Filmmaker exposes Filipino fishers' harassment by China in contested waters

The Guardian
The Guardian
2h ago • 4 views
Baby Ruth Villarama's documentary captures Filipino fishers facing sustained harassment from the Chinese coast guard in the West Philippine Sea, highlighting threats to their livelihoods and food security.
Filmmaker exposes Filipino fishers' harassment by China in contested waters
A What happened
Baby Ruth Villarama's 2025 documentary Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea chronicles the challenges Filipino fishers and military personnel face in the contested waters of the West Philippine Sea, regarded by the Philippines as part of its exclusive economic zone. Over a 60-day filming period, the documentary captures harassment tactics used by the Chinese coast guard, including ramming and cutting fishing nets, which endanger the daily lives of Filipino fishers who depend on these waters for their livelihood. The film also documents the human aspects of life at sea, showing fishers away from families and dealing with personal struggles such as illness. Villarama and her crew experienced a ship ramming themselves, underscoring the dangers faced. In 2025, the documentary was removed from a Philippine film festival program shortly before its premiere after diplomatic pressure from the Chinese Consulate-General in New Zealand, which labeled the film as disinformation serving political agendas. Villarama stresses the larger implications beyond the fishing industry, citing threats to national food security and sovereignty. The film puts a spotlight on the ongoing maritime dispute between China and the Philippines, where despite some minimal restraint to avoid physical violence, Chinese coast guard actions are seen as a form of systematic harassment. Villarama advocates for respecting internationally recognized boundaries like exclusive economic zones as essential for regional stability and the dignity of Filipino workers living and working in challenging conditions.

Key insights

  • 1

    Documentary highlights harassment tactics: The film documents Chinese coast guard methods including ramming and cutting fishing nets to intimidate Filipino fishers in disputed waters.

  • 2

    Diplomatic backlash impacts film screening: Chinese Consulate-General pressured the removal of Food Delivery from Philippine and New Zealand film festivals, accusing it of spreading disinformation.

  • 3

    Livelihoods and national security threatened: The harassment undermines Filipino fishers' economic survival and raises concerns over national food security amidst ongoing maritime disputes.

Takeaways

Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea provides a rare, firsthand account of Filipino fishers' struggles amid Chinese maritime assertiveness, underscoring urgent calls for respect of exclusive economic zones to ensure regional stability and protect vulnerable communities.

Topics

World & Politics International Affairs Human Rights Climate & Environment Water & Oceans