SENATOR Sonny Angara is seeking tax incentives and other perks for foreign film makers should they shoot their movies here in the Philippines.
The incentives are contained in Angara’s Senate Bill 1330, shortly titled, “Philippine Film and Television Tourism Act.”
If enacted into law, he said this would make locally-shot international movies huge “advertising billboards” that will surely generate the interest of foreign tourists to include the Philippines in their list of destinations.
“Film tourism is a growing phenomenon wherein tourists visit destinations that they saw in movies, televisions, or videos. We have to take advantage of this trend by encouraging foreign film producers to shoot here in the Philippines in exchange for certain benefits, in addition to best locations for movie making,” Angara said.
Section 9 of the bill specifically grants an international or foreign film or television production tax and duty free importation of filming equipment, to be determined and endorsed by the Philippine Film and Television Tourism Authority (PFTTA), which shall be created to run the affairs related to film and television tourism.
Another incentive is the issuance to foreign nationals who are members of the international film production entities, as duly endorsed by the PFTTA, of a multiple entry special visa valid for a period of one year.