Taal Volcano is seen in parts of American pop star Katy Perry's music video for her latest single 'Roar.' -- Screengrab from YouTube video

DOT chief happy with PH landmark's cameo

MANILA -- If a panorama seen in Katy Perry's latest music video seems familiar to Filipinos, it's because it is of the picturesque Taal Volcano in Batangas.



Released last Thursday, the music video for the American pop star's new single, "Roar," features a shot of the famous Philippine landmark and its surrounding lake at the 2:28- and 2:39-minute marks.



In the video, which had over 14.7 million views as of posting, Perry is seen as a survivor of a plane crash who successfully adjusts to living in the wild.



Referring to the inclusion of Taal Volcano in the video, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez expressed joy with the Philippines being featured "in a good light."



"[It is] a picture of the Philippines in what is obviously paradise. I am very happy," Jimenez was quoted as saying by GMA News on Saturday.



"It's no secret that, when Katy Perry went to the country, she fell in love with Philippines. I would not be surprised if she made the choice [of including Taal in the video] the herself. [But] I do not know that for a fact," he said.







Perry has visited the Philippines twice, in October 2009 and in January 2012, as part of her concert tours.



The paradise-like depiction of Taal Volcano in Perry's music video is seen as a more favorable look at Philippine locations as featured in international media.



Early this year, famed American novelist Dan Brown stirred controversy with his scathing description of Manila as the "gates of hell" in his book "Inferno."



In 2012, the American action flick "The Bourne Legacy" extensively featured "gritty" Manila, prominently showing the Philippine capital's traffic jams and crisscrossing streets packed with pedestrians.



The film nonetheless showed El Nido, Palawan in its closing scenes, which was then lauded by the Department of Tourism.



Pleased with the latest "cameo" of a Philippine location in foreign media, Jimenez on Saturday said, "We encourage all our friends around the world to feature [the country] in a good light."