Worth: $18.00
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Cast:
Bobby Chan, Nieves Rosento, Tata, Kap
Intro:
… an eye-opening experience to watch people who are on the front lines of a very real war for their home.
Delikado in Tagalog means danger; an apt title for Karl Malankunas’ award-winning documentary which shows the danger of environmental activism on Palawan Island in the western Philippines, but also the danger of governmental overreach and corporate greed that is destroying one of the most diverse natural areas in the world.
Malankunas and his team initially were interested in creating a documentary about eco-tourism, but soon found that much darker forces were working on Palawan and the region of El Nido.
An internet search for the region will bring up results of Westerners enjoying pristine beaches and high-end resorts, but the cost of this tourist oasis is not only ruining the delicate ecology of the area, but displacing locals who are being forced to sell their land to developers and the government.
The documentary begins with a group of men, led by an ex-logger, Tata conducting raids on illegal loggers and confiscating their chainsaws. The men work for the Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI), first established in 1991 by local lawyer Bobby Chan. The mission of the PNNI is to help create a sustainable future for the locals of Palawan and includes legal aid as well as environmental education.
As the illegal logging and fishing in the area has ramped up to unsanctionable levels, the PNNI became involved in more on the ground activism which included citizens’ arrests for illegal loggers and fishers. “Third world problems require third world solutions,” says Bobby Chan.
Solutions are not being found in the corrupt government of the area led by Governor Jose Alvarez, whose brother owns shares in resort land and who is also the cousin and a major financial donor for the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
The only political ally that the PNNI have is mayor Nieves Rosento, but soon there will be an election and her opponent Edna G. Lim is pro development.
Malakunas takes a dual approach to the documentary by concentrating on the dangerous lives that the environmental activists lead and the politically compromised mayoral race. He does not shy away from the fact that the lives of Chan, Tata, and Rosento are in constant danger. Chan receives open death threats, Tata, like his friend Kap, could easily be killed by loggers who are now armed, and Rosento finds herself on a “list” made by Duterte of potential drug smugglers and dealers (a tactic he has used to remove rivals).
Cinematographer Tom Bannigan creates stunning and distressing shots of Palawan Island. The incredible old growth forest is juxtaposed with the devastation that illegal logging and clearing for further resorts has wrought.
Malakunas’ camera is on the ground and embedded with the PNNI as they carry out their dangerous raids. There are moments that are heart-stopping in their intensity as we hear shots ring out that lead to the death of PNNI members.
The PNNI are gentle with the illegal loggers and fishers – they understand that poverty has led these men into the trade. All they want is to confiscate the tools of their trade – whether that be chainsaws or boats. Bobby Chan keeps the confiscated chainsaws as proof that community activism can work.
The documentary takes a turn as the local elections approach. Rosento, an exceedingly brave woman, is under threat for her life and she and her family are not safe. Once on Duterte’s list, she is a marked woman. Security needs to follow her to keep her safe, but she is also being followed by others. Eventually, her bid for mayor is lost because Alvarez and Duterte’s influence has frightened away locals and because it would appear that her opponent, Lim, is buying votes.
In true David vs. Goliath fashion, the activists fight against a corrupt regime that relies on the poverty of the local people and their fear of reprisal to keep from acting. The Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a land protector. By the end of the documentary, Bobby Chan’s PNNI headquarters is raided and the chainsaws are returned to loggers. He is also considered persona non grata by the Philippines government. Despite the massive set back, Rosento decides that she will eventually run for governor (a position still held by Alvarez) and the PNNI are still active. More have died, more will die, but the sheer will of the people to protect their land is a testament to the dedication and bravery of land protectors.
Karl Malakunas’ documentary is critically essential viewing. Delikado brings with it a level of despair but also an appreciation of the courageousness of the people on Palawan Island to stand up to big money and bad government, to keep their ecosystem alive. For those of us who only see the large demonstrations on climate change and environmentalism through Western activism, it is an eye-opening experience to watch people who are on the front lines of a very real war for their home.
Delikado will be screening at the Asia Pacific Screening Awards on Friday November 11 at HOTA with the Director Karl Malakunus attending.
