Little did many people know Presidential Spokesperson Sec. Harry Roque has done collaborative work with some groups in the entertainment industry that’s why when he met with the entertainment press, it was inevitable that questions related to film and showbiz would be asked.
Being well-entrenched in the industry as he is friends with celebrities including Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Piolo Pascual, and Claudine Baretto, to name a few, Sec. Roque shared his thoughts on how the government could help local entertainment.
“You know, entertainment is very important. So I feel calm in the same way that political media has to inform and to put it in public opinion,” Roque shared.
A member of the press brought up how South Korea created an agency that is in charge of stimulating and protecting their domestic film industry by promoting and supporting it both on a national and international level.
“The government is more than willing to assist the local industry because it doesn’t just provide livelihood for the actors but also for the people who work behind the camera like film talents, cameramen, makeup artists,” Roque responded.
The secretary further said that he’s currently in talks with Actor’s Guild president Imelda Papin to discuss how the government can help support the industry through legislation.
“That’s why when Imelda contacted me, I told her I have space in Malacanang to accommodate the members and officers of Actors’ Guild so we can have a meeting,” the Presidential Spokesperson said.
“Isa rin sa dapat isulong natin sa Congreso eh yung mga incentive pati mga foreign films dapat maingganyo na dito na sa Pilipinas mag-shoot ng kanilang pelikula. We have prospects when we promote movie tourism, marami tayong mga lugar na dapat makita sa pamamagitan ng pelikula,” he added.
With this clear vision, it’s easy to trust Roque’s words due to his impressive track record. Before becoming the Presidential Spokesperson and Presidential Adviser for Human Rights, Sec. Roque excelled as a courageous and topnotch lawyer, brilliant University of the Philippines (UP) law professor, prolific congressman and a staunch defender of the disadvantaged, the poor and the oppressed.
Among Sec. Roque’s notable cases were the 2009 Maguindanao massacre where he defended the rights of 34 murdered journalists and 19 other dead civilians; and the 2014 murder of Filipina trans-gender Jennifer Laude by American soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton; among many other celebrated cases.
The champion of the underdogs for decades, Roque has always fought for the defenseless against the Goliaths, including other governments and known-murderers; for the aging Comfort Women”•when others refused to take up the case and would rather bury the issue; for murdered environmentalist Gerry Ortega against big corporations.
Sec. Roque received his Master of Laws with Merits from the London School of Economics (1996), Bachelor of Laws from University of the Philippines (1990), and Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Political Science) from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor (1986).
He was also the lawyer for some 40 journalists against unwarranted actions by the previous governments. Part of his long list of crusades include being one of the founders of Centerlaw, a non-profit organization that defends the voiceless and the poor of Philippine society.
Roque is a nationalist leader who upholds the Philippines’ independent foreign policy of making the Philippines a friend of the world’s super powers and enemy of none; views that run similar to that of nationalist President Rody R. Duterte; former Senator Claro M. Recto and Sec. Roque’s grand-uncle, the late incorruptible, nationalist Senate President Jovito Salonga.
He believes that Pres. Duterte is similar to many of Asia’s strong-willed and nationalist Asian leaders often criticized by the West for many years, like the late Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia and the late reformer Deng Xiaoping of China. Duterte is not anti-West, but staunchly pro-Philippines.
A true patriot, Sec. Roque as Congressman continued his role as champion of the poor, oppressed, and voiceless with bills filed for the indigenous people, informal workers, whistleblowers, victims of human rights violations. He also prioritized progressive bills in socialized housing, public safety, free health care, science and technology, among others. Sec. Roque is also the author of the Universal Public Health Bill.
When asked why he accepted the post of Pres. Duterte’s spokesperson, Sec. Roque made notes on the pro-poor, pro-regional development and nationalist stance of the government of Pres. Duterte.
His more important work in the Duterte administration is defending and presenting the TRUTH”•heavily being trampled by the Western-media’s aim to demonize anything that does not conform to Western subservience.
The most challenging underdog for Harry Roque may be being the official voice of Pres. Duterte, amidst the Goliath of a well-funded foreign, mostly Western media which have often unfairly criticized the Philippine government.
