Philippine launches first-ever National Cinema Day to bring moviegoers back to cinemas

MANILA, August 26 ------ The Philippine cinema industry is set to hold its first-ever Philippine National Cinema Day on September 12, as exhibitors, filmmakers, distributors, and government agencies unite in a nationwide campaign to encourage Filipinos to rediscover the magic of watching movies on the big screen.

The landmark initiative was officially launched Tuesday at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City, led by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP) in partnership with industry stakeholders and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

FDCP Chairman and CEO Jose Javier Reyes said watching films in cinemas offers an experience that streaming platforms cannot replicate. "Iba pa rin 'yung i-surrender mo ang sarili mo sa magic of cinema," Reyes said, adding that moviegoing allows audiences to collectively focus on the story unfolding on the big screen. “Importanteng-importante ito sapagkat parang nakalimutan na natin ang saya, ang ganda, at ang hiwaga ng panonood ng pelikula sa loob ng sinehan,” he added.

Reyes clarified that September 12 will feature regular theatrical releases rather than special screenings. “There’s no special screenings. In other words, ‘yung mga regular na pelikula na palabas sa mga schedule na ‘yon, ‘yon ang ipapalabas sa September 12, pero with the difference,” Reyes explained.

For her part, CEAP Chairperson Karen Zabaljauregui said the initiative aims to strengthen a long-standing part of Filipino entertainment culture, saying that “it’s a great privilege to be launching the National Cinema Day” in the Philippines. “It has always been part of our entertainment culture for decades and decades. The Filipinos, at the very heart of it, still love cinema. We just want to give them, keep giving them reasons to come back,” she said. Zabaljauregui added that 2026 was the ideal year to launch National Cinema Day, citing a strong lineup of both local and international film releases that has helped create renewed excitement in theaters.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com