NCCA appeals for help for cultural workers and artists who lost jobs to COVID-19

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has appealed for help for cultural workers in the Philippines who were left jobless because of the community quarantine.

NCCA Executive Director Al Ryan Alejandre said around 400,000 freelance cultural workers and artists are unable to resume their work under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

“Malaki po ang epekto ng COVID-19 sa cultural workers and artists sa buong Pilipinas kasi po karamihan po sa kanila ay freelancers. Wala pong employer-employee relationship – sila po yung direktang tinatamaan nito (COVID-19 has a big impact on cultural workers and artists because most of them are freelancers. There is no employer-employee relationship),” the NCCA director said during a Laging Handa virtual briefer. 

Alejandre said they have allotted a budget of P76.8 million for 14,500 freelance workers from 19 different sectors. 

He added that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has also provided P1.5 million, which is good for 400 people only. 

Deputy Director Marichu Tellano said the NCCA is in the process of redesigning some activities so that they may be done online instead of live.