As the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) got under way, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Friday expressed his support to Filipino artists, including actors and actresses, filmmakers, and all those involved in the production of this year’s film entries.

The senator – who is a member of the executive committee of this year’s MMFF — also called on the public to give the same amount of support to the Philippine movie industry.

The MMFF is an annual film festival in Metro Manila, running from 25 December until the first week of January and during this period, only films approved by the festival jurors are shown in the country’s cinemas.

No foreign movies are shown except in 3D theaters and IMAX theaters.

Go stressed that he has always been a movie fan and stated his excitement when he found out that he will sit with actress Vilma Santos as one of the festival jurors and the senator even shared a selfie with the veteran actress who also currently serves as the Representative of the Lone District of Lipa City, Batangas.

Meanwhile, the senator — whose proposal to hold the MMFF twice a year to further help film workers and artists has already been approved by the executive committee — also asked Filipinos to support the second edition of the MMFF, now known as the “Metro Manila Summer Festival”.

He also said that he will push for measures to reinvigorate the Philippine film industry and also protect the welfare of industry workers and added that he supports measures that will promote the welfare of workers in the film industry.

To recall, Go took his oath as a new member of the executive committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival in July this year where he vowed to strengthen and revitalize the movie industry.

He also guaranteed that he and President Rodrigo Duterte will always support the industry and the Filipino films.