Actress Cherry Pie Picache, who has been in showbiz for 35 years, cannot be more thankful that the Eddie Garcia Law was enacted last year, limiting the working hours of everybody on the set of teleserye or film and safeguarding the rights and well-being of workers.
“That is no exaggeration,” Picache told ABS-CBN News. “We really work for as long as 24 hours, sometimes 28 hours everyday. But now with the Eddie Garcia bill, the work is limited to 12 hours or as long as only 14 hours.
“I think that’s very good not only for us actors but everybody in the industry. I hope everybody will follow strictly in all industry.”
Picache admitted it was really very difficult for actors, especially with their previous working hours.
“It was really a big help that the Eddie Garcia Law was passed,” Picache said. “Now with the IGA (Inter-Guild Association), that composes guilds from directors, actors and other personalities in the industry, we help each other in addressing the problems.
“It was a good thing our working hours was addressed because that’s very difficult. In this industry that we work on, we don’t work individually. We work as a group. So it’s not possible to think about me working for only eight to 10 hours. What about the others?
“The producers now, they go by the daily rate of actors and other workers. With the awareness about the Eddie Garcia Law, social media has an advantage for the awareness in self-care, life and work balance, especially after the pandemic.
“I hope people will never forget what we learned in the pandemic. We really have to balance everything. With the awareness for mental health, we can help each other in this industry so we can have the work and balance life. You have to find balance in life.”
Picache led the panelists in the advocacy hour of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) on its 55th annual convention and scientific meeting for preventive and promotive cardiology.
Others in the roster of speakers were Dr. Ruth Divine Agustin (from the Department of Health), Dr. Carolyn Narvacan-Montano (from the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity) and lawyer Mikhail Lawrence Millan (Imagine Law).
Meanwhile, after three years of being in “Batang Quiapo,” it still excites Picache to talk about the nightly primetime action series on the Kapamilya Network,
“Nagugulat pa rin ako up to now sa ‘Batang Quiapo,’” she said. “Ang daming aabangan in the next three weeks. You probably see there are previews even on social media. I’m very thankful I’m part of that series. That’s exciting.”
Picache’s partnership with Christopher de Leon – MaMon (Maritess and Ramon) – is also something to watch out for in the Coco Martin series.
“May malaking malaking pasabog ang MaMon,” said Picache. “Nakakatuwa kasi that means effective ang characters namin.”
Working with Martin is a joy for Picache. “Masarap, mahirap because Coco works really hard,” Picache said. “He and the production really think to make ‘Batang Quiapo’ better each night. Hindi sa amin pwede ang ‘pwede na.’
“You can see that in the product and the result of the series. It’s nice because if you work hard, the audience will love the series.
“Number 1 ang ‘Batang Quiapo’ on primetime. Masipag si Coco at napakabait. He gives a chance not just to actors, but even the crew who doesn’t have work. Coco keeps his feet on the ground despite the huge success of ‘Batang Quiapo.
“That’s not easy. That’s hard. We are always thankful for that.”
'Iba ito': Cherry Pie Picache amazed by Coco Martin's skills
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