Film Location Engagement Desk

The Film Location Engagement Desk (FLEX) serves local and foreign productions with inter-agency assistance for government permits, locations, and production logistics in the Philippines, and also engagement with Philippine production companies, technical suppliers, and crew. FLEX is the single-window clearance office that provides a general endorsement to productions to assist in their transactions with government offices across the country.

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FLEX APPLICATION PROCESS

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SUBMIT THE FLEX FORM AND DOCUMENTS
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RECEIVE CONFIRMATION
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COORDINATE WITH THE FILMPHILIPPINES OFFICE
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SHOOT YOUR FILM

  • Any cinema and audiovisual content excluding live events and news coverage

  • Can be of any genre but must NOT be pornographic, contain issues insulting, offensive, and/or portraying the Philippines in a negative light, threaten the national security, and/or promote violence

  • Must be wholly or partly made in the Philippines for development, pre-production, principal photography and/or post-production

  • A local or foreign production company organized and registered as a business and has a project to produce in the Philippines

  • For Filipino companies, they should be accredited by the FDCP National Registry

  • Applicant companies may contact the FPO early to discuss their project and to explore details surrounding FLEX or the other FPI.

  • At least two (2) months* before any Filipino production activity, the applicant company should fill out and submit the FLEX Application Form and all supporting documents (download here: www.filmphilippines.com/film-now/film-location-engagement-desk-flex)

  • The FPO will verify the documents and the feasibility of the request and may ask for any further information. FPO may decline or accept an application if it does not follow and/or comply with these Guidelines and/or if the services asked are out of the FPO scope.

  • Upon approval, the applicant company will receive the notification letter as well as the corresponding MOA for signature within ten (10) days after the date of submission of the FLEX form and complete attachments. For the local production companies applying, the hard copy of the signed MOA shall be sent to the FDCP Office. While for the foreign production companies, a soft copy of the signed MOA shall be sent through email.

  • Upon receipt of the signed MOA, the FPO will send to the applicant company the corresponding FLEX services forms within six (6) days. The applicant should fill out and submit the service forms to FPO.

  • Upon receipt of the complete services forms, the FPO can start coordinating with other governmental agencies on the agreed services. It can take up to forty (40) days* before any production activity in the Philippines can begin.

  • The applicant company can start shooting.

*NOTE: While two (2) months is the standard amount of time it can take for the FPO to complete a FLEX assistance, there are some cases wherein partner government agencies/units might require a longer processing time (e.g. use of special government production assets). We recommend submitting your application as early as possible.

The application period for FLEX is open all year round.

  • Complete each page of the FLEX Application Form as much as possible 

  • Submit a Letter of Request addressed to FDCP’s Chairperson Liza Diño stating the intent and detailing the type of assistance the production requires

  • Attach the detailed Project Dossier (depending on the type of project): long synopsis, working script, treatment, mood board (in pptx, docx, pdf)

  • Provide the filmography of the main production company and Filmmaker

  • If you are asking for the Visa and exemption service, please provide a Safety and Health Protocol

  • If you are asking for the Visa and exemption service, please provide a Risk assessment Plan