As a passionate advocate for the arts, Senator Imee Marcos is committed to elevating the creative industry to a professional level. Her independent political stance reflects her focus on national unity and collaboration, noting the importance of working across party lines rather than engaging in divisive politics.
This commitment was evident during a recent media interview held on October 10 at Kamuning Bakery of Wilson Lee Flores in Quezon City, where she discussed her initiatives to support emerging talents and her vision for a more robust creative sector in the Philippines.
During the event, she discussed the launch of the Young Creatives Challenge Season 2. The initiative, which aims to nurture emerging talents across various artistic fields, offers substantial prizes of ₱1 million for each category. The competition, which was launched two weeks ago, covers categories such as graphic novels, screenwriting, music, animation, game development, and online content creation.
Marcos reflected on the evolving perception of artists, particularly addressing the outdated notion of the “starving artist.” She expressed her belief that artists should no longer be seen as struggling for their craft in today’s context.
“Palagay ko, hindi na uso yung starving artists. Yung sinasabing ‘gutom.’ Kailangan gawing industriya ang ating likas na talent,” she said.
She also raised concerns about the state of the creative industry: “Maraming nagtatanong: ano’ng gagawin para sa ating industriya, kung talagang may sakit na, o yung mga tao lang yung nawalan ng paniniwala sa bisa nito.
“Sa palagay ko nagbago na rin ang problema natin. Lahat makakapag-produce. Murang-mura na mag-produce ngayon. Kahit cellphone mo, pwede kang gumawa ng short film,” she added.
However, she identified distribution and monetization as the key challenges now facing creators, stating, “Ang problema paano i-distribute at higit sa lahat kung papaano i-monetize. Doon siguro tayo dapat tumutok. At yan dapat ang i-turo ng ating pamahalaan.”
Running independently
Beyond her advocacy for the creative sector, Marcos also addressed her recent decision to run independently in the upcoming Senate race, having just filed her Certificate of Candidacy. While she chose not to align with the political party of her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., she clarified that she remains a member of the Nationalista Party.
“Hindi naman sa umayaw. Ako ay nananatiling Nationalista pa rin. Pero ayoko do’n sa aliyansa. Dahil magulo yun e!” she explained. “Ayoko naman makipagbangayan. Alam naman natin, napakainit ng halalan sa atin. Wala naman akong kaaway e. Masama makikipagkaaway!”
She also highlighted the importance of open communication with all parties, stating, “I prefer to be able to cross the line, to speak to all partners, and finally to be able to work. Mas okay panigan na lang ang sambayanang Pilipino. Wag partido. Wag personalidad. Wag kung sino. Mas importante talaga na nakakausap mo ang lahat.”
In a reflective moment, she quoted her father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, saying, “At ang tanging katungkulan ko ay pag-isahin ang aking bansa na watak-watak na. Sabi ng ama ko: ‘Isang bansa, isang diwa.’”
On the third installment of the Marcos biopic
During the said interview, Marcos also discussed the delay in the production of the third sequel to the films Maid in Malacañang and Martyr or Murderer. She explained that the project was put on hold due to the election period, saying, “Hindi na natuloy yung third film kasi naabutan na ng eleksyon e. Tinamad na kami. Nagka-busy-busy-han.”
She also confirmed that the project would eventually continue despite the delay. However, there could be a different direction to it. “Matutuloy yon kaya lang hindi ngayon… May discussion na dapat daw i-TV series. Marami kasing may iba’t ibang idea. Naisantabi na muna dahil nga sa eleksyon,” Marcos repeated.
The quick interview was held at Kamuning Bakery Café, a historic institution owned by Wilson Lee Flores, who has been a long-time supporter of various civic and cultural projects. Senator Imee Marcos is also supporting the upcoming World Pandesal Day on October 16, 2024, where 100,000 pandesal breads and other food will be distributed to urban poor families, orphanages, and other needy groups.
Moreover, Kamuning Bakery Café recently donated a school building to Sinait Integrated School in Tarlac City’s remote Barangay Sinait. This donation ceremony, held on October 11, 2024, was led by Flores, with the support of several prominent figures, including Tarlac Congressman Christian Yap and Tarlac City Vice-Mayor Aro Mendoza. Packs of free pandesal were also distributed as gifts to the students, teachers, and guests at the event.
Senator Imee Marcos’ involvement in these events shows her commitment to supporting Filipino creativity and giving back to the community through meaningful initiatives.
TATAK MNL 