PH offers incentives TO foreign filmmakers

FOREIGN filmmakers have been offered incentives in a bid to make the Philippines an international movie-making destination.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday said that Trade Secretary Cristina Roque unveiled the perks last week at an event in Los Angeles, California that was attended by Hollywood executives and actors.

The Expanding the Bridge initiatives includes incentives such as 25-percent rebates and grants for co-productions.

Specifically, the Film Location Incentive Program offers rebates for eligible film and television productions shot in the Philippines while the International Co-Production Fund will provide P10 million, or approximately $175,000 based on current exchange rates for collaborations between foreign and Filipino filmmakers.

“We are not merely offering a location; we are offering a partnership,” Roque said in a statement.

“The Philippines is open for business, and we’re bringing substantial resources to the table. We are here to build a new era of cin-ematic collaboration,” she added.

“With these incentives, we are not just making the Philippines a cost-effective filming location — we are offering Hollywood a crea-tive partnership,” she added.

The DTI said the new incentives were in line with government efforts to boost the creative economy, generate jobs and drive tour-ism. The department said the film and TV industry had the potential to contribute billions of pesos to the economy.

Attendees of the March 6 event in Los Angeles included Oscar-winning producer Lawrence Bender of Kill Bill fame and Filipino American actors Mark Dacascos and Tia Carrere, the Trade department said.

Producers Roger Goff and Mark Lagrimas, who were said to be currently developing a historical epic set in the Philippines, also joined discussions.

Earlier this week, the DTI said that Hollywood film equipment supplier Birns & Sawyer was looking to invest $50 million to establish multiple soundstages in the Philippines, which will enhance the country’s film production capabilities.

While the total investment package is still up for discussion, the company was said to have committed at least $15 million to build a state-of-the-art soundstage at the Filinvest property in New Clark City with the possibility of adding two more in other locations.

“The Philippines is not just ready for Hollywood; we are eager to collaborate and create cinematic mag-ic together,” Roque said.