In honor of the late actor Eddie Garcia, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed measures to protect and ensure the welfare of film and television industry workers.
Republic Act 11996, also known as the "Eddie Garcia Law," strives to safeguard and ensure the welfare of workers in the aforementioned industries, sparked by the demise of Garcia while shooting a television series.
“The new law has taken into account the gravity of the accident that caused the death of Garcia while filming on the set,” the Presidential Communications Office said.
The Eddie Garcia Law
The law mandates the execution of work hours, wages and other wage-related benefits, social security and welfare benefits, basic necessities, health and safety, working conditions and standards, and insurance.
It specifies that the terms and conditions of the employment contract, along with any additional agreements negotiated with the principal or employer, will determine the work hours.
In terms of pay, a worker's minimum wage cannot be lower than the minimum wage that applies in the area in which they are employed, and earnings must be provided directly to the worker on schedule in accordance with the provisions of the contract.
The Labor Code of the Philippines, Presidential Decree No. 442 as amended, Republic Act No. 11058, also known as the "Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for Violations," and other relevant laws should all be followed in order to protect film and television workers.
It also requires that, before the start of service, the employee and the principal or employer execute an employment contract in a language or dialect that is understood by both parties. Additionally, employees will have protection at work from their employers.
Emphasis on occupational safety
The law requires the employer to fully abide by the occupational safety and health requirements set forth in Republic Act No. 11058 and Section 25 of Republic Act No. 11036,
All workers will also be eligible for benefits from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the Home Development Mutual Fund, generally known as the Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Social Security System (SSS).
Any violator faces a fine of up to P100,000 for their first violation, P200,000 for their second offense, and P500,000 for their third and subsequent offenses.
