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MANILA -- Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair Liza Dino expressed alarm Tuesday over recent COVID-19 outbreaks in lock-in movie production shoots.

Dino disclosed to ABS-CBN News Tuesday that the FDCP has received an estimated 30 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases among movie workers in three major shoots.

“The agency has been actively coordinating with the workers and has already reached out to the production companies involved," said Dino, who was dismayed by possible violations of health and safety protocols amid the pandemic.

“Their collated statements of the workers will be forwarded to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with our fervent request to investigate possible violations urgently.”

Dino added that reports of workers who requested anonymity was handled with utmost confidentiality due to the sensitivity of the issue.

FDCP has also coordinated with the DOLE and the Department of Health to assess the current status of health guidelines on movie production shoots.

“We have been receiving numerous COVID positive case reports sa loob ng film production in the last two weeks alone," Dino said in a Facebook post Monday. “Mga reports mula sa mga workers na natatakot dumulog dahil baka mawalan sila ng trabaho. 'Alam n'yo naman po, baka ma-black list po kami...” ang lagi nilang sinasabi," Dino said.

“Poor contract tracing measures can lead to an exponential number of people exposed to the virus hindi lang po sa loob ng produksyon pero pati po sa mga sari-sariling tahanan. May isang report kaming natanggap, umabot sa 16 ang nag-positive sa loob ng production. At sa kasamaang palad, ang nag-report, may COVID na rin po ngayon.”

Dino also appealed to all production companies to coordinate with them.

“If you want to reach us, please call/text 0917- SAFE111 (723-3111) or email safefefilming@fdcp.ph. While we understand na hindi biro ang gastos na kaakibat sa pagsunod sa mga protocols, hindi rin po biro ang gastos sa bawat paglabag nito lalo na para sa mga manggagawang apektado at mahahawahan ng sakit. Kasama rin po ang mga crew at talents na pinapauwi nang walang bayad at 'di binibigyan ng karampatang kumpensasyon," she said.

“If there are confirmed CO=VID positive cases within your productions, please do the necessary contact tracing protocols, medical attention to those infected, quarantine procedures for suspect cases and PUIs, proper disinfection of your production sites, and stop-work measures to make sure na safe po ang lahat bago po magresume ang trabaho.”

Amid accusations that the FDCP is overstepping its functions by enforcing health protocols, Dino had previously reiterated to ABS-CBN News that the agency was within its bounds in addressing the threat of the pandemic.

“As line agencies that cover all sectors, DOH and DOLE collaborated with FDCP which served as a participating agency in providing context, inputs, and recommendations on the health and safety guidelines governing film and audio-visual production activities,” she said.

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