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Director Baby Ruth Villarama and her crew board a variety of sea craft to record the continuing conflict and its effects between the Philippine nation and China over authority of the newly designated West Philippine Sea. This maritime region, considered by nearly everyone outside of China as part of the Philippines' EEZ, has seen escalating incursions by Chinese vessels. These include fishing boats, most notably China's coast guard vessels that have been accused of harassing, intentionally hit, and tried to seize Filipino boats amid the wider territorial conflict.

Some footage are undeniably tense, yet mostly the conflict unfolds as a tense game of seaborne intimidation. Officers from each side's boats exchange heated declarations, laden with technical legalese, engaging in a kind of radio diplomacy.

Resupply at the Front Lines

The film's title highlights the critical efforts by the Filipino military to deliver provisions to isolated garrisons in the West Philippine Sea where personnel are stationed for extended, lonely tours. These "islands" are often mere dollops of sand in the shallows, about the size of a football pitch, approachable just with high-speed inflatable boats.

The journeys are undoubtedly scary for the livestock being transported, which are shipped with canned goods and additional provisions. The film shows the animals scrambling for a stable position as the boats hurtle across the choppy waves.

Impact on Livelihoods

The film also follows fishers living around the more populated Scarborough Shoal, who lament over decreasing fish hauls attributed to the ongoing activity of trawlers from China in their customary waters.

A Compelling Subject, Imperfect Execution

From a technical standpoint, the documentary suffers a bit from a slightly disjointed storytelling structure and a musical score that can feel overly tacky, overplaying the emotional beats. However, it stands as a fascinating exploration of a maritime conflict that is rarely covered outside its region.