Before someone visits the Philippines, one of the first steps they probably do is to search on the internet information that will answer their questions, ‘What’s in there?’ ‘What are the best places to visit there?’ or ‘What are the fun things to do there?’
But as they go to the country, they will, perhaps, realize that beautiful things in the Philippines are not just its tourist spots or sceneries.
In less than two minutes, the video titled, “The Beauty of the Philippines,” posted by American actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt on his official Facebook page showed a series of photos of the country’s sceneries. But even though these are aesthetically pleasing, it turns out that these views were not the “most beautiful thing” that can be found in the Philippines — it is its people, as uttered in a voice-over.
Flashing photos of them in the video, the voice-over said Filipinos “find the beauty in all things” and “they will make you feel like you are a family, like you are home.”
“Every spot is special, but it is the people you will remember most,” it said.
“You will discover how a simple smile from a stranger can change your day,” it added.
Gordon-Levitt announced last month that he had a project and he needed Filipinos to send him any photos “taken somewhere in the Philippines” that they are proud of. The Department of Tourism (DOT) also shared the actor’s post on its Facebook page and encouraged Filipinos to help him.
Hello to my friends in the Philippines! I've got another project for you…Find a photo that you've taken somewhere in…
Posted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Monday, August 17, 2020
Calling all travelers and adventurers! Joseph Gordon-Levitt needs our help. Find your best photo of our beautiful…
Posted by Department of Tourism – Philippines on Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Before this, he was also looking for Filipino writers who could write a sentence or two about a captured moment in Donsol in Sorsogon, which was a photo of a fisherman’s boat in the waters.
Looking for people from the Philippines who like to write… know anyone? :)I need someone to write a sentence or two…
Posted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Thursday, August 13, 2020
In his caption, the “500 Days of Summer” star said “The Beauty of the Philippines” is a collaboration of artists from the Philippines who “contributed thousands of photos and videos to bring other artists’ writing and voice acting to life.”
“Wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who contributed. Your enthusiasm for this project really moved me. So did your talent and creativity,” he said.
“The finished piece is such a sweet celebration of a beautiful place and culture. Bravo to everyone who contributed!” he added.
The project has more than 700 shares and 40,000 views, as of writing.