‘Bourne’ team to PNoy: No regrets for choosing PH

MANILA, Philippines – Capping their weeks-long shoot in the Philippines, the team behind The Bourne Legacy will leave the Philippines without regrets that they chose the country over other Southeast Asian locations.

The Bourne team opted to shoot in the Philippines rather than in Vietnam and Indonesia, in a move seen to improve Philippine tourism and eventually the country’s economy.

The group behind the movie, including lead actor Jeremy Renner, paid a courtesy call on President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday, February 22.

In a short statement, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said Aquino thanked the crew for choosing the Philippines, hoping that the shoot will boost Philippine tourism and lead to more film productions staged in the country.

During the courtesy call, Aquino gave them chocolates in boxes with the presidential logo, as well as copies of The Sisters and The Inaugural.

For their part, the Bourne crew gave him copies of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourn Ultimatum. Renner gave the President DVD copies of The Town and The Hurt Locker. 

‘More fun’ in PH

Renner enjoyed his stay in the Philippines, said their film’s local producer, Lope “Jun” Juban, in an interview with Rappler.

The Bourne Legacy is the first Hollywood film of its magnitude to be filmed in the Philippines and to feature Manila as itself, and not merely representing another Southeast Asian locality.

Juban said international film productions usually spark local economies, citing the example of Caramoan, Camarines Sur that has transformed into a 2nd class from a 4th class municipality.

“When we went there 4 years ago, there was nothing there,” he said. “Now there are 2 gasoline stations. Tourism is thriving.”

Incidentally, the Bourne Legacy filming partly took place in the first few weeks of the government’s new tourism campaign, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” – Rappler.com

Click on the links below for more.

• Bourne Legacy trailer showcases Manila
• ‘Bourne’ location manager: Manila is gritty, El Nido a paradise
• ‘Bourne Legacy’ at the Navotas fish port
• Bourne Legacy actor enjoying fine dining in PH, says local producer
• Filipino locally producing Bourne