THE PHILIPPINES, FEBRUARY 29, 2012: Once dubbed as a “foremost home” by Spanish governor generals, a bustling social hub during the American occupation, and a Japanese garrison during the war, the Malacañang Palace is not merely the residence of the president of the Republic of the Philippines, but also a witness to history.
Giving viewers an exclusive tour of this iconic presidential palace is “Inside Malacañang”. Directed and written by Marnie P. Manicad, the documentary relates the story of Malacañang, and showcases the chambers of the palace that were previously off-limits to the media and the public.
Narrated by Joonee Gamboa, the documentary examines the daily routines and breaks long-held myths and beliefs about the people who work closely with and behind the president: the presidential photographer, the presidential food tester, the group commander of the Presidential Security Group, and the close-in security aide of the president.
“It’s a dream come true,” says Manicad as she recalls the difficulties of obtaining necessary permits to shoot inside the opulent halls of Malacañang. She also emphasized that the documentary is not about the president but the palace. “It gives us a bit of history of Malacañang, how it is viewed by common people, and what it symbolizes. It just so happened that the current occupant of the palace is President Benigno Aquino III. Some of the people we featured served past presidents as well,” she said. The close-in security aide, Manicad reveals, has served under the president’s mother, Corazon Aquino, while the head of the PSG led the team under three different presidents.
This exclusive feature is one and a half years in the making, with the first actual shoot held during President Aquino’s inauguration last June, shared Jude Turcuato, Fox International Channels vice president and territory head for Philippines. The initial idea was to cover the inauguration, which then changed to a documentary of the first 100 days of Presidential Benigno Aquino III, and then eventually transformed into this final product. “I think there’s a lot to be interested about in the Philippines, and this is just the beginning,” Turcuato shared, adding that it makes the network doubly proud that the very first locally produced documentary by the channel’s Philippine office will premiere internationally.
For Manicad, who also dabbles in TV (GMA News TV’s “Turbo Zone” and upcoming program “Home Base) and movies (“Dance of the Steel Bars” starring Ding Dong Dantes and Hollywood actor Patrick Bergin), her very first documentary gives her an overwhelming feeling of being blessed. “We got there. After a year and a half, we got there. It’s a humbling experience for me. It feels phenomenal. I feel so blessed.”
Inside Malacañang will air on March 18, simultaneously over the Southeast Asian territories of Fox International Channels through National Geographic Channel.
