7 hours Ago By Lé Baltar
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-1" );MANILA, Philippines – The teaser for Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea, Baby Ruth Villarama’s latest documentary film, shows a small fishing boat gently riding the ocean waves at sundown, before it trains the camera on some sort of struggle underwater, depicting a fisherman laboriously netting the shoals of fish circling him. Play VideoThe teaser then cuts to an overhead shot of a maritime vessel approaching the waters, then a closeup of a woman observing the sea via a telescope, a fisherman waving the Philippine flag, and, finally, a wide shot of two local vessels, a coast guard ship and a fishing boat adjacent to each other.
The film tracks the efforts of Filipino fisherfolk and maritime authorities to provide food to communities bearing the brunt of China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Highly anticipated, it is among the eight feature films headlining the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival. However, what was supposed to be CinePanalo’s first full-length documentary title, set to hit local theaters March 14, abruptly got axed two days prior to the opening of the festival’s sophomore edition.
In a joint statement issued March 12, Villarama and festival director Chris Cahilig announced the film’s exit from the festival, citing “external factors.” “We appreciate the continued support from those who believe in the film’s importance and will announce alternative screenings soon,” read the statement.“My first reaction was shock,” Villarama told Rappler.
“We had poured so much into this project since last year, and it felt like we were so close to sharing something truly meaningful. For them it’s just a small film, but for us, it’s our life and the lives of those we magnified.”On the same day, Villarama and her crew had to cancel all reservations made for the movie’s gala premiere.
Some fisherfolk featured in the documentary were also set to attend the gala.“Breaking the news to my team was incredibly tough,” said the director. “They were as committed to this film as I was, and seeing their disappointment was heart-wrenching.
I told them the truth immediately before the statement was out, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation, but also assuring them that we wouldn’t give up, that we would find another way to bring the film to the world.” ‘External pressures’STRUGGLES AT SEA. ‘Food Delivery’ documents the struggle of Filipino fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea.
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-2" );Food Delivery was already nearing completion before Villarama learned of the decision. Her crew was just adding some final touches on sound mixing, including the English subtitles for the foreign juror the festival had invited (The jury deliberation was set for the following day).
The movie also secured a PG rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).Villarama, though, had no opportunity to appeal, since there was no meeting prior to the pull-out. Cahilig, who the director said “has always been kind and supportive,” simply visited the editing studio and broke the news.
“It was more of an FYI for me at that point,” she said.Cahilig refused to provide further comment on the withdrawal, saying he doesn’t “have much info to offer.” “What we know [is] already reflected [in] the statement.
”“As for whether it’s a form of censorship, I would say it certainly feels like it,” argued Villarama. “The decision seemed to be driven by external pressures, and it appears our film was pulled [out] to avoid any potential disruption.”What those external pressures exactly are, the director cannot nail down.
“It’s difficult to pinpoint all the factors at play since we weren’t involved in their decision-making process, nor were we invited to their meeting where that decision happened. However, it’s clear that both political and economic pressures influenced the festival’s decision to pull [out] the film. It felt like the easiest solution for them, with us being a small collateral damage.
”Since 2012, the Chinese Coast Guard has been patrolling the Scarborough Shoal (also known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc), the contested territory, just 240 kilometers west of Luzon that shelters rich aquatic resources. In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands declared that China’s sweeping nine-dash line claim has no legal basis. China disregarded the landmark ruling and instead continued heightened militarization and encroachment in the area, especially under the Rodrigo Duterte regime.
CinePanalo, meanwhile, is funded by Puregold Price Club, a supermarket chain owned by the Cos, a Filipino-Chinese business clan, whose leaders Lucio and Susan Co are among the country’s richest, per a 2024 report by Forbes Magazine.Food Delivery now becomes the latest addition to a list of Filipino-led documentaries that faced censorship since last year’s axed screening of Bryan Brazil’s Lost Sabungeros and the alleged sabotage of Seán Devlin’s Asog at Cinemalaya, alongside the public viewing ban handed by the MTRCB to JL Burgos’ Alipato at Muog, before it was eventually reclassified to R-16 following protests. Journey at seawindow.
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displayAd( "mobile-middle-3" );BABY RUTH VILLARAMA. ‘My first reaction was shock,’ director Villarama, pictured here, tells Rappler. Photo courtesy of Therese MalvarParallel to its screening roadblocks, the cruise towards the movie’s fruition is just as challenging.
Villarama said Food Delivery wasn’t something that had long been in the pipeline, but one that felt urgent and necessary. “This project really grew out of our ongoing collective concern for the Filipino fishermen and soldiers who are so often invisible in the larger political narrative but are often chased and bullied,” shared the acclaimed director, also known for films like Sunday Beauty Queen, Jazz in Love, and Home of the Brave.With a small yet lean crew in tow, pre-production and legwork got going around July 2024.
It was a hands-on process as the team dealt with state institutions like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense, the Philippine Coast Guard, and even Malacañang. “The requirements were thorough, and we had to submit extensive paperwork, including a list of potential participants. Scheduling was also unpredictable due to weather and geopolitical security in the area, and those on our list had to be readily available at a moment’s notice,” explained Villarama.
Apart from the “bureaucratic maze” the crew had to endure, trust largely factored into the making of the movie, as they were filming marginalized communities. “Gaining access and telling their stories authentically was our priority,” the director continued. “We couldn’t just show up with a camera and expect people to open up; it took time to understand their daily lives, their struggles on the water, and the political challenges they face.
It was a delicate balance — one that required us to be present, patient, and respectful as we navigated these complex issues.”The journey at sea also made Villarama realize “how limited we are in terms of our water assets as an archipelagic nation.” “Like why? Our territories are so porous.
It was a truth I needed to process post witnessing.” “There was also the quiet dignity in the voices of our fishermen and coast guards that struck me deeply,” she added. “It captured the essence of what this film is about — the unwavering determination to keep moving forward despite all the obstacles.
That moment has stayed with us — a reminder of the incredible strength of the people we were fortunate enough to document.”And while the movie’s voyage may be halted, it certainly doesn’t end there. Villarama still hopes for a nationwide local premiere to honor the story’s provenance, but she also recognizes that the hurdles are now heightened.
Taking the international route is the film’s next step. “No matter where it premieres, this film needs to be shared with the world. I hope a brave distributor can step forward, and that cinemas and streaming platforms will be open to showcasing it,” she said.
QUIET DIGNITY. Director Baby Ruth Villarama on the set of ‘Food Delivery,’ who noted the ‘quiet dignity’ among the fisherfolk and coast guard that ‘struck her deeply.’ Photo courtesy of Therese MalvarFilipino labor has always been a towering throughline in Villarama’s body of work.
But while she draws focus to the broader structures that exploit Filipino workers, she clarifies that “it’s not just about documenting hardship, but also about showing the strength and the shared humanity of those who are often overlooked.” “The lens of news will always move on to capture the next big thing, but some truths are better understood when one stays a little bit longer to listen,” she said.Villarama continued, “Films about human rights and sovereignty are not just important — they are necessary, now more than ever.
In a world where the powerful control the narrative, it seems ordinary people are always at the losing end, but maybe — just maybe — by sharing the truth once and for all through docs, we can spark something bigger than ourselves.” “We’re not heroes, but collectively, maybe we can be.” – Rappler.
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