In an interview during the press conference for the 2nd CineFilipino Film Festival on Tue, Mar 8, veteran director Jose Javier Reyes was asked to comment on the recent deaths of directors Wenn Deramas and Francis Pasion, as well as the talk about the stressful working conditions in the industry.
Another director, Quark Henares, had pointed out that the “horrible working hours and condition” in the TV industry could have contributed to the decline in the health of Deramas and Pasion. Both had died from heart attacks.
READ: OTWOL director Francis Pasion dead
In an interview with Chuck Smith in The Philippine Star, Reyes was quoted as saying, “This has been going on for years. Only now do you see something visible. Hindi lang natin alam ‘yung mga namamatay na trabahador na hindi kasing high profile ng mga direktor (We don’t know about the possible deaths of other workers who are not as high-profile as directors).”
However, Reyes does not put the entire blame on the system. He said, “You are actually given a choice… When you accept TV work, especially if you accept teleseryes, it’s gonna be like that. I’ve been like that during my young and ambitious days, and I was already hospitalized because of stress. So it suddenly dawned upon me, it’s really your choice, ‘di ba (right)?”
Reyes added, “I would rather have a life than die for a living… In the end, you would realize na, was it really worth it?”
Addressing younger directors, Reyes advised, “Have a life. It’s all about having a life, not merely having a living.”
