MANILA, Philippines – Senator Jinggoy Estrada wasn’t the only government official who felt frustrated that Filipinos seemed to enjoy Korean dramas more than Filipino ones.

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During the Senate hearing on the 2023 budget of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) on Tuesday, October 18 – the same hearing where Estrada broached the idea of banning Korean dramas – Senator Robin Padilla asked FDCP Chair Tirso Cruz III: “Kami po ay naguguluhan dahil kapag tumitingin naman kami sa salamin…mas pogi naman kami sa mga tiga-South Korea. Wala naman inayos sa amin, kasi itong ilong ko kahit suntukin nang ilang beses, walang inayos dito.”

(I don’t understand [the appeal of these K-dramas], because when we look in the mirror, we’re clearly more handsome than South Koreans. Our faces haven’t been altered by plastic surgery; this nose of mine has been punched many times and it’s never gotten fixed.)

“Bakit po mas gustong panoorin ng ating mga kababayan ang gawa ng mga Koreano kaysa sa gawa natin?” he asked.

(Why, then, do our countrymen prefer Korean works over our own?)

“It’s likely because [the Korean entertainment industry] had years to really develop their craft,” Cruz responded in Filipino. “What people see now of their industry was something that took actually years to hone. A lot of discipline was involved, a lot of support…. I do believe we Filipinos are better as filmmakers, as actors, but maybe it’s because we’ve been left behind technology-wise and preparation-wise that we can’t be at par with them now. When I was at the Busan Film Festival, believe me when I say that the Koreans thought really highly of us and that they’re ready to help us and work with us…. I think it’s just a matter of time and discipline for Filipino works to shine.”

Both Padilla and Cruz first made their name as actors – the former as an action film star, the latter as a matinee idol.

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Estrada’s original remark on banning K-dramas had earned mixed reactions online. In response, he released a statement on Wednesday, October 19, to clarify that he had “nothing against South Korea’s successes in the entertainment field.”

Cruz also emphasized in the same hearing that the FDCP plans to focus on the production and marketing of local films. “Ang isa pong pangunahing programa namin ay talagang mag-focus sa paggawa ng mga local film muna dahil sabi namin, ang unang-una na importante ay ang maniwala ang kapwa Pilipino sa pelikulang Pilipino,” he said.

(One of our major programs focuses on the production of local films, because we give utmost importance to Filipinos believing in Filipino works.) – Rappler.com