Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, 7534

INTRODUCED BY

HON. CHRISTOPHER V.P. DE VENECIA, HON. ROMAN T. ROMULO, HON.
FRANCISCO "KIKO" B. BENITEZ, HON. KRISTINE SINGSON-MEEHAN,
HON. CRISTAL L. BAGATSING, HON. LOREN LEGARDA, HON. EVELINA
G. ESCUDERO, HON. ROSE MARIE "BABY" J. ARENAS, HON. VILMA
SANTOS-RECTO, HON. DEOGRACIAS VICTOR "DV" B. SAVELLANO, HON.
MANUEL T. SAGARBARRIA, HON. VICTOR YAP, HON. SOL ARAGONES,
HON. STRIKE B. REVILLA, HON. ANN K. HOFER, HON. ROSANNA "RIA"
V. VERGARA, HON. LUCY TORRES-GOMEZ, HON. WESLIE GATCHALIAN,
HON. SHARON S. GARIN, HON. MARLYN "LEN" B. ALONTE, HON. JUAN
MIGUEL MACAPAGAL ARROYO, HON. LIANDA B. BOLILIA, HON.
CAMILLE A. VILLAR, HON. JOSE JR. L. ATIENZA, HON. JOSE ENRIQUE
"JOET" S. GARCIA III, HON. EDWARD VERA PEREZ MACEDA, HON.
ALFRED D. VARGAS

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF FILM AND TELEVISION TOURISM,
CREATING THE FILM PHILIPPINES OFFICE, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Being selected as a film location for an international blockbuster film
brings more than just pride to the Philippines. For one thing, it is widely
recognized as an effective promotional tool for tourism, the impact of which
has been significantly evident in other countries. In New Zealand, tourist
arrivals instantly doubled since the debut of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy in
2001 (Forbes, 2012). Visitors of Wallace Monument in Scotland increased
from 30,000 to 200,000 following the release of Braveheart (theguardian.com,
2012). Meanwhile, the release of Chinese film Lost in Thailand made China
the largest source of overseas tourists in Thailand. In Cambodia, Tomb Raider
has attracted tourists greater than what Angkor Wat can actually
accommodate. Meanwhile, from 2012-2015, Game of Thrones, a hit American
series, influenced the tourism in Dubrovnik, Croatia which received 245,000
more arrivals from tourists, more than 1.5 million overnight stays, and almost
126 million euros in revenue (TKalec, Zilic, Recher, 2017)

The Philippines is in no way behind these countries in terms of beauty
and distinctiveness. We have abundant breathtaking scenery and magnificent
landscapes infused with rich culture, making our country a viable filming
location. In fact, there have been several foreign films and television series


that showcase the beauty of our country. As early as 1979, our country was
chosen as a film location for the film Apocalypse Now. Survivor: Russia, which
was shot in Caramoan greatly contributed to the development of Caramoan’s
tourism. From having only one hotel with three rooms in 2006, the island now
has 23 hotels with a combined total of 250 rooms for tourists and explorers
who came to know of the island through Survivor: Russia. Local films and
soap operas are also significant tourism contributors following the success of
‘That Thing Called Tadhana and Forevermore, drawing thousands of tourists
in Sagada and La Trinidad, Benguet, respectively.

Despite these projects, we have yet to tap the full potential of film and
television tourism because of a lack in the State’s investment in this program.
Despite our natural advantage in having diverse beautiful locations, foreign
film productions prefer to shoot in other countries because they offer better
incentives such as larger cash rebates and competitive tax incentives. For
example, the famous action-spy thriller Mission Impossible took an interest
in filming in the Philippines in 2019, which would have potentially spent
around PHP 2 Billion in the country. Unfortunately, we lost the project to
Thailand which had virtually an uncapped film incentives program, whereas
our current incentives are capped at PHP 10 Million per production.

This bill, hence, seeks to develop and promote film and television
tourism and enhance our current film incentives programs. This can be done
through the institutionalizing and strengthening the Film Philippines Office
under the FDCP. Aside from promoting the Philippines as a prime filming
location, it also seeks to develop enabling policies that would ease the
procedure of procuring requirements and permits.

This measure does not, however, end at developing film tourism as an
economic tool. This gives equal importance to the impact of tourism to
immediate communities. Unplanned tourism may result to environmental
degradation and disruption to the lives of local people and this bill seeks to
prevent that through a sustainable film tourism program.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this proposed measure is
earnestly sought.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 7634

INTRODUCED BY

HON. CHRISTOPHER V.P. DE VENECIA, HON. ROMAN T. ROMULO, HON.
FRANCISCO "KIKO" B. BENITEZ, HON. KRISTINE SINGSON-MEEHAN,
HON. CRISTAL L. BAGATSING, HON. LOREN LEGARDA, HON. EVELINA
G. ESCUDERO, HON. ROSE MARIE "BABY" J. ARENAS, HON. VILMA
SANTOS-RECTO, HON, DEOGRACIAS VICTOR "DV" B. SAVELLANO, HON.
MANUEL T. SAGARBARRIA, HON. VICTOR YAP, HON. SOL ARAGONES,
HON. STRIKE B. REVILLA, HON. ANN K. HOFER, HON. ROSANNA "RIA"
V. VERGARA, HON. LUCY TORRES-GOMEZ, HON. WESLIE GATCHALIAN,
HON. SHARON S. GARIN, HON. MARLYN "LEN" B. ALONTE, HON. JUAN
MIGUEL MACAPAGAL ARROYO, HON. LIANDA B. BOLILIA, HON.
CAMILLE A. VILLAR, HON. JOSE JR. L. ATIENZA, HON. JOSE ENRIQUE
"JOET" S. GARCIA III, HON. EDWARD VERA PEREZ MACEDA, HON.
ALFRED D. VARGAS

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF FILM AND TELEVISION TOURISM,
CREATING THE FILM PHILIPPINES OFFICE, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Film Philippines Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to recognize tourism and creative industries as engines of economic
growth. In order to harness their full potential, appropriate mechanisms
shall be established to attract film producers to feature the natural beauty
and historical and cultural heritage of the Philippines, enhance the image
of the country overseas, to promote and market the country as a top
international filming location and tourism destination, and generate
employment for workers in tourism and creative industries. Equally
important, the responsible use of resources and the preservation of existing
communal practices shall at all times be observed.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(a) Film and Television Tourism refers to strategic use of film and
television as a form of marketing or promotional tool that


introduces or boosts tourism capacity of a given site, regardless
whether the said site is classified as an existing tourist spot or yet
to be developed as a tourist spot. This promotes the responsible
use of resources and the non-disruption of the normal communal
practice upon the duration of the filming shoot. This goes further
to exerting all means to minimize the adverse post-production
impact of the film such as but not limited to the unintended surge
of tourist arrivals, congestion, and waste disposal, in relation to
the environment, the local people, and the cultural integrity of the
place.

(b) Sustainable tourism development refers to the management of all
resources that meets the needs of tourists and host regions while
protecting the opportunities for the future, in such a way that
economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while
maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes,
biological diversity and life support systems.

SECTION 4. Creation of The Film Philippines Office. - The Philippine
Film Export Service Office (PFESO), created by virtue of Executive Order No.
674, series of 2007, is hereby reconstituted as the Film Philippines Office
(FPO), under the administrative and technical supervision of the Film
Development Council of the Philippines, provided, that for budgetary
coordination and related purposes, the FPO shall be attached to the
Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB).

The FPO shall be headed by an Executive Director, recommended by the
Chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines and
appointed by the President.

The FPO shall determine its organizational structure and create plantilla
positions insofar as necessary to augment the existing workforce of the
PFESO to ensure the efficiency of its operations, in accordance with
guidelines, rules and regulations of the Commission on Civil Service and
the Department of Budget and Management.

SECTION 5. Powers and Functions of the Film Philippines Office. The
FPO shall undertake the following:

1. Lead the promotion and marketing of the Philippines as a viable
location for the production of international films and television
programs, based on a strategic marketing plan provided for under
Section 6 of this act;

2. Lead the promotion and marketing of locally produced films and
television programs in the country and enable them to become
globally competitive


3. Boost domestic tourism by encourage local productions in the
regions, based on a strategic marketing plan provided for under
Section 6 of this act;

4. Formulate and implement incentive programs for local and foreign
film and television productions to film in the country;

5. Establish and maintain a one-stop shop to process manual or
electronic submission of application of foreign film and television
productions for incentives provided for under this Act, and
facilitate the processing of licenses, clearances, permits,
certifications or authorizations necessary to film in the country, in
compliance with RA 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act;

6. Conduct feasibility studies and enter into partnerships on the
establishment of creative hubs in the country which shall host
creative industries, primarily film and television production,
including but not limited to post-, digital and visual (PDV) effects
production, and animation, and recommend to investment
promotion agencies such as but not limited to Department of Trade
and Industry, Board of Investments, and Philippine Economic
Zone Authority, the grant of performance-based and time-bound
tax and duty incentives to qualified companies, subject to
applicable laws, rules and regulations;

7. Create an online database of potential locations in the country,
with description and documentation of the natural landscape, built
environment, logistics issues, weather conditions, security and
relevant social conditions thereof suitable to different film themes,
to assist local and foreign film and television productions in
location scouting;

8. Link foreign film and television productions to local talents,
technical crew, post-, digital and visual effects production
facilities, and providers of related goods and services;

9. Facilitate access to capacity building programs and technology
transfer to local talents by foreign film and television counterparts

10.Assist the cast and crew of foreign film and television productions
in immigration and customs procedures;

11.Mobilize relevant government agencies and local government units
for full support and assistance towards the attainment of the
objectives of this Act; and

12.Install markers in locations appearing in international or local
films.


SECTION 6. Strategic Marketing Plan. The FPO shall formulate two-,
five- and ten-year marketing plans to promote and establish the Philippines
as a top international filming location and a creative hub to support post-,
digital and visual effects production, and support the local film industry to
produce original, relevant and globally competitive content.

SECTION 7. International Promotion. The FPO, in coordination with the
Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, the Center for
International Trade Expositions and Missions, the Foreign Trade Service
Corps, and the Cultural Attaches of Foreign Service Posts, shall undertake
the following:

a) Promote and market the Philippines as a filming location by
organizing and/or participating in international roadshows, fairs,
film festivals, expositions and exhibits;

b) Support and assist Filipino filmmakers and/or production
companies in the promotion, marketing, distribution and export
of local films, television programs and audio visual content in the
international market and their participation in international film
festivals;

©) Identify and analyze current and emerging global trends that
impact distribution and consumption of film and television
programs; and

d) Utilize Internet platforms for the widest dissemination of
information relative to this Act.

e) Enter into Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other countries to
facilitate competitive cross-border trade in film and television
content.

SECTION 8. Incentive program for International Film and Television
Productions. The Film Philippines Office shall establish a globally-
competitive incentive program, in consideration of the current landscape of
the Film and Television Industry. The FPO shall conduct an annual review
of its incentive programs in order to determine their competitiveness and
viability vis-a-vis incentives and strategies put in place by other countries,
especially within the ASEAN. The FPO shall also determine the eligibility
criteria needed to avail of the incentives enumerated, including but not
limited to, a cultural test and a labor quota favoring Filipino workers.
Eligible foreign film and television productions shall be entitled to
incentives, such as but not limited to:

1. Cash Rebate ~Cash rebate on Qualifying Philippine Production
Expenditure
(QPPE);


2. Multiple Entry Visa - Foreign nationals who are members of the
international film production entities, as duly endorsed by the FPO
shall be issued a multiple entry special visa within seventy-two (72)
hours upon submission of all required documents, and which shall
be valid for a period of one (1) year to enter the Philippines;
Provided, That a responsible officer of the applicant entity submits
a duly authenticated certificate to the effect that the person who
seeks entry into the Philippines is a member of the applicant entity
and will work exclusively for film and television production.

The admission and stay shall be coterminous with the validity of
the multiple entry special visa. The stay, however, is extendible for
one hundred eighty (180) days upon submission to the Bureau of
Immigration of a sworn certification by a responsible officer of the
applicant entity; that its permit remains valid and subsisting, and
that no other source of income has been made, entry special visa.
The stay, however, is extendible for 180 days upon submission to
the Bureau of Immigration of a sworn certification by a responsible
officer of the applicant entity; that its permit remains valid and
subsisting, and that no other source of income has been made;
and

3. Tax and Duty Free Importation - The international or foreign film or
television production entity shall enjoy tax and duty free
importation of filming equipment as determined and endorsed by
the FPO; Provided, That the said equipment cannot be obtained
domestically.

SECTION 9. One-Stop Shop. The FPO shall establish a one-stop shop to
process the application of local and foreign film and television productions
for incentives provided for under this Act and to facilitate the expeditious
action on applications or requests for licenses, clearances, permits,
certifications or authorizations necessary to film in the country. The FPO
shall enter into an agreement with relevant agencies to simplify and
streamline procedures for licensing and permitting of local and foreign film
and television productions, and facilitate the collocation of the same
agencies.

SECTION 10. Creation of The Film and Television Grant Selection
Council. There is hereby created the Film and Television Grant Selection

Council (FGSC) composed of:

1. Chairperson - The chairperson of the Council shall be a
representative from the Academe with Film/Media background.
2. Members - The members of the council shall be the following:


3. Notable member of a mainstream producers’ association, or
his/her authorized representative

4. Notable member of an independent producer's association, or
his/her authorized representative

5. Notable film critic

6. Notable member of a writer's guild, or his/her authorized
representative

7. Notable member of a directors’ guild, or his/her authorized
representative

8. Notable member of a film workers’ coalition, or his/her authorized
representative

9. Notable international film industry professional of high caliber

10. Notable member of any TV organization, or his/her authorized
representative

11. A representative from the Department of Tourism

12. A representative from the Film Development Council of the
Philippines

The Chairperson of the FGSC and its members shall be recommended by
the Chairperson of the FDCP and appointed by the President

A member of the FGCC shall be disqualified from applying for the Film
Incentive Grant with respect to the production in which they are directly or
indirectly involved. Council Membership is limited to one (1) year only.

SECTION 11. Powers and Functions of the FGSC. The FGSC shall
undertake the following:

Create an application process and/or a bracket system for the incentive
grants under Section 10 of this Act;

Create a sound criteria or cultural test for the selection of the grantees;

Read and assess the applications and select deserving recipients of said
grants based on the respective bracket system from the shortlist of applying
grantees. The selection of the Council shall be final.

In accordance with RA 11032, the FPO shall adopt a zero-contact policy
and automate the incentive application process within three (3) years from
the approval of this act, with the assistance of the Department of
Information and Communication Technology.

SECTION 12. Incentive program for Local Film and Television
Productions. The

Film Philippines Office shall also establish an incentive program for Local
Film and Television Productions, in consideration of the current landscape
of the local Film and Television industry. The FPO shall conduct an annual
review of its incentive program in order to determine its effectiveness and


viability. The FPO shall also determine the eligibility criteria needed to avail
of the incentives, including but not limited to a cultural test.

SECTION 13. Support for Local Film and Television Productions.
Provinces, cities and municipalities shall appropriate fifty percent (50%) of
revenues arising from the collection of amusement tax pursuant to Secs.
140 and 151 of Republic Act No. 7160, as amended by Republic Act No.
9640, for an incentive and support program for local film and television
productions that will feature locations or sites within their respective
jurisdictions as budgetary supplement to the fiscal incentives of the FPO.
The FPO shall assist local Sanggunians in formulating ordinances for this
purpose.

SECTION 14. Support for Local PDV Production Capacity. The FPO
shall formulate five-year and ten-year master plans for the establishment
of creative hubs or incubators in suitable locations to host state-of-the-art
studios, sound stages, archives, co-working spaces and facilities necessary
for film and television production, training and marketing activities.

Locator enterprises in designated creative hubs or incubators shall be
eligible to performance-based and time-bound tax and duty incentives
granted by investment promotion agencies, subject to applicable laws and
to the compliance monitoring by appropriate agencies.

SECTION 15. Capacity Building. The FPO shall capacitate both the film
sector, Local Government Units and the local community as follows:

1. Conduct pre-production seminars for filmmakers relative to the
responsible use of resources and the appropriate approach in
entering local communities;

2. Orient the local communities on the possible impact of tourism
in their respective areas;

3. Promote sustainable tourism and integrate principles and
practices on sustainable tourism in local tourism plans and
programs.

SECTION 16. Role of Local Government Units. The LGU shall undertake
the following:
1. Identify, maintain, document, and regularly update list of
potential filming locations in coordination with FPO;

2. Facilitate the expeditious issuance of local permits and
incentives;

3. Conduct social preparation activities in filming locations prior
to the start of production to capacitate communities therein to

maximize the opportunities presented by the film or television


production, mitigate its adverse effects, if any, and preserve or
conserve the natural landscape and resources, historical and
cultural heritage and values from increase in tourism activities;
4. Link the members of film production to the community;
5. Provide assistance in identifying locals for additional
manpower, as needed by the production; and

6. Mediate on possible conflicts which may arise between the
stakeholders.

SECTION 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The FDCP, in
coordination with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Trade and
Industry, the Department of Finance, the Department of Interior and Local
Government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and
the Chairperson of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts shall
promulgate the issue and the implementing rules and regulations within
ninety (90) days upon effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 18. Appropriations. - The implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the budget allocation of the TPB, pursuant to Section 4 of
this Act. Thereafter, such amounts necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual appropriations
of the TPB in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 19. Congressional Oversight - The FPO, for 5 consecutive years
upon effectivity of this Act, shall submit to both Houses of Congress a full
report, no later than March 30 of every year, on the effectivity of this Act
and recommend appropriate legislation when necessary

SECTION 20. Separability Clause. - In the event that any provision or
part of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions
shall remain valid and in full force and effect.

SECTION 21. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, orders, decrees,
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 22. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its complete publication in in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,