WHEN news broke out last week that veteran actor Tirso Cruz III took his oath in Malacañang as the new chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), members of the movie industry were caught by surprise.
The 70-year old Cruz, still very active as an actor and who is also a lung cancer survivor, will replace the well-loved Liza Diño, who has done brilliant work for six years and has placed the Philippines in the map of so many international film events. The news certainty drew mixed reactions, especially since Diño had just been reappointed in March by Duterte for another three year term as chairman and CEO of the FDCP.
To clarify, Diño’s post is not co-terminus with former President Rodrigo Duterte, and thus she is not included in the Memorandum Circular which declared that all co-terminus positions are deemed resigned at the end of the term of President Duterte.
Many speculations arose as to why Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the new president, made his new appointment right away. Wasn’t Marcos Jr. made aware that his predecessor just reappointed Diño a few months back because of her exemplary work at the council? We also heard from insiders that actor Michael de Mesa was offered the post but he turned down the offer. But all is water under the bridge now, and Cruz has been sworn in as the new head of the council.
In fact, Malacañang, through its Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles (not related to Tirso Cruz III), said that under Republic Act 9167, the president can exercise his power to remove the current chair and appoint a new one.
At the time of this writing, we also got the latest official statement from the FDCP, which reads:
“Incumbent FDCP chairman Mary Liza Diño was called to Malacañang yesterday, July 6, 2022, by the Office of Executive Secretary to discuss the appointment of incoming FDCP Chairman Tirso Cruz III as the new head of the agency. In the meeting, she was instructed to continue to perform her duties as chairman and CEO in a hold-over capacity to ensure the continuity of the agency’s operations while waiting for the release of the official appointment documents of the incoming Chairman. Furthermore, (Diño and Cruz) have already talked and discussed details regarding the turnover process to ensure a smooth transition of the agency and the duties thereof.”
“I personally welcome the appointment of Kuya Pip as the new chairman of the agency and hope that he continues the programs we have started and takes these initiatives to new heights. Kuya Pip will be blessed with the most hardworking, passionate and dedicated teams of FDCP who are ready to rally behind him in further support and to champion Philippine cinema and the industry,” Diño said. “The agency thanks the industry and the general public for the support that it received during the term of chairman Diño, and requests their ardent and full support of the incoming chairmanship.”
Messages of thanks, love and support continue to pour in for Diño, especially from those whose lives she touched during her term, from the major players to the often neglected film workers in the big cities and provinces, to the far-flung places like Nabunturan in Compostela Valley, Davao, and Iloilo where cinematheques were built so movies and documentaries can be accessible to more Filipinos. Many personalities from overseas, both foreign and those with Filipino lineage, including those that continue to champion Philippine cinema and give breaks to aspiring Filipino film creators, also have sent their well-meaning messages of gratitude for Diño and the wonderful leadership, love and living legacy she will leave behind at the local film agency when her replacement comes in.
Liza Diño has made her indelible mark at the FDCP, and we are sure that she will continue to do so, in whatever capacity she will take on in the future. Let us not forget that she is a wonderful and award-winning actress, too, and there will be many roles waiting for her on the big screen if she chooses to come back to acting.