Philippines Videos - The Documentary Network

Becoming Pacquiao

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:33:04 +0000

Motivated by the rags-to-riches story of national hero Manny Pacquiao, many Filipinos see boxing as a ticket out of poverty. But success stories are rare. 101 East follows a group of young fighters as they try to survive a brutal boxing industry. The crowd bays for blood as boxer Brian Diano steps into the ring. Tonight, the Filipino underdog fights for his life... and more. His impoverished teammates back home are counting on his paltry prize money to feed their hungry stomachs. Their manager and father figure Jun Gandeza is near bankrupt but refuses to abandon the close-knit boxers. Inspired by the rags-to-riches story of national hero Manny Pacquiao, many Filipinos see boxing as a ticket out of poverty. But success stories are rare. Meet those fighting for a brighter future and asks: Will these young fighters survive the brutal boxing industry?

The Killer Storm

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 13:38:13 +0000

The Philippines sits on a typhoon belt and is battered by super storms every year. But at 4.40am on Friday, November 8, 2013, the central island province of Leyte was hit by the most powerful storm to ever make landfall. Super Typhoon Haiyan tore through six provinces with winds of over 320 kilometres per hour. Her fury came hours earlier than expected and dragged the sea onshore. The surging waves killed thousands of people and flattened entire towns. Today, more than four million Filipinos are homeless and displaced in the catastrophic aftermath. Many people have left to seek sanctuary in cities like Manila and Cebu, after 80 percent of the buildings that were in the super typhoon's path were destroyed. With no clean water, no electricity and very little food, officials have struggled to distribute aid. And looting was widespread in the early days. Despite the world’s attention on this storm-ravaged island, one city, Tanauan, was cut off for days. According to one national government agency and World Vision International, Tanauan was the hardest hit town by the storm. And its plight went largely unreported - 95 percent of the buildings in this coastal town were flattened. We meet the local mayor Pel Tecson, who lost almost all of the town’s relief supplies because like the others, he did not anticipate the storm surge. Medicine and food were washed away because they were kept on the ground floor of the City Hall. The local government says it is also a victim of the calamity. The team also filmed the City Hall as it was transformed into a casualty ward flooded with people desperate for medicine and treatment for severely infected wounds. When the town rebuilds, the mayor wants to move entire communities away from the shoreline and review building codes. In neighbourhoods along the coast, which authorities call the danger zone, reporter Drew Ambrose hears dramatic stories of survival against the odds where entire families clung desperately to wooden planks and fridges to survive the five-metre torrent of water. Many of them lost loved ones to Super Typhoon Haiyan with some of their family members still missing, all are struggling to survive. And just 15 minutes outside the provincial capital, residents of this city are struggling to receive aid in the aftermath of the storm. In the initial days after the disaster, the film documents the chaos and the challenges of Typhoon Haiyan.

Killer Kids – VICE on HBO: Episode 1

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 09:39:36 +0000

In this first episode, Ryan Duffy travels to the Philippines to explore the rampant political violence during election season and VICE co-founder Shane Smith heads to Afghanistan to speak with would-be child suicide bombers who were captured before they could kill themselves and others. In the Philippines, election season is more like hunting season. Rivals simply rub out their opponents instead of defeating them at the polls. In the 2010 election year alone, more than 100 people were killed due to political violence. VICE follows the cycle of violence in this gun-crazy island nation all the way from an underground factory where illicit weapons are made to the villages full of young men who can’t wait to get their hands on them. In Afghanistan, senior members of the Taliban are now manipulating children and teenagers into carrying out their suicide bombings. They brainwash illiterate kids not well-versed in their own religion, and even fool them into believing they will survive the blast. VICE meets with young kids who were captured before they blew themselves and others up, as well as some of the victims of these tragic bombings.

Swimming with Whale Sharks in Donsol – The Philippines

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 06:10:54 +0000

Whale sharks are the largest of the ocean's fish, weighing up to 20 tonnes. They pose no threat to humans, feeding mainly on plankton in the warm waters of the tropics. These sharks are approachable creatures – docile enough to allow the occasional swimmer to hitch a ride. Although they are a vulnerable species, they continue to be hunted for their meat in parts of Asia. Whale shark hunting hit a peak in the 1990s, with prices of up to $800 per kilogramme of dried fin meat attracting a fresh influx of hunters to Donsol in the Philippines. In 1997, around 200 of the creatures were slaughtered. Whale sightings started to diminish. After campaigning by the local community and conservation groups, whale shark hunting became punishable by Philippine law in 1998. WWF Philippines, the UNDP and the local government together developed a community-based ecotourism and conservation programme, with the aim of providing local people with a sustainable income whilst protecting the species. In a few years Donsol had transformed from a small coastal community into one of the world's most popular destinations for whale shark tourism. Although there are records of whale shark sightings from the early 19th century, relatively few scientific studies have been carried out. An important aspect of the Donsol programme is collecting data using tags which give an insight into the whale sharks' behaviour and habitats. Once this has been established, it may be possible to introduce marine protected areas to help safeguard the species. As Gelareh Darabi discovers when she visits the fishing town of Donsol in the Philippines, there is growing recognition that whale sharks are worth far more alive than dead. She meets some of the locals who now earn a living from ecotourism, and goes in search of the elusive gentle giant. If you plan a stay in Donsol you should take a look at dive resort "Giddy's Place"

A Shining Light – Phillipines

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:23:28 +0000

In the slums of Manila one man's simple idea is bringing light into the dark lives of thousands of poor residents. His bright idea has become so popular that the local prison has even set up a production line. In makeshift houses that are mainly windowless, Illac Diaz pokes a plastic bottle filled with water through a specially cut hole in the roof, gathering natural light from outside and refracting it into the darkened rooms below. "It changes the whole dynamics of the family." And now Diaz is building whole schools, houses and clinics from recycled bottles. "We cannot wait for people to come and help us. This is a revolution from the bottom up."

One Day in the Life of a Rice Farmer

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 05:29:27 +0000

This film shows one day in jun jun's rice farming life at M'Lang in the south of the philippines. You experience the daily work from seeding, growing to harvesting. Nice film that comes without music and uses the power of "nature sound". Director, Camera: Alexander Baumgartner Sound: Isabelle Baumgartner Film Editing: Alexander Baumgartner Sound Design: Ferdinand Feifel

A Liter Of Light

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 06:53:51 +0000

A short film presenting a very promising project to bring more light into life. Today, millions of households still remain powerless at home. The idea: Turning waste plastic bottles into solar homes. Vision Do you know that millions of families still live in the dark? MyShelter Foundation aims to brighten up one million homes in the Philippines and around the world by the end 2012. And, with your help, four million homes on four continents by the end of 2013. According to statistics from the National Electrification Commission in 2009,  three million households still remain powerless outside Metro Manila. And even in the metro area, families still continue to live in darkness. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has reported that a large number of fire-related incidents involve faulty electrical connections. Informal settlements are high-risk areas, since the BFP does not conduct fire hazard inspections in these communities. MyShelter envisions spreading the gift of light to underprivileged communities globally — giving an economically- and ecologically-sustainable source of light that will provide an immediate solution to our fellowmen’s problems. About MyShelter Foundation MyShelter Foundation was established by Illac Diaz, a Filipino student, to create a system of sustainability and reliability through its capability-building and employment-generating projects. Introducing groundbreaking social enterprise, appropriate low-cost technologies, and alternative construction in the Philippines, MyShelter Foundation has pioneered projects such as the Pier One Seafarer’s Dormitory, the Design Against the Elements (DAtE) competition, and the Bottle School Project. About Isang Litrong Liwanag Isang Litrong Liwanag (1 Liter of Light), MyShelter Foundation’s latest venture, is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly Solar Bottle Light to disprivileged communities worldwide. Designed and developed with students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Solar Bottle Light is is rooted on the principle of Appropriate Technologies – a concept that provides simple and easily replicable technologies that address basic needs in developing communities. 1 Liter of Light is a program inspired by many innovations from around the world. Many cultures have used glass bottles to allow lighting through the roof, and Alfredo Moser from Brazil began pioneering methods of experimenting with plastic bottles. There have been modifications to the Philippine model, which has begun to grow it to scale, and we hope that others take our work and continue to grow the concept, spreading it rapidly to empower and lighten the lives of people.