Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino: Gov’t out to ‘frame’ art to serve big business

"This leads us to believe that this scheme is in line with the Aquino administration’s public-private partnership policy. Under this system, artists are left to fend for themselves—to “beg” for their livelihood as artists from rich individuals and big corporations. This will oblige artists to create works of art that will spur culture that complements the needs and wants of the elite and big businesses.

We join music groups and organizations actively opposing HB 4218 and embrace their struggle for the right to organization of Philippine music artists and work force. We affirm our commitment to fight for artists,’ and the Filipino working class’ political rights, economic security and social welfare.

—JULIE L. PO, board member, Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino

read full text here:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/83080/govt-out-to-frame-art-to-serve-big-business

It’s all about the money, not about the music: No to House Bill 4218 (OPM Development Act of 2014)

“We, musicians, performers and artists uniting or affiliated with the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, say no to the House Bill (HB) 4218 introduced by Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat in March 2014.

HB 4218 purports to pursue the “promotion, protection and development of the Philippine music industry” by supporting original Filipino music and guarding against the preferential treatment of foreign music. It grants to the National Committee on Music (NCM), a sub commission of the National Committee for Culture and the Arts, the power to regulate performances and collect reciprocal equity fees from foreign artists, the income of which to be re-channeled to an equity fund for local artists. The bill also proposes to give tax credits to broadcast organisations which will play a minimum of four works of original Pilipino music, as stipulated in Executive Order 255.

The bill’s vision of supporting the Philippine music industry sounds good at first glance. However, its proposed mechanisms for implementing these in practice fail to address longstanding problems within the community of local musicians, performers and composers and the Philippine music industry in general..”Concerned Artists of the Philippines

Read full text here:
http://philippinefundraisers.blogspot.com/2015/02/lets-rock-congress-oppose-hb4218.html

Opinyon ni Abet Umil, isang Palanca Awardee at Musikero

Unang una na, nakatungtong talaga siya sa OPM na binigyang kahulugan ng HB 4218, Sec. 3, (h). Definition of Terms.

Hindi ako nakasubaybay sa mga discussion ng position ng alliance. Pero napansin ko sa position paper ng Indiepinoy, na tanggap mismo ng Indiepinoy ang OPM. At ipinapalagay ko ngayon, ganito rin ang pagtingin sa puntong ito sa level ng alliance.

Kaso, OPM mismo ang basehan ng argumento ng bill ni Baguilat. Gaya ng nabanggit ko na sa isang thread ko, sa pamamagitan ng hindi pagkuwestiyon sa kung ano ang OPM, ibig sabihin ay sang-ayon ang alliance na OPM nga ang saligan ng pro at con sa HB 4218.

Isa sa mga komento ko ay misnomer 'yang OPM para i-lump sum ang mga kategorya ng genre ng musikang Pinoy. Ang OPM ay 1980s lang, samantalang ang Pinoy Rock ay 1974. Magkaiba rin ang katangian ng mga likha ng OPM, na mas eskapismo ang kadalasang tema ng mga kanta. Sa ilang kaso, mapanlait pa sa karaniwang tao o masa, hal. Annie Batungbakal ng Hotdog. Sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng humor, nakalusot na pagtawanan at laitin ang serbidorang si Annie B.

Sa kabilang banda, realidad ng lipunang Pilipino ang talakay ng mga awiting Pinoy Rock.

Kaya kung sa isang paraan ay magsasaysay tayo kung ano ang sinasabing gustong idebelop ng HB 4218 o OPM Development Act of 2014, 'yong gaya ba ng mga kantang Annie Batungbakal ang gustong paunlarin? o Gaya ng kanta halimbawa ng The Jerks na Kundiman?

Hindi ako naniniwala sa censorship kaya kung may OPM na kantang mapanlait sa kapwa Pilipinong serbidora, magandang tapatan ng gaya ng Kundiman. Wag nang banggitin pa ang mga kantang gaya ng Reklamo Nang Reklamo.

Gayon man, magkaiba ang tradisyon ng mga kantang hinalimbawa sa taas. Kaya naman mas kinakailangang linawin ang OPM na 'yan sa mga posisyon at ihahaing alternatibong panukala.

Pangalawa, dahil napaka-generic ng pakahulugan ng OPM sa pinag-uusapang panukala o bill, lahat ng iba pang detalye nito balewala. Sa katunayan, mas mga organisasyon ng mga elitistang musikero lamang talaga ang mga binabanggit.

IndiePinoy's Official Position on HB 4218

"We find the Explanatory Note of the HB 4218 fictitious especially indicating the premise that the dominance of foreign artists completely obliterate any competition from local artists and this bill will prevent the imminent death of original Filipino Music. Indiepinoy, our existence as a conglomeration of thousands of active Filipino bands and artists continuously creating Original Filipino Music is a living proof that Filipino music is not dying and dominance of foreign artists in media and in local live concerts do not reduce the number or Filipino artists continuously creating their own craft." 

Read full text here http://www.indiepinoymusic.com/hb4218/Indiepinoy%20Position%20Paper%20on%20HB%204218.pdf

AMP's Official Stand on HB 4218

"THE ASOSASYON NG MUSIKONG PILIPINO HAS ALWAYS BEEN WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE FILIPINO MUSICIAN. WE WELCOME ANY AND ALL HELP WE CAN GET IN PROMOTING, STRENGHTENING AND SAFEGUARDING OUR RIGHTS AS ARTISTS AND OUR CRAFT. A BILL, NAMELY HB 4218, ALSO KNOWN AS THE “OPM DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2014” HAS BEEN FILED IN CONGRESS AND IS CURRENTLY THE SUBJECT OF DEBATE FROM THE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS AND CONCERNED GROUPS ALIKE.

AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW AND CONSULTATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF AMP, OUR STAND IS THIS; AS ONE OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT INITIATED THE COLLECTION OF EQUITY, THRU OUR EFFORTS AND HARD WORK SINCE 1998, WE OPPOSE SECTION 8 OF THE PROPOSED BILL."

Read the full text here https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=807915779281556&id=105277859545355

IBASURA ang HB 4218 o OPM Development Act of 2014--SINING BUGKOS

"Kami , mga musikero, artista at manggagawa sa produksyon (sa musika) ay nakikiisa, tumututol at nanawagang ibasura ang HB4218 o OPM Development Act of 2014* sa sumusunod na kadahilanan:

Walang substansyal na laman ang panukalang batas para ipagtanggol ang karapatan at kagalingan ng mga Musikero."

Read the full text here  https://www.facebook.com/notes/920721701274124/?pnref=story

DJ John Hendrix On HB 4218

"The OPM Development Act or House Bill 4218 wants to charge foreign acts 'equity fees' for holding concerts in the country as 'renumeration' for 'displacing' local performers. 

So if Sting or Madonna or U2 perform in Manila, they would be depriving Ogie Alcasid of concert sales? Now I would pay good money to watch Sting's artistry. On the other hand, you would have to pay me good money to watch Alcasid's tripe. 

If local performers want to be supported by local audiences, they had better get their acts together instead of blaming the success of other musicians for their failures.

House Bill 4218 is supported by a spoiled, privileged, self-entitled minority who believe

that fostering the growth of musical artistry in our country can only be achieved through an authority they want to claim for themselves and impose on others. 

When will these greedy industry hypocrites learn that developing 'OPM' is not about making money? 

This is the reason why the OPM 'Development' Act is just that: AN ACT."

--JOHN HENDRIX

DJ / Event and TV host

Feb. 4, 2015