‘Incognito’ takes its final mission to Marawi

  As “Incognito” nears its last episodes, t he ABS-CBN action-packed primetime series chose Marawi City as the filming site for its finale.

In an interview with The Philippine STAR, director and executive producer Lester Pimentel Ong revealed the experience of shooting in the once war-torn area in Mindanao.

The final mission of the covert group The Kontraks, played by an ensemble cast — Richard Gutierrez, Baron Geisler, Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings, Kaila Estrada, Ian Veneracion and Daniel Padilla, unfolds against the backdrop of a place once associated with conflict — but now, with hope and healing.

It’s worth noting that the shoot took place eight years after the Marawi Siege in May 2017.

“Marawi is the best location to fit the story,” said direk Lester. “It was a narrative requirement.”

The director noted that while “Incognito” uses fictional names for its story locations, filming in real places like Japan, Italy, Palawan, Benguet, Tacloban and Marawi added authenticity.

According to Ong, the decision to shoot in Marawi wasn’t just for storytelling. They had another purpose — to help break certain perceptions about safety in the area.

“We wanted to help rebuild Marawi by boosting its image to the whole Philippines and even the world — that Marawi is a safe place.”

It was also their way of giving back to the community. “Kung kami nga, ang dami namin, including all the A-list actors that we have in our team, and we went there to shoot, it’s to show it’s really safe. And we were able to shoot content that shows the modern side of Marawi that was rebuilt.

“So, it’s our way of giving back to the community — to promote them.”

With cast, crew and some members of Task Force Marawi during the last shooting days of the primetime action series.

He further shared that the people there were extremely welcoming.

“We were welcomed warmly by the mayor, the local government… They gave full support, even sending us food. The Task Force Marawi, the military group in charge of the city’s safety and security, also extended their full support. They assigned a good number of soldiers to help provide 24-hour security. Although feeling namin it’s a little bit sobra ang service,” he admitted.

“They were happy that we came there and saw us. They were thrilled to see that we were there and that the artists were, too. They were excited, and it felt like the entire mood turned festive while we were there.”

He continued, “On our days off, we would go to tourist areas. We visited the Mindanao State University campus, toured the museum…

“It’s a beautiful place. It’s wonderful. Kanya-kanya kaming post ng beautiful places in Marawi.”

Though logistically challenging and more expensive — involving flights to Cagayan de Oro and two-hour land trips, plus air-freighting sensitive camera equipment — Ong said the experience was worth every effort.

“It’s always costly (shooting on location) because we have to fly everyone in, ship the equipment, and airfreight sensitive gear like cameras and lenses. Flying there was quite expensive, too.”

Direk Lester also noted that no extraordinary preparations were needed.

“We approached it the same way we prepared for our Tacloban shoot or any other. Nothing out of the ordinary in terms of logistics. And super accommodating nila.

“One of the reasons we wanted to shoot in those places is because sila yung less na napapansin na lugar sa Pilipinas pero maganda. Just like Tacloban — it’s beautiful, organized and deserves to be showcased.”

He added that Marawi’s cool, elevated climate — similar to Baguio’s — made it ideal for physically demanding scenes.

“Even at high noon, we could shoot outside without any problem. The weather felt like Baguio’s, all year round.

In choosing locations, Ong said the team first agrees on the story to tell. Once the mission and narrative are formed, they shoot in the location that best fits the story.

Beyond visuals, Marawi also adds emotional weight to the story’s climax. “I think it’s the best mission that we have of all. Ito pinakapaborito ko sa lahat.”

“Incognito” has trended and been lauded not only for its high-octane sequences but also for its commitment to cinematic quality on television. Looking back, Ong could say that the show did very well — even advertising-wise. In terms of streaming numbers, it never left the Top 10 most-watched shows on Netflix Philippines.

“We really pushed the bar because we have this dream of elevating the quality of films and series. We want to someday be at par with the rest of the world when it comes to quality,” direk Lester said.

“We dream of being watched by audiences in other countries, the way they consume Thai and Korean films. Hopefully, someday, Filipino content will also reach that level.”