The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Newport World Resorts agree that a well-produced Filipino musical can sell the Philippines the same way a beach or a mountain does, if it gets the venues, marketing, and campaign support to prove it.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed September 1 in Makati City, folds live performances and cultural productions into the DOT’s national campaigns. Under the deal, the department will integrate Newport World Resorts’ shows into “Love the Philippines” and “Discover More to Love,” promote original Filipino productions specifically, and connect the resort group with tourism stakeholders overseas.
“Entertainment has become one of the strongest reasons travelers choose to visit and return to a destination, and this partnership allows us to bring that experience to more Filipinos and international visitors alike,” said DOT Secretary Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay at the signing.
She was direct about where the value sits beyond ticket sales. “Through this collaboration, we hope to showcase Filipino talent and creativity as part of what makes the Philippines worth discovering,” she said, calling the deal an opportunity to support “our creative economy, from performers to production teams.”
From campaign to curtain call
A campaign hashtag does not fill a theater. Newport World Resorts’ side of the agreement is built to close that distance: integrated stay, dine, and watch packages, visitor itineraries centered on Metro Manila, and promotional ticket offers designed to turn a national ad into something a traveler can actually book a seat for.
Newport World Resorts President and CEO Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez framed the bet as one on substance over convenience.
“Guided by our Executive Chairman Kevin L. Tan’s commitment to nation-building, we have always believed that tourism becomes stronger when destinations offer more than access and accommodation,” he said. “They must offer experiences that give people a deeper reason to visit, stay longer, return, and ultimately, discover more to love about the Philippines.”
None of this works without somewhere to stage it. Full House Theater Company (FHTC), Newport World Resorts’ production arm, will anchor the partnership’s live entertainment slate. FHTC is also set to produce for Westside Resort, opening this year in Entertainment City, which adds four more theater venues under the same roof. Both properties fall under Travellers Group, which has been expanding its stage count in step with a stated goal: positioning the Philippines as the region’s answer to Broadway.
That kind of positioning only means something if the productions can hold their own, which is where FHTC’s next show comes in.
FHTC’s new musical, Bongga Ka, ‘Day! The Annie Batungbakal Musical, opens September 18, 2026, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. It is a homegrown story staged for a homegrown audience first, which makes it a fitting early test of what this MOU is actually promising: that a Filipino production, done well, can be the reason someone books a trip to Manila, not just something they stumble into once they arrive.
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