In order to promote the welfare and protect the interest of entertainers being recruited and hired for overseas employment and in accordance with Ministry Order No. 6 Series of 1981, the following rules and procedures on the audition and/or certification of Filipino entertainers for overseas employment are hereby issued for the information and guidance of all concerned:

SECTION 1. Coverage — These rules and procedures shall apply to all Filipino entertainers seeking overseas employment as well as licensed/authorized private employment agencies engaged in the recruitment of Filipino entertainers for overseas employment.

SECTION 2. Certification as a Pre-Requisite for Overseas Employment of Entertainers — Only entertainers duly auditioned and certified by the Philippine Entertainment Certification Center/Philippine Overseas Employment Administration shall be eligible for overseas employment.  The certificate of proficiency issued to an entertainer for purposes of overseas employment shall be valid for three years or unless sooner revoked.

SECTION 3. The Philippine Entertainment Certification Center — A special unit called the Philippine Entertainment Certification Center (PECC) is hereby set-up at the Manpower Registry Department, Workers' Assistance and Adjudication Office, to undertake the function of auditioning and certifying entertainers for overseas employment.

SECTION 4. PECC Advisory Committee — A PECC Advisory Committee composed of as many members as may be designated by the Administrator coming from both the private and public sectors is also created to assist on the effective implementation of the audition and certification of entertainers for overseas employment.  The Director, Workers' Assistance and Adjudication Office, this Administration, shall be chairman of the committee.

SECTION 5. Categories of Entertainers — For purposes of these guidelines, entertainers shall be classified as follows:

1. Singers or Vocalist-Individual or Group
   
   
2. Professional Dancers-Solo(S) or Group (G) Cultural, Modern, Jazz, Polynesian/Tahitian/Hawaiian
   
   
3. Self-Contained Performers (Singers-Instrumentalist)-Individual of Group
   
   
4. Musicians — Readers (R) of Non-readers (NR)
   
   
5. Novelty Acts — Individual or Group

SECTION 6. Board of Auditioners/Certifiers. — A board of auditioners/certifiers shall be constituted in the PECC to undertake actual screening of Filipino entertainers seeking overseas employment.  The board shall recommend the certification of an entertainer if, upon its evaluation, the entertainer satisfactorily meets the specific criteria for certification enumerated in Section 8 below.  The Board shall be composed of three (3) people drawn from the pool of certifiers whose membership shall come from the industry and previously pre-qualified by the PECC.

SECTION 7. Audition Procedures. — a) The following are the audition procedures for entertainers:

	(1)	The entertainer/manager/agency gets in touch with the PECC to fill up the application for registration/screening and firm up screening schedules at least one week ahead of time;
	(2)	The PECC gives out five (5) copies of payment order form which shall include the following data and information: date of application, name of entertainer/group members, category of entertainer, name of manager/agency, date of screening, venue of screening and certification fee.
	(3)	The applicant pays the P10.00 certification fee at the POEA Cashier and gets his official receipt;
	(4)	On the screening date, the applicant presents the duplicate payment order/the official receipt and his repertoire;
	(5)	Screening sessions are undertaken;
	(6)	Ratings are tabulated by the PECC based on the rating sheets accomplished by the members of the Board of Auditioners/Certifiers;
	(7)	Entertainer rating is determined and accreditation certificate is prepared if the rating is found to be satisfactory; and
	(8)	Secretariat issue accreditation certificate.

b) For members of the Board of Auditioners/Certifiers:

	(1)	The Secretariat shall maintain a roster of the members of the Board of certifiers for each entertainer category;
	(2)	The Secretariat shall pick out three (3) certifiers for each screening session by drawing lots;
	(3)	Selected certifiers shall be notified by the Secretariat at least two (2) days before the scheduled date of screening;
	(4)	The certifiers shall be informed of the names and repertoire of the applicants for certification a few minutes before actual screening sessions;
	(5)	Each certifier shall accomplish his own rating sheet for every entertainer screened; and
	(6)	The average rating of the three (3) certifiers shall be the final rating for the entertainer.

SECTION 8. Audition Criteria — The following are the audition criteria:

a)	For Solo Singers
	(1)	Competence and proficiency intonation and phrasing rhythm, tempo and flow projection and interpretation diction	— 70%
	(2)	Entertainment Value refers to the ability to capture and sustain audience interest & enjoyment	— 30%
b)	For Group Singers
	(1)	Competence and Proficiency intonation and phrasing rhythm, tempo and flow projection and interpretation diction harmony	— 70%
	(2)	Entertainment Value	— 30%
c)	For Self-Contained Performers
	(1)	Competence and Proficiency	— 70%
		- intonation and phrasing - rhythm, tempo and flow - projection and interpretation - diction - harmony - musical and accompaniment ability
	(2)	Entertainment Value	— 30%
d)	For Professional Dancers
	(1)	Competence and Proficiency	— 70%
		- Line and extension (body movement) - rhythm, tempo and flow - projection and interpretation - aesthetic appeal - technique - costume
	(2)	Entertainment Value	— 30%
e)	For Musicians
	(1)	Competence and Proficiency	— 70%
		- expertise and technique - rhythm, tempo and flow - intonation (tone quality) - projection and interpretation
	(2)	Entertainment Value	— 30%
f)	For Novelty Acts
	(1)	Competence and Proficiency	— 70%
		- expertise and technique - projection and interpretation - impact - precision
	(2)	Entertainment value	— 30%

SECTION 9. Rating System — For purposes of certification, an entertainer shall have an over-all rating of at least seventy percent (70%).  The PECC shall, however, develop a more refined rating system that shall allow progressive classification of entertainers within their respective categories.

SECTION 10. Audition Attire — Professional dancers who shall be screened at the Center shall be required to wear appropriate dance attires.  Vocalists, musicians and other performers shall be required to wear semi-formal attires.

SECTION 11. Revocation of Certification — A certification issued to an entertainer may be revoked by the POEA if, upon proper investigation, the entertainer was found guilty of breach of the Code of Discipline as defined in Memorandum Circular No. 4, Series of 1983 and for such other reasons as may be determined by the Administration.

SECTION 12. Transitory Provisions — In the meantime that the pool of certified entertainers is being developed by the PECC, entertainers who are already employed overseas or have returned from overseas assignment or those who are professionally employed in the local entertainment circuit are eligible for employment overseas even without the certification by the PECC.  However, effective 01 January 1984, only entertainers duly certified by the PECC as provided in Section 1 above shall be eligible for overseas employment.

SECTION 13. Effectivity — This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 15 June 1983


Re-issued: 18 Feb. 1992

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^[*] See also M.C. No. 24, s. 1984 infra at p. 63