11/06/2020
NATIONAL LIVE EVENTS COALITION Updates:
We are happy to share with everyone some of the milestones over the last two weeks:
- SENATE
Our appeals have been elevated to the Senate for our industry to be included in the stimulus bills currently under consideration. The appeals include:
For freelancers - Extension of wage subsidies and other similar forms of assistance to freelancers and self-employed individuals in the Live Events Industry, equivalent to at least two months and up to six months of 100% of minimum wage as live events are in a precarious position to return post pandemic.
For Agencies, Producers, Planners and AVL/Staging Providers - Provision of loan mechanisms to businesses within the Live Events Industry, including MSME’s and self-employed individuals with an allowance for the carry-over of business losses in 2019 over the next five years;
For our industry - A reduction in taxes imposed on live events activities so that Live Event businesses may recover from non-recoverable losses during the crisis.
We pray our appeals are heard.
- DOT ACCREDITATION
NLEC was formally presented to the Department of Tourism and they have agreed to include live event companies that are eligible for accreditation under the DOT’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) segment. Furthermore, the DOT agreed to waive the application fees for NLEC member-companies who may be qualified for accreditation. Guidelines and forms will soon be made available via the NLEC page.
- DTI RECOGNITION
NLEC likewise presented to the Department of Trade and Industry with the objective of Live Events being officially recognized as an industry segment/category. This is definitely a milestone for the live event industry as the DTI has, in principle agreed to recognize us as an industry with NLEC as our representative body, subject to NLEC’s formalization process.
- SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR LIVE EVENTS
To hasten approval and implementation, NLEC’s Safety Guidelines and Protocols for Live Events has now been incorporated as part of the Joint Order Agreement under the auspices of FDCP, thanks to Chair Liza Dino. The JAO will be reviewed by the DOH and will soon be released.
Hopefully, this will encourage the return to live events when we transition to MGCQ condition.