MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Believe it or not, artists are not considered professionals in the Philippines. But that is going to change soon, if a proposed Congressional bill filed by Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas, Jr. is passed and becomes law.

House Bill 6068 seeks the recognition of artists as professionals so they could be accorded the proper rights and privileges due them, according to a report by GMA News.

Under the bill, an artist is defined as “any person who creates or gives creative expression to, or recreates works of art, who considers his artistic creation to be an essential part of his life, who contributes in this way to the development of art and culture and who is or asks to be recognized as an artist.”

It also includes con artists, whose modus operandi are getting more and more creative and sophisticated.

The bill said an accredited artist refers to an artist who is a Filipino, at least 18 years of age, who complies with the requirements for accreditation provided for in the bill, or those members of existing arts guilds duly registered and accredited as provided for by the law.

In anticipation of the bill’s passage, Filipino con artists — including pickpockets, manufacturers of fake I.D.s and some scamming personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) — have been registering their creative craft in droves.

It’s more fun in the Philippines!