art and an effective tool of communication that influences the thoughts and attitudes of people.
“MMFF has manufactured films that conveyed the richness of Filipino culture and heritage as well as the aspirations and struggles of the nation. It has likewise been part of many Filipino families’ Christmas tradition to watch. the locally produced films as they are showcased every December 25 onwards.
“However, despite MMFF’s commitments to enrich Philippine culture, to deepen our awareness of our historical heritage and traditional values, and to refurbish native arts, the event’s nomenclature depicts exclusivity. The “Metro Manila” in the Metro Manila Film Festival conveys exclusiveness of the illustrious tradition and celebration of local film production to the country’s capital.
“In order to fully recognize the local movie industry’s goal of over-all developmental effort for the country, it is but suitable to rename the Metro Manila Film Festival into an inclusive “Philippine Film Festival,” ang explanatory note ni Sen. Pacquiao.
Last January 25 pa ito received sa Senate.
Masasabing hindi naging successful ang ginanap na 2020 MMFF last Christmas sa pag-a-adopt nito sa virtual edition.
May point naman si Sen. Pacquiao.
Pero kung magiging Philippine Film Festival na ito, magkakaroon ito ng adjustment sa sistema dahil buong Pilipinas na ang kasali at hindi na lang ang mga Metro Manila mayor at may chance na hindi na Metro Manila Development Authority - MMDA ang humawak nito.