Philippine Showbiz Must Be Supported- Yabut

KALIBO, Aklan- An Akeanon, a renowned motivational speaker has urged the national government to support the Philippine showbiz industry by giving them incentives and laws.

Jonathan Yabut who traces his roots to Malinao, Aklan, said in his Facebook posts that if one wants Filipino art to flourish, then they must be logistically and financially supported.

Yabut was reacting to the proposal of Senator Jingoy Estrada to ban South Korean movies and series to help the Philippine showbiz industry.

“Subsidize them. Bridge them with world-class mentors who can train them. Listen to their needs. You keep on shutting down studios, you tax them as if they’re billionaires, and THEN you complain that Pinoys don’t support enough, “he said.

“You don’t need to ban world-class K-dramas to make locals love their own Pinoy art. If something is good, they will watch it. You don’t even need to force them. Art is appreciated, not dictated by politicians who probably haven’t realized how life-changing K-Drama was for many of us during the pandemic,” he added.

Jonathan Yabut is the proud Filipino winner of the hit Asian reality TV show (2013), The Apprentice Asia. For winning the show, he served for one year as Chief of Staff of AirAsia, reporting directly to the Malaysian business mogul, Tony Fernandes, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.