PCG: Filipinos deserve to watch West Philippine Sea documentary

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela said Filipinos deserve to see the documentary film that features the plight of Filipino fishermen venturing out to the West Philippine Sea, despite apparent objections from China.

“Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea,” directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, recently won the Tides of Change Award at the Doc Edge Film Festival in New Zealand even with pressure from the Chinese embassy there to stop the film showing.

The National Security Council has cried foul over the apparent interference by China to censor the film, saying “The use of diplomatic pressure to demand the cancellation of the documentary’s screening represents a blatant attempt to silence a powerful narrative that exposes the truth about the situation in the West Philippine Sea and the daily realities faced by Filipino fisherfolk.”

In March 2025, the production outlet behind the film pulled it out from the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, citing “external factors.”

The documentary supposedly narrates the efforts of Filipino fishers, as well as personnel from the PCG and the Philippine Navy, to defend their livelihood and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, according to earlier reports.

“Filipinos deserve to see the documentary. Maybe that’s why China wanted to stop the showing in New Zealand,” Tarriela said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum on Wednesday.

He said “somebody has to explain” the decision not to show the film in theaters in the Philippines, which he recognized as the producer’s call.

“If it will not be shown here and only foreigners can appreciate it… that is where the problem begins,” he maintained.

Tarriela and officials of agencies that form the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea led by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año have seen the documentary, with the latter saying he “understood the significance to show to the world and not just to Filipinos the bullying by China.”

‘Show film docu in schools’

Former Surigao del Norte congressman Robert Ace Barbers yesterday called on the Marcos administration to show “for free” to all Filipino students the 82-minute award-winning documentary film depicting the sufferings of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.

“All freedom-loving, nationalistic and patriotic Filipinos, particularly the young ones, should be able to watch this movie which should be shown in all high schools, colleges and universities in the country, so they could get the real glimpse of what’s happening in the WPS,” he said.

Barbers suggested this would be best handled by Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education to put up local dialect “subtitles."

Villarama assuaged fears of bias on her part.

“We have no politics behind the personal stories of our people, and make sure the world can see the truth about our struggles and quiet power. This is our story and the WPS is truly ours,” she said.

Villarama admits she has Chinese blood in her heritage, and even invited the China government to watch the film and “engage in an open, sincere conversation as genuine friends and neighbors.” – Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano