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Michael Palin in the Philippines

Duration: 3 x 60'

Contact Sales  Collection: Michael Palin

Michael Palin’s latest adventure takes him into the heart of one of the most fascinating, politically-charged and historically complicated areas on earth - the Philippines. Now part tourist paradise, it’s still shaped by extreme poverty and by political unrest and violence.

Michael’s journey takes him across the entire beautiful archipelago, revealing the contrasts of this intriguing country.

A place still dominated by the legacy of the Marcos family and its most infamous husband and wife couple Ferdinand and Imelda, whose 21-year rule from 1965-86 ended with an alleged $10 billion theft from the nation’s coffers, as their extravagant regime was exposed. 

As soon as he arrives in the capital of Manila, Michael discovers a country on the edge. Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’s son, Bongbong, is now strangely President, despite his family being exiled 40 years ago. And the previous president, Rodrigo Duterte, is under arrest in the international criminal court in the Netherlands, accused of the deaths of 30,000 Filipinos and ‘Crimes against humanity’.  

Michael explores life in this vibrant and fascinating city challenged under this unusual political situation, before flying out to the militarised island of Pagasa in the middle of the contested South China Sea.  China is aggressively asserting its claims over one of the most important shipping lanes in the world and Michael suddenly finds himself in the middle of a conflict between a Philippine and Chinese coastguard ship.

Michael will also see some of the most beautiful parts of the country’s 7,641 islands, sleeping in remote beach camps in El Nido, travelling through underground rivers and swimming with thousands of sardines in Moalboal.  But as he arrives in the southern island of Mindanao, Michael will experience a very different part of The Philippines, a centre of Islamic extremism and an area on the UK Foreign Office’s ‘do not travel’ red list.  Under military escort, Michael explores the extraordinary and haunting remains of the destroyed city of Marawi, and on the island of Jolo he meets a member of the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf.

It’s the only country in the world where you still can’t get divorced, and extreme poverty makes life very hard for millions. At the end of this epic journey, Michael discovers that despite the challenges, the people in the Philippines are some of the warmest and friendliest he has ever met.

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What the Press Say:

The Telegraph - **** "Palin is a serious-minded, endlessly affable human Baedeker. His tour of the Philippines is, as always, carefully considered, looking at the archipelago's history, its politics and the withering poverty behind the travel brochure money shots."

Daily Mail - **** 'Still brimful of boyish energy...Sir Michael isn't ready to play it safe'

The Times - **** "The entire episode was, of course, fascinating, educating you about deeply serious inequalities in a far-off country...I'm failing to think of a travel presenter I'd rather spend an hour in the company of, TV-wise"

The Guardian - **** "Palin’s travel shows always explore fascinating things that others don’t. It is a reminder that his work is increasingly precious"

For Channel 5

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