Film Academy of the Philippines engages Baguio media, filmmakers ahead of Luzon Guild Summit at Montañosa Film Festival
The Academy highlights regional storytelling, film worker empowerment, and new industry initiatives during the Montañosa Film Festival media launch in Baguio City.
Photo courtesy of Film Academy of the Philippines
BAGUIO CITY – The Film Academy of the Philippines joined filmmakers, cultural workers, and members of the press at the media launch of the 2026 Montañosa Film Festival on March 14 at the Amphitheatre, SM Sky Terrace in Baguio City, highlighting the Academy’s continuing efforts to engage regional film communities across the country.
Film Academy Director-General Paolo Villaluna and Film Workers Development Division Chief Mackie Galvez participated in a panel discussion during the launch alongside representatives from the local government of Baguio City, the Montañosa Film Festival, and members of the regional filmmaking community. They stressed the importance of regional film festivals and the role of film workers in shaping the future of Philippine cinema.
Villaluna said regional festivals play a crucial role in ensuring that storytelling in the country reflects voices from beyond the capital.
“Local and regional film festivals are important because they remind us that filmmaking and storytelling are not Manila-centric. Each region must get to tell its own stories, “He said.
He added that the partnership between the Academy and the Montañosa Film Festival is especially meaningful this year as the former prepares to hold the first Luzon Guild Summit during the festival.
“For film workers to be truly empowered, it is important that they come together and form guilds. Through the Luzon Guild Summit, representatives from every region in Luzon will be present, allowing guilds and filmmakers to come together and discuss how we can move forward and better support our community,” Villaluna said. The summit, scheduled on March 29, will focus on guild formation, key industry concerns, and the Film Academy’s professionalization initiatives for audiovisual workers.
Among the initiatives to be introduced during the summit is the Academy Membership, a national audiovisual workers’ database is designed to document and connect film professionals across the country.
Galvez explained that the platform will serve both as a resource for the government and as a professional directory for film workers.
“The goal of the workers’ database is to give the government a clearer understanding of who our film workers are. At the same time, it will function as a professional platform where our workers can be represented by the Film Academy and be discovered locally and internationally,” Galvez said.
The summit will also include orientations on the Eddie Garcia Law, as well as the Academy’s grievance, arbitration, and mediation channels aimed at protecting film workers and strengthening professional standards in the industry.
Villaluna also underscored the importance of collaboration between national agencies and local governments in strengthening the country’s film ecosystem.
“Local film festivals are important not only culturally, but also as venues for new filmmakers to actually show their films. Support from local governments and national agencies helps create these opportunities for emerging voices.”
Following the media launch, the Academy hosted a Baguio Media Meet and Greet, gathering around 40 members of the local media. During the event, Villaluna introduced the Academy’s mandate and shared updates on its programs supporting Filipino filmmakers and audiovisual workers, while strengthening partnerships with regional media organizations. Through its participation in the festival and the upcoming summit, the Film Academy of the Philippines continues to expand its engagement with regional creative communities, ensuring that film workers across the country have access to opportunities, representation, and platforms for collaboration. #
