Solon wants tax, travel incentives to foreign film makers

MANILA, Philippines - To attract more foreign film producers to shoot movies in the country, a legislator is now pushing for a bill giving them tax and travel incentives.

 

Taguig City Rep. Lino Cayetano, who is also a director, said that under House Bill 4647 to be known as the "Philippine Film and Television Tourism Act of 2014,” foreign film makers would be granted incentives with multiple entry visa and tax and duty free importation of filming equipment.

 

For more proposed measures in the House of Representatives, visit our Bill Tracker.

 

In exchange, Cayetano said the films can be a tool to promote and boost the country's tourism industry.

 

"It can also be done by preserving or promoting the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and resources as well as artistic creations or sceneries depicted in films, and converting it into tourist attractions,” Cayetano said.

 

“In the past years, several foreign films and television shows have been shot in different places in the country, but little effort – if none at all – was done to capitalize on the growing phenomenon to boost tourism and increase economic activity in those places,” he added.

 

He said said several countries have already capitalized on the spiraling phenomenon of film tourism. 

 

"Their governments, airline companies and tourism organizations have initiated measures to promote famous and even previously untapped destination where the film was set as tourist attractions,” he said.

 

Cayetano cited South Korea, Turkey, Thailand, the United States of America, United Kingdom and New Zealand, as examples were films were shot in famous tourist spots.

 

“The Wallace Monument in Scotland saw a 300 percent increase in visitors a year after the movie “Braveheart” was filmed which starred Mel Gibson. 

 

“The Lord of the Rings” franchise, filmed in New Zealand, also saw a steady increase of 10 pecent in tourist arrivals from 1998-2003 from United Kingdom alone,” Cayetano said.

 

Cayetano said the Caramoan islands in Camarines Sur, was the location for the Survivor French edition in 2008, followed by the Israel, Bulgaria and Serbia editions in 2009.  The Sweden edition was shot in the same island in 2010, followed in 2011 by the Denmark, Norway, Belgium and India franchises.

 

Cayetano noted that despite the economic impact of film tourism, many tourism organizations have been slow to tap the potential benefits of film tourism.

 

“The impacts of film tourism still appeal to be underappreciated by destinations even though they can be long lasting and have significant long-term economic and social effects,” he said.

 

Under the measure, the Philippine Film and Television Tourism Authority (PFTTA) will be created replacing the Philippine Film Export Service Office (PFESO) under the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

 

The PFTTA is tasked to facilitate the One-Stop-Shop System for foreign film or television production entities by promoting and marketing the Philippines as location site, for the production of international films and television programs.