MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III received Wednesday the lead actor and production team of the Hollywood action thriller “The Bourne Legacy” who expressed gratitude to the Filipino people for the warm hospitality accorded them during their stay while shooting the international film in the country.
In a courtesy call to President Aquino at the President’s Hall of the Malacanang Palace, Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner thanked the Filipinos for the warm welcome saying that the film’s cast and crew were happy for having chosen the Philippines as location for their movie.
He was accompanied by executive producer Patrick Crowley, executive production manager Daniel Stillman and Philippine producer and Executive Vice President of Philippines Film Studios Inc. Lope Juban Jr.
Also present were other government officials led by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma Jr., Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang.
“It was a very cordial and happy meeting… the President got to talk to them about the future of the Philippines which they are very interested in now, kasi na-in love sila sa Pilipinas, so they got a short history and civics lesson from the President,” Jimenez said.
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, for his part, said that the film’s production shoot has created several job opportunities for the Filipinos apart from promoting the country’s innate beauty as a perfect tourist destination.
“Nagpasalamat and they shared their experiences (dito) sa Pilipinas and yung pangakong magiging maganda ang kalalabasan nito sa pelikula. May mga nabigyan pangsamantala ng trabaho, hopefully, maganda ang promotion nito (film) sa bansa natin,” he said.
The 40-year old Renner has six more shooting days for the film before leaving the country. He is scheduled to shoot some scenes at the Jones Bridge in Manila.
The cast and crew arrived in Manila last month for the filming of the latest installment in the popular "Bourne" series based on the spy novels of Robert Ludlum.
Among the locations that were included in the scenes of the film are Navotas fish port, Marikina City, Palawan, Boracay, Intramuros, San Andres market in Malate, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Ayala Avenue, Nagtahan and the Pasay-Taft Rotonda, among others.
In the film, Renner plays the role of new CIA agent Aaron Cross.
Recently, Renner also co-starred with one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actor Tom Cruise in the film "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" before shooting "The Bourne Legacy" with Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton. (PNA)
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