Jerome Dulin is a Filipino filmmaker, film curator, and grassroots cultural activist belonging to the Ibanag and Apayao ethnic groups of the Northern Philippines. Rooted in his baseline philosophy that cinema is an incandescent vessel for social change, Dulin has spent over a decade dismantling the historical gatekeeping of Philippine media by establishing robust educational, financial, and distributive ecosystems for regional storytellers. He is best recognized as the Founder and Managing Director of the North Luzon Cinema Guild, Inc. (NLCGI), an independent organization dedicated to preserving indigenous culture and amplifying marginalized narratives under the bold manifesto of Reclaiming the Narrative // Disrupting the Space.

Visionary Leadership & Community Mobilization

Dulin’s journey began in student activism at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, where he graduated with a degree in Development Communication. Recognizing that standard media platforms limited deep societal dialogue, he transitioned to visual storytelling to confront systemic inequalities.

In 2015, noticing a stark absence of Northern Luzon narratives at national film platforms like Cinema Rehiyon, Dulin launched primary grassroots research alongside collaborator Joseph Arcegono. Their findings exposed a deep regional crisis: local cinema was trapped in mainstream commercial mimicry, indigenous languages were heavily underutilized, and raw local works were routinely dying on student hard drives.

In response, Dulin organized and registered the organization (initially the Association of Filmmakers, Inc.) in 2016. Under his leadership, the Guild pioneered groundbreaking educational and production incubators, including:

• The North Luzon Film Camp (2016–present): A vital incubator training thousands of youth and student filmmakers across northern provinces.
• Specialized Incubators: Designing the Danum Film Lab (2022), the Online Film Lab for Regional Stories, and Quarantimes: Short Films from the Regions, ensuring continuity of expression through changing crises.
• The North Luzon Film Festival: Establishing a permanent, sovereign exhibition space to rescue regional cinema from obscurity and give communities their own mirror.

Grassroots Policy Lobbying & Structural Reforms

Frustrated by institutional gatekeeping, Dulin took an active role in pushing for structural, localized government policies. After early, cold presentations to local legislative bodies in Cagayan—who originally declared that film education was “not a priority”—Dulin altered his strategy.

Instead of backing away, he built broad coalitions with academic institutions, independent groups, and non-government actors to create self-sustaining networks. By demonstrating the undeniable socio-cultural and economic impact of regional filmmaking, Dulin successfully navigated municipal structures. He has worked hand-in-hand with local government units (LGUs) to formalize municipal film programs, ultimately serving as the Festival Program Coordinator of the TugueGIRAW Film Festival for the Local Government of Tuguegarao City. His efforts successfully redirected local public focus toward utilizing cinema for local historical preservation and human rights advocacy.

The Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (RA 11904): On January 24, 2023, Dulin has served as a vital resource speaker and advocate during the development phases of the Creative Industry Bill, championed by Representative Christopher “Toff” De Venecia. His inputs directly focused on decentralizing national funding allocations to protect rural and provincial creative hub.