'Bourne' filming begins in Malate

MANILA, Philippines - 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.

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.