Film on South China Sea is ‘Selective Storytelling,’ says foreign affairs specialist

A FOREIGN affairs specialist and special commentator on current affairs for China Global Television Network (CGTN) described an upcoming documentary on the issues surrounding the South China Sea between China and the Philippines as a case of “selective storytelling.”

Writing for CGTN last March 19, Jessica Durdu, who is also a doctorate (PhD) candidate in international relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, said the film, ‘Food Delivery: Fresh from the South China Sea’ by director Baby Ruth Villarama, while “emotionally compelling” for framing Filipino fishermen as “heroes defending (Philippine) sovereignty,” failed to touch on the “deeper issues of environmental degradation, labor exploitation, and geopolitical strategy, revealing a pattern of selective storytelling that serves broader political interests.”
“Rich in marine resources and located along key global shipping routes, the South China Sea holds strategic and economic significance, accounting for a major share of the Philippines’ fish production.

“According to United Nations’ reports, over 1.9 million Filipinos depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood. Yet, in ‘Food Delivery,’ fishing is more than a source of income.

“It is framed as a nationalistic act, portraying fishermen on the frontline as defenders of sovereignty.

“This political framing elevates fishing disputes into a matter of national identity, transforming economic survival into a political act.

“This narrative masks’ the destructive fishing practices that have inflicted long-term environmental damage on the South China Sea’s fragile ecosystem,” Durdu noted.

“Cyanide and blast fishing, despite being destructive and illegal, remain widespread. Cyanide fishing poisons coral reefs and marine life, while blast fishing destroys entire reef systems.

“Cyanide fishing began in the 1960s in the Philippines to supply the international aquarium trade.

“A Filipino fisherman can earn between 300 and 1100 pesos for a live coral trout, five times more than a dead one, making live reef fishing highly profitable.

This has driven the use of cyanide, which allows fishermen to catch dozens of fish quickly compared to traditional methods, but has led to overfishing and threatened food security.

“An academic study estimated that from 1999 to 2002, around 260,000 cyanide fishers and fishing trips were recorded in the Calamines Group of Islands alone.

“However, economic pressure drives fishermen toward unsustainable methods, creating a cycle where environmental harm becomes a necessity for survival.

“Areas where live reef fishing began decades ago are now depleted while fish stocks have dropped by 90 percent in the last 50 years according to the World Wide Fund For Nature Philippines.

“Labor exploitation is equally alarming. Despite past exposes like the 1999 film “Muro-Ami,” highlighting forced child labor in the fishing industry of the Philippines, the issue persists.

“A 2019 study estimated that over 50,000 children, 5,000 being under 15 years old, in the Philippines work under hazardous conditions, especially in fishing.

“Unfortunately, the weak enforcement of labor laws allows exploitation to continue. The Philippine government’s failure to regulate illegal fishing and protect labor rights underscores the gap between political rhetoric and practical action.

“Despite these realities, ‘Food Delivery’ avoids addressing environmental destruction and labor exploitation, focusing instead on the politically convenient narrative of sovereignty and national struggle.

“This selective framing reflects a broader pattern within the global media industry, where emotionally charged stories aligned with political interests overshadow structural problems.

“By elevating the sovereignty narrative, the documentary reinforces geopolitical tensions without addressing the root causes of instability in the South China Sea,” Durdu explained.