Thank you for your service: A review of 'Food Delivery'
Early on in the Food Delivery documentary, one of the Philippine Navy officers mentions how in the USA, whenever an enlisted Armed Forces person is seen in a public place such as an airport or mall, people approach them to say Thank You for Your Service. He then wistfully remarks on how, here in our country, they would appreciate it if it were told more often to them. This could be the film that will contribute to making that happen.
Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama and produced by Voyage Studios, Food Delivery is the controversial documentary that was shot during the last quarter of 2024 and has since embarked on a tumultuous, gritty, but rewarding journey. At its core, the documentary is about the travails and woes of the Navy and Coast Guard personnel stationed in the remote islands of our West Philippine Sea; and then follows the lives of the fishermen who live near the Subic Seaport, and would historically look at the Scarborough Shoal as a ripe fishing ground, and place of shelter during inclement weather.
That these people now live under a shadow of uncertainty, potential danger, and controversy can be chalked up to how China now occupies these waters via their military vessels; despite a UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitral ruling in 2016 that China’s expensive claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law, and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights to these disputed territory. Of course, China then refused to recognize this ruling.
Pulled out of the March 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Festival where it was originally set to screen due to possible geopolitical pressure; it was finally shown at the end of June at the DocEdge Festival in New Zealand, where it picked up the Tides of Change Award. Even in New Zealand, the Chinese consulate in Auckland requested that screenings after the premiere be cancelled, labelling the film ‘rife with disinformation and false propaganda’, and that it ‘peddles groundless accusations against China’.
Approved for public release here in the Philippines, the film has suffered limited release, and it’s been more a case of civic groups organizing block screenings. The one I was invited to had been organized by Ernie and Michelle Lopez at the Power Plant, Rockwell. It is a film with purpose, and deserves to be watched by as many people as possible, not only by Filipinos, but globally, and especially by the open-minded Chinese.
During the screening held at the Power Plant, the director Baby Ruth Villarama, producer Chuck Gutierrez, a Navy Commodore, and two of the Subic fishermen were present and engaged with the audience after the credits rolled. The film does not ask for armed conflict or war, but instead presents its case and seeks open dialogue, based on the facts.
It’s actually a gentle film, and as I observed, it’s more the music and editing that add drama to the footage. This is evident as the soundtrack swells as one Navy vessel leaves port, and the footage is actually of seamen poring over their mobile devices before they lose the signal.
One owner of a fishing vessel says that against the military might and jet planes of the Chinese, we should deploy the aswangs and mananaggals of Capiz. And we follow their search for four missing fishermen. It’s really about protecting their way of life in waters that have already been ruled as Philippine sovereign territory.
And as the Commodore stressed, the strength of the Chinese in manipulating global social media can not be underestimated. Chinese students in New Zealand were surprised watching the film, as the narrative they’re fed is how China is actually protecting the Scarborough Shoal from Filipinos, who use dynamite fishing and are destroying the corals. In their eyes, China was being shown as the savior of these waters. That we have to counter this is a formidable challenge.
One of the good things to happen to the film is the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) announcing it’s a contender for the Philippines’ entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Academy Awards. That would really help this film to gain a global audience. It’s a film that honors those in service, whether defending our sovereignty or contributing to food security. Clamor to watch this film, and help truth prevail.