DGPI decries censorship after 'Food Delivery' pulled from film festival

The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI) has condemned the last-minute withdrawal of Baby Ruth Villarama’s documentary Food Delivery from the CinePanalo Film Festival.

The documentary, which depicts the harassment faced by Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, was pulled just two days before its scheduled premiere — raising concerns that political pressure may have played a role. Food Delivery explores encounters between Filipino fisherfolk and the Chinese Coast Guard in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Instead of being celebrated for its relevance, the film was reportedly sidelined.

"It is deeply disturbing," states the DGPI, "that multiple documentary films...have either been given initially an X-rating or pulled from public view, with some of their audiences even facing threats."

Food Delivery is the latest in a string of documentaries — including Alipato at Muog and Lost Sabungeros — to face either content restrictions or removal in under a year. The DGPI said such incidents reflect a growing effort to suppress films that confront injustice and challenge power.

The guild urged the creative community to resist what it called an alarming trend.

"We call on the entire artistic and storytelling community to remain vigilant," they urge. "Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our commitment to truth-telling."

The group emphasized that cinema plays a vital role in bringing hidden truths to light — truths that may provoke discomfort, but are necessary for accountability and change.

The DGPI affirmed its full support for Villarama and other filmmakers who continue to speak truth to power. It called on film festivals, institutions, and the public to uphold free expression and defend the democratic space that storytelling occupies.

The group warned that silencing voices like Villarama’s threatens not only artistic freedom but the integrity of Philippine cinema itself.