Lino Cayetano on what he’ll miss in showbiz and his push for zero-waste filmmaking

As director and producer Lino Cayetano prepares to run for Taguig-Pateros representative in the May 2025 elections, he reflects on what he will miss most about the entertainment industry if ever he wins, as he will be dedicating most of his time to public service.

“I work with a lot of people in government, and I continue to look for the best minds na makakatrabaho ko sa gobyerno. Pero nami-miss ko sa set yung magaling na cinematographer, magaling na scriptwriter, magaling na artista,” Cayetano shared during a press conference on February 17, organized by Regal Entertainment’s Roselle Monteverde and Atty. Keith Monteverde.

“Parang sa production, napakanormal, napakalikas, napaka-organic na kokunsulta ka bilang director. And it’s something that parang kailangan ng mas malaking effort pagdating sa politika kasi nagugulat yung iba kung nagkokunsulta ako, pag magtatanong ako, hihingi ako ng advice.

“So, I really miss that camaraderie, pero hopefully, hindi naman ako aalis 100%. I still get to make movies,” he continued.

While he acknowledged the aspects of filmmaking he will miss, Cayetano admitted that there is nothing about the industry he won’t miss.

“Yung kinakabahan ka kasi unang araw ng box office, unang araw ng pelikula natin sa takilya, yon siguro. Yung nerbyos. Pero siguro, ganun din pakiramdam ko kung eleksyon, ‘no? Pero exciting din yun e. Exciting rin yung MMFF tapos hinihintay mo yung resulta. So, ewan ko? Wala ata akong hindi mami-miss. I’ll miss everything,” he said.

Despite his move into politics, Cayetano remains actively involved in film production. He shared that his experiences in government, particularly as a barangay captain, have influenced the way he approaches filmmaking.

“Yung learnings ko when I was in government, when I was a barangay captain, I wanted to bring it to the set of our movies,” he said.

He also emphasized how simple solutions can address complex problems, drawing a comparison between governance and film production.

“…So, minsan, parang yung napakakumplikadong mga problema tulad ng pagbabaha sa Metro Manila, simple lang pala yung solusyon. Ayusin natin yung pagtatapon ng basura,” he added.

As the producer of The Caretakers, an upcoming folklore horror film starring Iza Calzado and Dimples Romana, Cayetano has committed to sustainable filmmaking. The production follows a zero-waste approach, which he reinforced by partnering with a non-profit NGO.

“Yung footprint ng mga shoot, minsan, napakabigat. Pag-alis nung set, may kalat dito, may kalat doon. …Pero I’ve seen throughout the years na a lot of productions have been more careful, lalo pag nagso-shooting sila sa bundok, sa gubat. And ako, I wanted to take it further. At kaya naisipan naming mag-partner sa Mother Earth Foundation. It’s not perfect, pero nasimulan namin, so sa next projects, we’re hoping to do better,” he said.

Cayetano also reflected on how sustainability efforts on set contribute to a better working environment for the cast and crew.

“Sa totoo lang, minsan, iniisip din namin kung anong epekto rin nito sa produkto. Kasi baka mamaya, it’s just something that happens behind the scenes. Pero, tulad ng sabi ni Ms. Roselle, yung tamang pag-alaga sa tao sa set… maayos na pagkain, serbis, pahingahan, I bring a lot to the people who work in our movies. Yung mga artista namin, tsaka yung production staff namin, na alam na zero-waste, na alam na may ginagawa kaming kakaiba sa pelikulang ito—I think it inspires them. Yun yung makikita ng audience,” he said.

The Caretakers opens in cinemas nationwide this February 26! A collaboration between Regal Films and Rein Entertainment.

Cayetano remains hopeful that he can continue contributing to both governance and filmmaking, balancing his passion for public service with his love for storytelling.