Marcos Jr. welcomes PH-set Hollywood film 'The Last Resort', offers gov’t support in production

MANILA, May 22 ------ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the main cast and production team of “The Last Resort", an upcoming Hollywood romantic comedy movie set in the Philippines, during a courtesy call at the Malacañan Palace. “Star Wars” actors Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich, the lead actors of the movie, donned traditional Filipino clothing, a Barong Tagalog and a Filipiniana, along with their co-actors and film crew.  

The film is directed by Donald Petrie who is known for the classic romcoms “Miss Congeniality” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” It is written by one of the screenwriters of “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Legally Blonde” Karen McCullah, who was born in the Philippines.   

Business mogul Manny Pangilinan serves as the executive producer of the film along with producers Ernesto “Bong” Sta. Maria Jr. and Raja Collins. “I was a little surprised when this popped up on my schedule and I said we're at that point because we've been talking about it for a while,” Marcos Jr. said.  “Thank you for coming to the Philippines, hopefully helping us project the Philippines out into the world, the way Filipinos see our own country and it's a country we're very very proud of – the people are even prouder of. I hope you get that while that... on the time you are here,” he stated.  

The story centers on “a career-focused woman who traveled the Philippines to evaluate a potential resort site and unexpectedly finds herself drawn to the country's beauty and a charming pilot,” the Presidential Communications Office said in its press release. 

‘EXCHANGE OF IDEAS’ 

The president underscored the importance of welcoming movie productions in the Philippines not only to promote the country but to enrich the local creative industry. “So, we try in government to be, you know, very welcoming, in terms of productions like that. Not only because it promotes the Philippines but also because, certainly, we have a very active film industry here in the Philippines,” Marcos Jr. noted.  

He also took note of the benefits of cultural exchanges. “And to expose that, those directors and producers and the entire creative side of it as well, to expose to what Hollywood is doing, what western film is doing, it’s all to the good. It’s like in a funny way we can refer to as transfer of technology or exchange of ideas, let’s put it that way. And Filipinos are pretty good at that, we pick up real quickly and assimilate,” he added.  

Marcos Jr. vowed to extend help to the ongoing production should they be needing assistance, recounting the filming in the Philippines of 1979 Vietnam War-themed movie “Apocalypse Now” directed by Francis Coppola during his father’s regime. “[Francis] Coppola came here to see my father and he said ‘we’re having trouble getting helicopters to come in. Can we use the military helicopters?’ So, every helicopter that you see in Apocalypse Now is Philippine Air Force, except with different markings,” he said. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just say so. Manny [Pangilinan], Bong [Sta. Maria], you can always pick up the phone and tell me what you need,” the commander in chief stated. Marcos Jr. was previewed some behind-the-scenes and was also given a clipper signed by the film producers and cast “as a symbol of gratitude”. 

Source: news.abs-cbn.com