Waiting in line in government offices can be a pain in the butt, which probably explains why the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) satellite office in Ali Mall screens A Second Chance, the sequel to one of the most popular Filipino movies. Except the copy they’re screening is pirated. It might not have made news if the person who saw it wasn’t a manager of Star Cinema (the producer of the movie) and if it wasn’t retweeted by one of the country’s most bankable stars.
Star Cinema’s advertising and promotions manager Mico del Rosario tweeted a picture of the TV screening A Second Chance, which comedian Vice Ganda reposted. According to del Rosario, “Dear DFA Ali Mall, bakit po kayo nagpapalabas ng pirated copy ng A Second Chance diyan? Blatant na po talaga ang paglabag sa batas? Umm… Government agency po kayo?” (“Dear DFA Ali Mall, why are you screening a pirated copy of A Second Chance? You’re blatantly breaking the law. Umm… you’re a government agency.”)
Vice captioned his post with, “This is disgusting! Hoy, DFA Ali Mall, ang garapal nitong ahensya ng gobyerno na ito!” (Rough translation: “This is disgusting! This government agency has the nerve to screen a pirated movie!”)
He then followed this up with a joke, saying, “Langya magpalabas ba ng pirated na A Second Chance e meron namang pirated na Beauty and the Bestie! Chozzzz!#NoToPiracy” (“Why would they show a pirated copy of A Second Chance when there’s a pirated copy of Beauty and the Bestie! Just kidding! #NoToPiracy”).
Vice is the star of the Metro Manila Film Festival movie Beauty and the Bestie.
The DFA has responded, saying that they’re already investigating the matter and that those responsible will be given disciplinary action. Their statement reads:
The Department of Foreign Affairs has never authorized any showing of pirated movies in any of its passport satellite offices in Metro Manila. We are looking into the complaint and personnel found involved will be dealt with disciplinary action in accordance with existing rules and regulations.
Have you seen this in any of the DFA offices? Share your experience below!
Showing pirated movies anywhere is against the law, but before showing it anywhere they bought it somewhere which is a way of supporting movie pirates and it makes it twice as bad.. Vice “ganda” have all the right to protest but his B movie imitation of beauty and the beast should not be shown anywhere also because its a cheap imitation and lacks any good social relevance and children should not watch. What is vice message in his movie. That its okay to just copy movies, thats its easier to copy than to come up with an original concept. Vice ganda and the producers of B movies do not have the talent nor the capacity to think of new concepts. All they do is copy and bastardized foreign movie and make quick money.
Has vice “ganda” ever thought or ponder that his movie plot or story was based on a book original that is, and his movie story is a cheap copy of this original book/movie? The writer, producer and artists? Of his beastie movie can only afford to come up with movies based on a plot of original stories, so what does that make them?
I can imagine Vice in his bling, rollin’ in his chadeng, spotting some poor fellow buying a pirated DVD and having that sad soul be brought to prison simply because for trying to escape the realities of a skewed corporatate and capitalist Philippines. On a sidenote, Vice should be in prison for those gawd-aweful movies… O.o
Pirated films and inappropriate films are shown on all the buses. Why pick on the DFA?