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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Donald Duck Relocates To Manila

Associated Press

Fred Flintstone is not from Bedrock. He is actually from this congested Asian city of 7 million people. So, too, are Tom and Jerry, the Biker Mice from Mars, Aladdin and Donald Duck.

American and other foreign cartoon producers are increasingly setting up shop in the Philippines because of lower production costs and the country’s reputation for talented artists who understand American culture.

“I discovered that the animators were the best I had seen in Asia. They animate from their guts,” said Colin Baker, the founder of Toon City, which has produced Walt Disney television shows such as “Timon and Pumbaa,” a Lion King spin-off; “Duck Daze,” featuring Donald Duck; and “Aladdin,” a spinoff of the movie by that name.

Television cartoons have not been produced in the United States since the late 1970s because of high labor costs. About 90 percent of all American television cartoons are produced in Asia, according to industry estimates.