MANILA – Netflix has finally arrived in the Philippines last week but this is not the first time that Filipinos are getting a taste of video-on-demand service.
In 2015, iflix and HOOQ introduced what was then an eyebrow-raising concept to a country with the slowest and most expensive internet in the world. We have heard of Netflix (and chill) in the US but this was the first time that we got to experience first hand, the convenience of a video-on-demand service. We worried about the crappy internet connection but the two service providers assured that their content is suited to our current internet standards.
iflix is offering their service for only P129 per month. This entitles the subscriber to unlimited access to thousands of hours of TV shows and movies that can be screened on up to five devices.
Meanwhile, HOOQ, powered by Globe in partnership with Singtel, Sony Pictures Television (SPT), and Warner Bros. Entertainment, offers more than 35,000 hours of content including Hollywood movies and TV series, and local movies and TV shows from GMA Network and ABS-CBN among others for P149 per month.
“The announcement by Netflix is great news from an industry perspective. It reaffirms that the shift in entertainment consumption to on demand is a global phenomenon. For consumers, it is great that at least a subset of the Netflix branded content is now legally available without a VPN,” said Sherwin dela Cruz, Country Manager, iflix Philippines, in an interview with adobo.
“HOOQ wholeheartedly welcomes the entrance of a large established player like Netflix to quicken the pace of the evolution of the OTT category, which is still nascent,” said in an official statement by HOOQ.
Netflix’s pricing, on the other hand, is more than double the price of the two, offering three different plans starting at P370 for basic services, P460 for standard services and P550 for premium. What makes Netflix different from iflix and HOOQ is their originally-produced offerings like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, and original full-length movies like A Very Murray Christmas.
A few days ago, a report from Finder.com saying that 93% of Netflix’s content will not be available in the Philippines floated across social media. According to additional reports, this may be due to licensing and copyright issues.
At the end of the day, the service you choose still depends on your show preferences and of course, your budget.
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