Is the Philippines becoming the next international film hotspot?

Park Min-young’s new Korean drama Confidence Queen recently made headlines for featuring scenes shot in the Philippines, and the Department of Tourism (DOT) is hoping to attract even more international productions to follow.

On Instagram, Prime Video Philippines shared clips of Park Min-young dressed as a flight attendant alongside co-star Joo Jong-hyuk, filmed at Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

“Brb, following the traces of #ParkMinYoung and #JooJongHyuk in the Philippines!” Prime Video captioned.

While this excites many K-drama fans, it’s not the first time the country has served as a set. The romance drama Forest (2020), starring Choi Woo-shik, showcased various parts of Manila, including Okada Manila, Cove Manila, SM Mall of Asia, Intramuros, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Another of Choi’s series, Big Bet (2022–2023), also featured Manila and included Filipino actors like Bembol Roco, Ronnie Lazaro, and Epy Quizon. More recently, A Killer Paradox (2024) was shot in Navotas and nearby areas.

In March, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco invited Hollywood filmmakers to consider the Philippines as a film location during her meeting with American filmmakers and Filipino-American actors in California.

“From our pristine beaches in Boracay, Palawan, Siquijor, Cebu, and Camiguin to our lush landscapes in Batanes and Bukidnon, and from the historic walls of Intramuros to the bustling streets of Cebu City, there’s a wealth of destinations where you can make your films,” Frasco said.

She also noted that the CREATE Act (Republic Act 11534) enhances tax incentive systems and streamlines business processes for investors, including those in the film industry. Under the law, foreign film production companies collaborating with local firms can register as tourism enterprises and enjoy incentives such as a 4- to 6-year income tax holiday, depending on the filming location.

The Philippines has also been a backdrop for several Hollywood films. Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) used Baler, Aurora, as a stand-in for Vietnam. The Bourne Legacy (2012) shot several action scenes in Manila and its final scene in El Nido, Palawan. Even Avengers: Infinity War (2018) featured the breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao as the home of the villain Thanos in its closing scene.

Most recently, the DOT has taken steps to tap India’s Bollywood industry to showcase Philippine destinations, following Frasco’s meeting with representatives from Bollylands.com and the National Film Development Corporation of India.