METRO MANILA / DOT POSTER IS A GO
PHOTO -The fourth "Bourne"
movie filming is expected to start on or before January 14, 2012 in locations in
the Philippines such as in Intramuros Manila, Navotas Fishport, Marikina Market,
San Andres Market, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Ayala Avenue, Nagtahan, Pasay
Taft, and Jones Bridge according to MMDA Chairman Francis
Tolentino]
MANILA, JANUARY
12, 2012 (STAR) By Mike Frialde
- The shooting for the upcoming action-thriller "The Bourne Legacy" starts early
today in the San Andres, Malate area in the city of Manila, the Metro Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the decision of the production team to
shoot in Manila is proof that the country is a safe destination.
"Malaking promotion ito sa tourism industry. At patunay ito na safe sa atin
(This is a big promotion for the tourism industry. And it shows that it is safe
here). It shows that they have trust and confidence in the country," he said.
"The Bourne Legacy" will be shown worldwide on Aug. 3, Tolentino said.
MMDA's 120-strong Task Force Bourne has been ordered to control the crowd and
traffic rerouting during the 45-day shooting in various parts of Metro Manila.
He said the task force would have its hands full controlling the crowd that
will try to get a glimpse of the cast, led by actor Jeremy Renner who also
starred in the 2008 war film "The Hurt Locker."
"Makakapag trapik dito yung mga usyoso (Bystanders will likely cause traffic
jams)," he said.
Tolentino assured motorists that the shooting at San Andres district will
have minimal effect on traffic because the scenes will be shot very early in the
morning on side streets and alleys.
He said the actors are excited to shoot scenes in Manila and Palawan after
finishing scenes in New York and Canada. Forty percent of the film will be shot
in the Philippines.
[PHOTO - British actress Rachel Weisz takes a break from the set of
"Bourne Legacy". Contributed photo by Teresa Jacela, DAILY
INQUIRER.]
Tolentino said the scenes would only be shot from Wednesdays to Sundays. The
cast and crew will take their break on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Manila scenes for the movie will be shot from Jan. 11 to 15 in San
Andres, Jan. 18 to 19 on J. Bocobo St. corner Remedios Circle, Jan. 15 on
Leveriza St., Jan. 14 at San Andres corner Quirino and Taft Avenues, Jan. 25 on
Riverside Road, Real and Sta. Lucia streets in Intramuros, Feb. 17 to 18 on
Jones Bridge and Feb. 8 to 15 on Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Sta. Mesa.
Some scenes will also be shot at the Remedios Circle in Malate from Jan.
18-19.
Some scenes will be shot along Ayala Avenue in Makati City, at the Marikina
City public market, and at the Navotas City Fish Port.
Tolentino said Task Force Bourne will pay extra attention to shooting
locations where traffic is likely to congest, such as Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard
and the EDSA-Taft Avenue area in Pasay City where a car chase scene is expected
to be shot.
Tolentino said there would be a scene of actress Rachel Weisz clinging to a
spinning jeepney during a high-speed chase. Another scene will involve a
helicopter hovering above the Makati City business district at night.
Sources at the MMDA said veteran actor Joel Torre will be appearing in the
film in a scene to be shot in Intramuros.
Street chase highlights first day of 'Bourne' shooting
By Sandy Araneta (The Philippine Star) Updated January 12, 2012 12:00
AM
A production crew unloads equipment for the shooting of the
movie 'The Bourne Legacy' as residents fill the streets, hoping to catch a
glimpse of the film's stars in San Andres, Manila yesterday.
JONJON VICENCIO
MANILA, Philippines - The shooting for the upcoming action-thriller "The
Bourne Legacy" started yesterday in the busy streets of Manila.
The Manila Police District (MPD) as well as personnel of the Metro Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) had their hands full containing the thousands of
people who waited since early morning for the shooting to start.
Some spectators waited since Tuesday night to see actors Jeremy Renner ("The
Hurt Locker") and Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener," "The Mummy," "Enemy at
the Gates") to appear on the set as the production crew arrived and started
setting up equipment and props for the blockbuster movie.
Weisz plays opposite Renner, who takes the lead role from Matt Damon in the
movie about the workings of a shadowy Central Intelligence Agency unit that
trains super spies.
The shooting was centered at Leveriza street in San Andres district where the
supposed chase scene stretched to Quirino Avenue up to San Andres Street.
The area covering the first day of shooting was literally filled with people,
not least foreign tourists who wanted to get a glimpse of the stars.
No crewmembers, local or foreign, were allowed to give out information as to
the plans or scenes that would be shot in Manila.
The two main actors were also hidden from press photographers and cameramen,
as local crewmembers repeatedly said, "No interviews, photos or video are
allowed."
The local production crew also secured the location shoot areas.
Weisz and Renner could also not be seen anywhere from where the members of
the media had been waiting since early morning.
But some crewmembers revealed the actors were already in the area shooting.
Some residents said they were awakened when the film crew arrived as early as
2 a.m. and started to set up props for filming and stunts.
Barangay officials led by Rodrigo Catamora said the production crew had
spruced up the area by repairing and reinforcing some of the houses to make them
look older.
Catamora said the film's production outfit had started coordinating with them
since September.
The roofs of houses where some of the action scenes would be shot were
finished last month.
Catamora said some 400 people were hired as extras.
He said the production crew explained to him that some scenes would be shot
along narrow alleys near the barangay hall.
Several apartment buildings, four- or five-storeys high, were reinforced with
steel bars and cables where action scenes would be shot.
Residents could not say what the scene was all about as they were told by the
production crew to stay inside their homes as cameras rolled.
Catamora said the rooftop sequences are scheduled for February.
The shooting of the movie started yesterday and would last up to Jan. 15, and
would resume on Feb. 19 and Feb. 22 to 25.
The other scenes for the movie will be shot on J. Bocobo St. corner Remedios
Circle, on Riverside Road, Real and Sta. Lucia streets in Intramuros, on Jones
Bridge and on Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Sta. Mesa.
Some scenes will be shot along Ayala Avenue in Makati City, at the Marikina
City public market, and at the Navotas City Fish Port.
"The Bourne Legacy" will be shown worldwide on Aug. 3.
Traffic management
[PHOTO - Rachel Weisz at the first shooting day of "Bourne Legacy" in
San Andres Complex, Manila, walks in front of the house of resident Teresa
Jacela, who took this photo. Jacela said the Hollywood star sat and rested in
front of her gate. DAILY INQUIRER PHOTO]
The MMDA, with its 120-strong Task Force Bourne, has been ordered to control
the crowd and direct traffic rerouting during the 45-day shooting in various
parts of Metro Manila.
The Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit (MDTEU) said portions of Malate
district would be closed to vehicular traffic during the filming.
Though the shooting of some scenes will be confined to Leveriza and San
Andres streets, traffic will be rerouted around the shooting locations, MDTEU
chief Superintendent Reynaldo Nava said.
The stretch of Leveriza from Quirino to San Andres will be closed from 5 a.m.
to 6 p.m. today. All vehicles passing Leveriza street will turn right to Quirino
Avenue.
Nava said that on Friday and Saturday "stop and go" or traffic enforcer
intervention shall be implemented along Leveriza from Quirino to San Andres from
5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"We have to see the situation if closure of the roads will be implemented on
those days. It might be possible that human intervention or the direction of
traffic enforcers to motorists is simply needed," Nava said.
Traffic had to be rerouted to allow the trucks loaded with tons of filming
equipment to be parked near the areas during the shooting.
An ambulance was also on standby for any accidents that may occur.
MMDA Task Force Bourne commander Senior Superintendent Eduardo Untalan said
their primary concern is traffic management during the filming.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), the MMDA escorted the trucks of equipment and the crew
to Leveriza Street so there would not be any delay. This is from the office of
the local production crew in Taguig to San Andres and Leveriza," Untalan said.
"There were about ten trucks."
Untalan declined to give specifics of the plan, as well as who have entered
or exited the areas of filming, and those involved were instructed not to give
out details of the movie.
"They give schedules but not ahead of time," Untalan said.
He said the production would come in at 3 a.m. and yesterday it lasted until
12 midnight.
"This is really important for our country because a task force was even made
for this particular filming. This would really help boost the tourism industry
in the country. Other countries are even wanting to have this filmed in their
own country," Untalan said.
"We want to ensure that this film ends here without a hitch," he said.
Untalan said this is the reason why the government is helping out here in
order to show the good things in our country.
An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
said the government should check on the progress of the shooting of the movie.
Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said he was not certain if the movie would
help raise the tourism industry because "it would depend on what kind of film
they would produce."
Pounding on rooftops
Residents said they were excited that it is the first time that their
neighborhood was chosen as location for a Hollywood movie.
No one was complaining about being roused from sleep, as long as they
experience seeing the Hollywood stars right at their doorstep.
The mood among locals was one of excitement, with fans jostling each other to
catch a glimpse of Weisz and Renner as they shot scenes in dark, crowded alleys
near a sprawling slum.
"This is the first time I've seen a Hollywood actor at arm's length and in
person. My heart is still thumping hard," said Elmer Rufino, 43, a sailor who
had returned home for a vacation.
"I've followed the Bourne movies, and now I can tell my shipmates this was
shot in my neighborhood," he said.
Ma. Victoria Jacela said the shooting started right in front of her house.
Jacela said they were requested by the production crew not to open their
doors and windows as the shooting began, but she and her family managed to get a
glimpse of Weisz and Renner as they peeped through window curtains.
"Mukhang suplada si Rachel. Hindi siya ngumingiti (She seemed like a snob.
She wasn't smiling)," said Jacela of Weisz, as the actress gamely sat outside
the door of their house before shooting started.
According to Jacela, in the scene Weisz was shot while buying something at
the pharmacy. A group of extras dressed as Manila policemen then arrived and a
chase in the alley began.
The scene ended with the arrival of Renner riding a motorcycle. Jacela said
she personally saw Renner after he removed his crash helmet.
Ulalo, a resident who rents out her two bedroom apartment to ten young female
students, said this is the first time she witnessed in their neighborhood the
filming of a movie.
The girls also took out their cameras and started taking photos of the
production crew while setting up equipment.
Ulalo said some of the crew rented out some of the apartments near her unit
to be used in the filming.
"It was very loud. Like pounding of hammers and walking on the rooftop, right
on top of our apartment. We were disturbed. But it's okay. We are very excited,"
she said.
"This is the first time we experienced this. We were advised as early as
October that Matt Damon was coming, but this was changed to Jeremy Renner. He's
the star of the movie, we read in the newspapers," she said.
Ulalo said Renner himself checked out her place.
Indian tourist Cyrus Singh said he heard that the movie Bourne Legacy was
being shot in Leveriza, so he visited the place.
"I have some friends here anyway, so I also wanted to see the shooting,"
Singh said.
One resident, 44-year old fruit vendor Giose Valdenor, was hired to be an
extra for the film.
Valdenor said he would be paid P500 for a bit scene of him pushing a cart
laden with watermelons before being hit by speeding car. He said this would be
risky but it's worth it. - Nestor Etolle, Mike Frialde, Evelyn Macairan
It's a go for 'More Fun in the Philippines' campaign
By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated January 11, 2012 12:00
AM
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang assured the public yesterday that
the Department of Tourism's (DOT) slogan and campaign "It's More Fun in the
Philippines" will be implemented despite some criticisms.
"The response has been very positive. To my knowledge, it has been very
positive so we have no problem with the slogan of DOT," presidential spokesman
Edwin Lacierda told reporters in a press briefing.
Lacierda also clarified that the more than P5-million budget for the tourism
campaign was not just for the slogan, but for the whole marketing strategy.
The DOT is being criticized for paying such a large amount when a 1951 "It's
More Fun in Switzerland" advertisement was apparently the original.
"It's not a copied slogan. It's more fun in Switzerland is not a slogan in
Switzerland. It's one of the (ads), if you check the work," Lacierda said.
Lacierda said the advertising campaign would start with the slogan.
"Yes, it is an investment," Lacierda said.
Lacierda also said there was no scheduled meeting yet between the stars of
the Hollywood film "Bourne Legacy" and President Aquino.
Bourne Legacy stars Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz are in Manila to shoot
scenes for the fourth part of the Hollywood action thriller.
"No request has been made as far as I know. That would depend on the schedule
of the President. And you'll all be there to cover them, don't worry, if they
come," Lacierda said.
Regarding the latest travel advisory of Australia, Lacierda said the safety
of the tourists here was assured but the government would respect foreign
countries' decision to caution their citizens as part of their responsibility.
The United States had earlier issued a travel advisory to Americans visiting
the Philippines.
"We can guarantee their (Bourne stars) safety. And, by the way, it's not only
in Manila. They are also going to shoot in the beautiful place of Palawan. So it
will enhance our tourism also," Lacierda said.
Lacierda said they could understand the position of Australia and the US.
"The Australian government will certainly act how it feels is prudent to
protect their citizens. Respect their travel advisory. But again, we assure the
public, we assure the Australian tourists here, as well as any tourist, of their
safety," Lacierda said.
Lacierda said the government was on top of the situation "that's why we have
done what we did (Monday) and before the Black Nazarene fiesta."
Aquino warned devotees last Sunday of a possible terror attack during the
Black Nazarene feast in Quiapo, Manila as millions of devotees were expected to
converge there for hours.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and former Akbayan Rep. Riza
Hontiveros-Baraquel supported the DOT's new slogan.
"It really reflects something we (Filipinos) can deliver," Purisima said.
He said the new slogan of the DOT could help increase tourist arrivals in the
country.
The Finance chief also said he believes the tourism industry will be one of
the biggest sources of revenue of the government this year. Baraquel defended
the DOT against criticisms that the new slogan was copied from Switzerland's
1951 tourism campaign.
"There are a lot of people around the world who can say that (it's more fun
in their country)," she said.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez had explained that the slogan was meant to
reflect a characteristic unique to Filipinos, which is the ability to make
things fun and memorable for their guests and visitors. – With Helen Flores
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
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