Dingdong Dantes introduces AKTOR

A new league of Filipino actors is taking a stand on issues that pose a threat to creative freedom and expression in the country.

In a statement, the League of Filipino Actors (AKTOR) slammed the passing of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, the ABS-CBN shut-down, and the film production guidelines crafted by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

Kapuso actor Dingdong Dantes read out AKTOR's statement on the group's behalf during a livestream on Wednesday.

"Bakit ganoon na lamang ang naging kalakaran? Ang mga ito ba ay sintomas ng mas malalang sakit na kasabay ng COVID-19? Hindi maiiwasang isipin na ang lahat ng mga nangyayari ay may iisang layunin," Dantes read.

"Ang lahat ng mga utos na ito ay may layunin kontrolin ang daloy ng at esensya ng pagku-kuwento: ang mapigilan ng papahayag ng mga tunay na kwento ng bayan," he added.

"Ang lahat ng ito ay lumilikha ng kultura ng takot," Dingdong said.

AKTOR was established on May 30, 2020.

According to Dingdong, the group aims to create a community of actors who will fight to craft "new stories to help build a better country" and are determined to speak out on important issues.

"Madalas itinuturing na lamang ang karamihan ng mga aktor na mga manika at tau-tauhan na panlibang at nagdudulot ng saya. Dala na din siguro to ng maling pagunawa sa totoong kalagayan ng mga actor sa kabuuan," Dingdong said.

"Tapusin na natin ang ganoong pananaw. Tumitindig ang AKTOR ngayon bilang responsable at mahalagang bahagi ng lipunan at kinatawan ng industriya," he added.

AKTOR also voiced its strong opposition to actions that pose a threat to creative freedom and expression in the country.

"Ipinapahayag namin ang mariing pagtutol sa anumang batas at kautusan na sumasagasa sa aming malayang paglikha. Tinatanggihan namin ang anumang panghihimasok sa mga proseso ng industriyang walang tunay na konsultasyon sa mga manggagawa nito," Dingdong read.

"Iginigiit namin na dapat bukas ang daluyan ng anumang impormasyon at likhang sining para sa kapakanan ng higit na nakararami," he added.

"Nananalig kami sa kakayahan ng malilikhang pilipino na baguhin ang takbo ng kuwento, iparating sa mga ikinauukulan ang pinakanapapanahong sentimyento ng Pilipino na siyang dapat bigyang paunahing pansin, at ibailk ang kapangyarihan sa tunay na bida ng bansa —ang mamayan," he concluded.

The livestream was moderated by actress Agot Isidro, and was joined by members of the Inter-Guild Alliance (IGA).

AKTOR's statement criticized the National Telecommunications Commission's (NTC) decision to shut-down ABS-CBN, which employs nearly 11,000 employees.

The statement also mentioned the "clarificatory" guidelines recently issued by the FDCP .

The IGA, which is composed of more than 500 workers from the film, TV and television industry, has also drafted its own set of guidelines.

During the livestream, Agot stressed that IGA's pro-guide "is a document that aims to reevaluate and reconfigure the ways we do things from preparation from shoot to editing our projects."

She added that this was done "in close consultation with health experts and in compliance with government mandated guidelines, so this has been contributed and corroborated by various, practitioners, constituents and stakeholders of film, TV and advertising communities." — LA, GMA News