Republic Act 11996 or the “Eddie Garcia Law” has been recently signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The law has been named after veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 when he tripped on loose cables while shooting a TV series.
“It’s very appropriate that the Eddie Garcia Law was signed into law by the President in the birth month of Eddie Garcia, who would have turned 95 this May if not for an accident that could have been avoided — the kind of accident that the Eddie Garcia Law now seeks to prevent,” Cong. Arjo Atayde said in a statement.
“This law is a fitting tribute to an artist who was loved, admired, and respected by his peers in the entertainment industry,” he added.
Atayde maintains the law is beneficial to all industry workers.
“Maganda ang hangarin ng batas na ito. If properly implemented, the Eddie Garcia Law will protect personnel in the creative industry and will ensure that local movie and TV sets are literally and figuratively ‘safe spaces’ where artists and crew members can work knowing their welfare is a priority.”
Atayde, an award-winning artist who now is currently the Vice Chairperson of the House Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, pointed out that “for the Eddie Garcia Law to achieve its intended purpose, it is critical that the agencies involved in its implementation strictly monitor entertainment productions to ensure compliance with the law’s provisions.”
Aside from the vigilance of government agencies, Atayde urged those in the entertainment industry “to cooperate with efforts to implement this law.”
“Team effort dapat ito. Those in the creative industry should familiarize themselves with the law’s provisions… dapat kusa na ang pagsunod sa batas dahil para naman sa ikabubuti ng lahat ito.”
RA 11996 mandates employers in the movie and television industry to “promote safety and provide safe working conditions.”
Section 19(f) states that employers are required to “ensure that all sets and locations have been properly assessed for any potential safety and health issues and that proper remedies and safeguards are implemented to deal with these issues.”
Meanwhile, under Section 13 (g), the law requires employers to designate safety officers and dedicated vehicles for emergency purposes, regardless of whether the productions are done in Metro Manila or out of town.
