Rep. Noel asks movie theaters to reduce prices
TACLOBAN CITY- Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel of the An Waray party-list group has filed a resolution at the House of Representatives, asking theater owners in the country, particularly in Metro Manila, to lower down the cost of their movie tickets and make them more affordable to ordinary moviegoers.
Noel said that aside from making the movie tickets more affordable, his move would also help the campaign of the national government against film piracy.
“There are movie theater owners and operators who really take advantage of the situation by increasing the movie tickets which make them quite expensive for our ordinary moviegoers not to afford them,” the An Waray party list solon said.
“I just hope that they will not take advantage,” he added.
The call of Noel came at a time that locally-produced films are being shown in the entire country for a week coinciding with the Christmas season.
The solon filed his resolution on this effect before the House of Representatives ended their regular session recently.
Noel said that he feel bad that some theater owners are making going to movie as a form of entertainment expensive, making them unaffordable.
The price of a movie ticket ranges from as low as P50 to as high P500, depending on the kind and where the film is being shown. Movies shown at the malls are priced at a high amount.
“Everybody likes to watch a movie in a theater. I myself love watching films in theater. But with movie tickets getting expensive, several of our moviegoers tend to shy away and instead chose to buy pirated digital video discs(DVDs),” he explained.
The An Waray party list representative said that his appeal for movie theater to lower down the movie tickets will not only help encourage ordinary Filipino moviegoers to return to watching films in theater but will also help in the campaign of the government on film piracy.
“Our problem on (film) piracy is so serious. One can buy a pirated DVD practically in every street,” he said.
According to Noel, the selling of pirated films costs the national government of potential income which runs into tens of millions of pesos.
“They are doing it illegally,” he said, referring to those who are engaged in film piracy.
The mass selling of pirated films have also resulted for some movie theaters to cease their operations.
Here at the downtown area, there is only one movie theater which is in operation aside from those located at the Robinsons.
Prior to the mass proliferation of pirated films, movie houses could be seen at the downtown area of this city. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
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