Director Baby Ruth Villarama and the documentary team travel on a diverse assortment of maritime vessels to chronicle the persistent dispute and its effects between the Philippine nation and the People's Republic of China over authority of the recently named West Philippine Sea. These waters, recognized by most nations outside of China as within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, has seen increasing infiltration by boats from China. While some are fishing boats, the majority consist of China's coast guard vessels that have engaged in harassing, intentionally hit, and tried to seize Filipino boats amid the wider territorial conflict.
Certain scenes are undeniably tense, but frequently the conflict manifests as a tense game of seaborne intimidation. Personnel on opposing vessels broadcast lengthy radio transmissions, filled with technical legalese, practicing a unique "airwave diplomacy".
The film's title points to the ongoing mission by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to transport essentials to tiny outposts in the West Philippine Sea where troops maintain a presence for protracted periods of isolation. These specks of land are often just small accumulations of sand in the shallows, no larger than a soccer field, reachable solely via speeding rubber dinghies.
These trips prove clearly frightening for the young animals on board, which are crammed in with canned goods and additional provisions. Viewers see the animals scrambling for better balance as the craft race across the choppy waves.
The film also follows fishers living around the more populated Scarborough Shoal, who voice complaints over decreasing fish hauls due to the ongoing activity of foreign fishing vessels in their ancestral fishing areas.
From a technical standpoint, the documentary is slightly weakened by a somewhat scattered storytelling structure and a musical score that can feel somewhat melodramatic, amplifying the dramatic moments. However, it is ultimately a fascinating exploration of a critical subject that receives little discussion in Western media.
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