NOEL FERRER
In the past weeks leading to the Holy Week break, nagkaroon ng pagbabago sa mga liderato ng dalawang film bodies — si Liza Diño ng Quezon City Film Commission (QCFC) at si Emmanuel dela Cruz ng Montañosa Film Festival sa Baguio.
Yung sa Montañosa Film Festival, tahasan ang public advisory ngayong Abril 6, 2026, Lunes.
Nakasaad dito: “This is to formally inform the public that, effective immediately, Mr. Emmanuel de la Cruz is no longer affiliated with the Montañosa Film Festival and no longer holds any position within the organization.
“He is not authorized to represent the Montañosa Film Festival or to use its name, logo, or any related materials for any purpose.
"The Montañosa Film Festival does not recognize and will not honor any representations, commitments, agreements, or transactions made by Mr. de la Cruz on its behalf from this point forward.
“Any individual or organization approached for matters concerning the Festival is strongly advised to verify such communications directly through official channels. We request that any unauthorized use of the Montañosa Film Festival’s name or materials be reported immediately to the Festival.
“Thank you for your attention and continued support.”
Si Dela Cruz ay direktor, producer, writer, at aktor.
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FROM QUEZON CITY FILM COMMISSION TO QUEZON CITY SCREEN COMMISSION
Ang inilabas na abiso ng QCinema noong Marso 29, Linggo:
“The Quezon City Film Commission is now the Quezon City Screen Commission (QCSC), expanding beyond film to support all forms of screen content.
“This shift strengthens the city’s position as a global creative hub and reinforces QCSC’s commitment to a vibrant and sustainable screen industry.
“During this transition, all official announcements and updates will be shared through @qcinemaph on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
“For inquiries, you may also reach us through the same channels.”
By virtue of Office Order 89, series of 2026, si Ed Lejano na ang executive director ng Quezon City Screen Commission.
Nag-congratulate kay Ed noon pang Marso 26, 2026 ang Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), at Directors Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI).
Read: Ed Lejano appointed executive director of QC Screen Commission
GORGY RULA
Wala pa sa kamalayan ng sambayanan ang Montañosa Film Festival, nabahiran na ng ganitong kontrobersiya.
Nasa ikaanim na edisyon na ito, at ang daming promising filmmakers na galing sa iba’t ibang lalawigan ang kalahok dito. Maraming magagandang regional films na dapat mapansin.
Dito sa Montañosa Film Festival ay nagkaroon ng pag-uusap tungkol sa iba’t ibang concerns ng industriya.
Pinag-usapan doon ang Eddie Garcia Law, ang grievances ng Academy, arbitration at mediation channel.
Pagkatapos, may isyu pala sa mismong namumuno nito.
Ang iba pang involved diyan ay hayagan ang pagtuligsa sa gobyerno.
Pero yun pala, hindi naman nila maayos ang mismong filmfest na binuo at wala naman silang nagagawa sa ating industriya.
Samantala, may mga komento at espekulasyon sa social media na may iba pang detalye na hindi pa naisasapubliko tungkol sa pagre-resign ni Liza Diño…
May lalabas pa nga ba tungkol dito? Sa ngayon, huwag na munang maniwala sa mga nababasa sa social media.
JERRY OLEA
Agad nag-react si Direk Dwein Baltazar sa public advisory ng Montañosa filmfest today tungkol kay G. Emmanuel de la Cruz.
Si Direk Dwein ang nagdirek ng mga pelikulang Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus (2018), Oda Sa Wala (2018), Hello Stranger: The Movie (2021), at Third World Romance (2023).
Ani Direk Dwein sa Facebook post: “Bilangin natin kung ilang beses na siyang natangal sa kung sa'n-sa'n then ask ourselves bakit paulit-ulit natin siyang pinagbibigyan?”
MONTAÑOSA FILMFEST STATEMENT ON EMMANUEL DELA CRUZ
Bago ang public advisory ay may nauna nang official statement ang Montañosa filmfest last week kaugnay sa usaping ito.
Naunang opisyal na pahayag ng Montañosa filmfest: “The Montañosa Film Festival was built on a foundation of community, shared sacrifice, and a deep love for regional cinema.
"Every year, we strive to evolve, learning from our challenges and finding new ways to improve our operations and better serve our artists.
"MFF is an organization fueled by the collective energy of filmmakers, local partners, and a dedicated team.
"While we prefer to keep our focus on the stories on the screen, recent public allegations and the spread of misinformation by our Competition Director, Emmanuel Dela Cruz, necessitate a clear response to protect the integrity of the festival and the people who make it possible.
“To be clear, MFF has always prioritized the well-being of its team.
"Throughout his six-year tenure, we ensured Mr. Dela Cruz was provided for, often providing him with a minimum of four food packs a day.
"However, it is important to emphasize that as a member of the organizing committee, Mr. Dela Cruz was a vital part of our working team, not a guest or a VIP.
"On March 30, when we received a request for lunch delivery at 5:00 PM, in the middle of one of two major activities, our team asked that he collect his food at the designated station, just as every other officer and volunteer does.
"In a high-pressure event environment, we expect all team members to work in coordination rather than requiring specialized service that diverts manpower away from the festival’s needs.
“The financial realities of a community festival are no secret, and Mr. Dela Cruz was intimately aware of them for over half a decade.
"We rely on fundraising and grants, and we have always been transparent that our limited resources are prioritized for suppliers, mentors, and the essential logistics that keep the festival alive.
"Mr. Dela Cruz remained with us for years knowing the modest nature of our honorariums; in fact, he campaigned for additional titles and responsibilities, which were granted in good faith.
"While his dues were always paid, he did so with the full knowledge that leadership often managed significant deficits to ensure his compensation was met.
"To now suggest unfairness regarding a situation he actively shaped and agreed to is both disappointing and misleading.
“This year, we found it necessary to set firm boundaries regarding the use of festival resources.
"While we have historically been flexible with Mr. Dela Cruz’s accommodation even outside of festival dates, we reached a point where we had to prioritize strict fiscal responsibility.
"We shouldered his stay for over a week this year, but we respectfully denied an extension until April 5.
"As an organization, we must ensure that festival funds are spent exclusively on event operations, and we cannot justify subsidizing personal stays that extend beyond a team member's professional duties.
“Beyond logistics, we must address the professional environment of MFF.
"For several years, we attempted to manage Mr. Dela Cruz’s behavior internally, hoping for professional growth.
"However, we have recently been confronted with a collective series of formal complaints from filmmakers, finalists, interns, and volunteers regarding his conduct.
"We take these grievances very seriously and are currently reviewing them with the objectivity they deserve.
"We owe it to our community to maintain a safe, respectful, and professional workspace; when the well-being of our participants is at stake, we must take action. We will reach out to all complainants privately regarding this.
“Finally, we stand firmly behind our financial record. Every cent of public funding MFF has received since its inception has been liquidated and cleared by the appropriate government agencies, and our internal fundraising is handled with the same scrutiny.
"We invite Mr. Dela Cruz to bring any evidence of mismanagement to the proper authorities rather than airing baseless claims.
"MFF remains a transparent organization, and we will not allow the hard work of our dedicated team to be tarnished by personal grievances.
"Our focus remains, as always, on celebrating the incredible talent of our filmmakers.”
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DAN CRUZ'S OPEN LETTER TO EMMANUEL DELA CRUZ
Ang isa sa finalists ng Montañosa filmfest na si Dan Cruz ay naglabas afterwards sa Facebook ng AN OPEN LETTER TO DIR. EMMANUEL ‘IBONMAN’ DELA CRUZ.
Sabi ni Dan: “You may present yourself as the victim, but your actions tell a different story. “I refuse to stay silent any longer. Not anymore.”
Ang kabuuan ng open letter ni Dan: “Nakakadismaya. “Nakakagalit.
“At nakakatakot rin.
“Pero, tatapangan ko na.
“I am one of the finalists of Montañosa Film Festival 2026. I'm one of their grantees.
"Being part of this platform was, at first, a meaningful opportunity that I approached with deep gratitude and commitment.
“That's why it's really hard to put this to a letter that it was demotivating and traumatic experience, not because of the festival, but due to Mr. Emmanuel ‘Ibonman’ de la Cruz’ tyrannical and abusive leadership.
"What should have been a nurturing and collaborative environment became, for me, a source of distress.
“At one point, I was unexpectedly assigned as a Batch Head in our group chat, alongside others from different categories. I immediately asked what the role required. I had no issue volunteering; I am always willing to help!
“When we were told that the role was simply to help cascade information, I agreed, thinking it would be manageable. However, the responsibilities turned quickly.
"He wants me to manage every filmmaker from different categories, checking submissions, adding me to multiple GCs without my consent, basically to do tasks that he, as a competition manager, should do.
“Again, I'm still a finalist and I was struggling to complete my own material too. What was initially presented as a simple task became a heavy responsibility that, in my understanding, should have been handled by HIM.
“Things escalated further when | began receiving calls and messages in the middle of the night, with pressure to respond immediately.
"He expressed that he was ‘pissed off,’ mentioned me nonstop, and even commented several times on my personal space; going as far as replying to my FB stories where I was grieving the death of my best friend.
“I felt forced to comply out of fear. The situation became emotionally exhausting for me. So when I finally set my boundaries, I was met with hostility.
“I was called a ‘gaslighter’ and a ‘liar,’ and received messages that felt invasive.
"My work as a community filmmaker was publicly dismissed and ridiculed in a group setting, which was deeply humiliating.
"I chose to remain silent at the time, not out of weakness, but to avoid dragging the festival into my personal struggle.
“However later, I learned that I was not alone in this experience. Other finalists were also subjected to similar treatment.
"Some were publicly shamed, others received passive-aggressive threats, and some were even labeled as ‘scammers’ or ‘festival saboteurs.’
“In fact, his own communication was often delayed, which led to disorganized materials that we were still expected to complete on his deadlines, only to be blamed when we couldn't keep up.
"Others also shared a collective struggle to keep up, especially with the challenges of reimbursement-based funding. I wish he had shown more empathy and understanding, as his behavior only added to the overall stress of completing our projects.
“I would also like to remind everyone that most of the finalists are still students, and their welfare should be a priority. Yet, he showed no remorse for his actions.
“When we raised our concerns directly to him, explaining how deeply the situation aftected us, the response was silence. Our concerns were dismissed and disregarded, leaving his actions unaddressed.
“Not surprised, he did it several times already.
"Even during the festival, he continued harassing some finalists, verbally and publicly humiliating them; behavior that is shocking for a grown man and someone who claims to be a ‘professional.’
“I am sharing this not to discredit him or any of his work for the festival, but to speak about my experience and what many of us went through. This is a counter-narrative to his claims that those who set boundaries are ‘ungrateful’ or ‘bastos.’
"It is also meant to bring awareness to his actions, so he cannot claim ignorance or continue repeating the same behavior.
“Sharing this not out of resentment, but out of hope that future grantees may be supported in a way that is both constructive and humane.
"Programs like MMF hold immense potential to uplift artists, and I believe that includes ensuring that leadership practices align with those values.
“Never did I imagine that pursuing my simple dream of telling stories would lead me to experience something this painful.
“There were moments when | questioned whether I should continue my filmmaking journey, as the experience felt deeply humiliating and traumatic.
"I am learning to let go of blaming myself for stepping into this space, and instead recognize the importance of speaking up about what happened.
“I would also like to encourage all the finalists, volunteers, and anyone who has had similar or closely related experiences with him to submit a report to the festival, so that this will never happen again to our future filmmakers.
“No amount of power-tripping can ever silence the strength of our voices.
“To Dir. Emmanuel ‘Ibonman’ Dela Cruz, respect is not something that can be demanded, it must be earned.
"You may try to dismiss our experiences or rewrite the narrative, but I will never allow you to evade accountability. Exploitative behavior like yours has no place in a community, and it must be called out.
“As a regional filmmaker, I was raised in a community of filmmakers who believe in the power of truth and courage.
"You ridiculed me when I said, ‘filmmaking is community-building.’ Now I ask you: does abuse of authority and unethical conduct build a community?
“Madamu gid nga salamat.”
Wala pang pahayag si Emmanuel Dela Cruz kaugnay ng isyung ito.
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