Film Academy of the Philippines director-general Vivian Velez and Film Development Council of the Philippines chair Liza Diño are both appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte. However, that does not mean they see eye-to-eye on certain subjects.
In an interview with Velez regarding the Luna Awards, she explained their both roles.
“Ang FDCP kasi, FAP is a voting member, Film Academy is part of the board, or should I say part of the council. So, ex-officio member kami ng FDCP.”
“And under that mandate of FDCP, it is the council who is supposed to do the policies and nag-i-implement lang ang chairman o ang president.”
“So, siya yung implementing [body]. Kami yung supposed to be as council ang nag-aano ng policy.”
The veteran actress then admitted that she and Dino clash especially on how Dino runs her agency.
“So, nung ako na yung nakaupo sa FDCP as council, I have to be honest, medyo nagbabanggaan kami ni Liza Diño, okay. Nagbabanggaan kami in terms of how she’s running the agency.”
She even questions Dino’s frequent out-of-the-country visits, “May nakukuha ba ang Pilipinas? Hindi ba dapat somehow yung pera is there, kokonti, hindi ba dapat itulong na lang namin in terms of the craftmanship na ginagawa ng filmmakers?”
“Kasi, ano yung ibinebenta mong produkto? Kung yung produktong ibinebenta mo is not a good product So, I think, for me, ayusin mo muna kung ano yung ibebenta mo abroad, kasi what is the use of selling something not effective?”
But other than that, the two are good friends and keep their personal life separated from their work lives,
“And not for anything else, it’s because of my job. As I was saying, it’s nothing personal ‘coz she is a good friend. Ice [Seguerra] is a good friend,”
“It is really nothing personal but it’s a job that I need to do.”
