How Movies Help Boost Boracay Tourism Industry

Boracay is a top tourist spot in PH and has been used as a shooting location in numerous movies.

By: Jun N. Aguirre | June 03, 2024

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Boracay, a stunning tourist destination in the Philippines, is an enchanting backdrop for various movie scenes.

Image: Malay-Boracay Tourism Office Facebook page

Unknown to many, Boracay was famous as early as the 1970s, when two foreign films were set on the resort island and in Caticlan.

Boracay was featured in a magazine by a German travel writer, Jens Peter, in 1978. The magazine described the resort island as a ‘paradise on earth!’ It was not known, however, how foreign filmmakers in the 1970s came to know about Boracay Island even long before the tourism boom.

According to Cavite Congresswoman Lani Mercado-Revilla, in a press conference in Kalibo Aklan on May 18, President Bongbong Marcos is now offering the Philippines as a shooting location for foreign film producers. The congresswoman was here on behalf of her husband, Senator Bong Revilla Jr., as an invited keynote speaker at the Aklan Electric Cooperative’s (AKELCO) general membership assembly.

“The Marcos Jr. administration wanted to offer the Philippines the opportunity to lure foreign movie producers because of its economic impact, as they usually pay in dollars. It will also help discover new talents to join the movie industry,” she said.

Mercado and her husband, Revilla, are legends in entertainment and the movie industry.

“We know many Filipinos have great talents in the movie industry that still need to be discovered,” she added.

These movies are just among the notable ones that make Boracay one of their shooting locations.

1. Too Late the Hero

Tool Late the Hero was released in 1970.

The movie was also shown in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

According to its production, it is a WWII film set on a Pacific Island, including the Philippines. The Japanese Imperial Army and allied forces occupy different parts of the archipelago. This film highlights ‘imperfections’ in the reality of war. One of the shooting locations was in Boracay, although it was unclear why they discovered it early on.

2. Gigil

Gigil was released in 2006.

It starred Filipino sexy comedy actress Katrina Halili, Alfred Vargas, and Boom Labrusca. It depicts the story of a couple about to get married who realizes the man is LGBT. As a result, Halili, who played the role of China, decided to go to Boracay. While on the resort island, he met a handsome diving teacher, Felix, who inspired her to fall in love again.

3. Romantic Island

Romantic Island was released in 2008.

It is a Korean drama movie featuring six ‘Seoulites’ who travel separately to the Philippines. They soon discover the island of Boracay. They do not know each other, and each has a story.

4. When Love Begins

When Love Begins was released in 2008.

It was this movie that inspired a favorite line among tourists. “What happens in Boracay stays in Boracay.” It stars Aga Mulach and Anne Curtis, a film from Star Cinema.

How movies can boost tourism in Boracay

On the website Film Philippines, Boracay Island has been included as a shooting location being offered. The website provides an incentive program for film producers. The Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP) is a selective cash rebate provided by the Film Development Council of the Philippines through its Film Philippines Office.

It said it aims to promote the Philippines as a destination for film production, animation, and/or post-production of creative content. This incentive is, however, given to qualified Filipino production companies acting as line producers that are servicing an international production company in the execution of content production in the Philippines.

Selected projects will receive a 20 percent cash rebate, capped at PhP25 million. Selected projects that pass the cultural merit test will receive an additional five percent bonus, raising their cash rebate to 25 percent, capped at PhP30 million.

Since last year, some groups have decided to shoot for films where Boracay was their shooting location.

As this developed, CARD MRI, a microfinance institution based in San Pablo, Laguna, chose Boracay as a film shoot location. They expect that by August this year, it will have its premiere on this resort island.

In February 2024, a group of Filipino-American-based celebrities also came to Boracay, eyeing a possible film location. These Fil-Am celebrities include Garth Garcia, known as the Fil-Am prince of pop; former That’s Entertainment star Bunny Paras, MNL Boys; Charlie (Marshall) St. Cyr, the founder of CMI Entertainment; and Lyndon Apostol, a theater coach.

Tommy Mopia, founder of the TGM Group of Companies from Makato, Aklan, and another Aklanon, Maria Theresa Quimora, founder of Legacy Entertainment, both based in Los Angeles, California, said they are eyeing Aklan province as the Hollywood of the Philippines soon!

Visit Yoorekka to learn more about Boracay and the top tourism destinations in the Philippines!

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About Jun N. Aguirre

Jun Aguirre is a mobile journalism (Mojo) practitioner and a freelancer covering mostly Panay Island to include Boracay. In 2020, he was the only Filipino featured via online conference promoting MOJO during the Mobile Journalism Congress in Asia.

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Location Tags:

Boracay Island, Malay

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