A woman smiles as she hands out green Guardians of Nature educational booklets titled OK Krokoy! to a group of children sitting on a bench in front of a bamboo hut in the Wild Philippines.
A person underwater, acting as one of the Guardians of Nature, uses a handmade fishing spear and a flashlight while hunting for fish in the Wild Philippines.
Aerial view of lush limestone islands and small boats dotting the deep blue waters of El Nido, Palawan, a true example of the wild Philippines.
A small, white stilt house sits above clear, shallow ocean water in the Wild Philippines under a cloudy blue sky.
Two people in sun hats stand on a pier, one holding binoculars and the other gesturing toward the Wild Philippines ocean while holding a clipboard.
A person uses a traditional bamboo tapping tool to hand-tap a tattoo onto another person’s arm in the wild Philippines.

Wild Philippines – Guardians of Nature

Conservation·1 x 50 min·Completed

“Wild Philippines – Guardians of Nature” takes us into the wild with people protecting the Philippines’ diverse ecosystems, wildlife, and precious natural resources.

Genre
Conservation
Cultural Heritage
Nature & Wildlife
Duration
1 × 50 min
Definition
4K
Audio
5.1
Status
Completed
Year
2026
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Synopsis

In “Wild Philippines – Guardians of Nature”, we experience a kaleidoscope-like archipelago: cloud forests, gorges, rivers, reefs. Life everywhere is dazzling, rare, and surprising. Alongside spectacular landscapes and fascinating wildlife, in “Wild Philippines – Guardians of Nature”, we encounter people who stand for the diversity of this many-facetted country: bracing the bustling megacity, upholding cultural traditions in remote mountain villages, and protecting distant reefs from a ranger station in the middle of the ocean.

On the island of Luzon, Tess and Amante fight for the rare Philippine crocodile: from breeding station to release in their last refuge at Lake Dunoi, and through educational work in villages where people and wildlife live side by side.

At the same time, the mountain village of Buscalan tells of cultural identity: the world’s oldest legendary tattoo artist Whang-Od Ogay preserves a centuries-old tradition and passes it on to her successors. It is a question of future, heritage, and responsibility.

In Manila, we meet the over 70-year-old Jeepney driver Mimi, who asserts herself amid traffic, noise, and a tough working day. It is a portrait of a city and a woman who unwaveringly claims her place.

On the island of Mindanao, we venture into the volcanic slopes, the last breeding ground of the Philippine eagle. Jayson and his team from the conservation organisation tirelessly search for nests, work with the local population, and show how every chick becomes a beacon of hope for the entire species.

Far out at sea, in Tubbataha Reef National Park, conservation is practiced to the extreme. At a remote station in the middle of the ocean, twelve hours by boat from the mainland, twelve rangers, led by „Mama Ranger“ Angelique Songco, protect one of the richest reefs in the world against illegal fishing techniques.

In the Busuanga region, two dugongs, Abingas and Abang, have become the focal point of a fragile balance. Roger of the “Dugong Police” explains rules and boundaries to diving tourists, and why protection only works when a community joins in.

And on the island of Negros, in the small town of Bayawan, e-rickshaw driver Ronald practices change.  His e-putt is quieter, cleaner, and more sustainable than regularly fuelled ones. For several years already, he has been driving his customers through the streets with battery power – driving change trip by trip.

All these stories, interwoven, create a multi-faceted portrait of the Philippines: we experience breathtaking nature, but stay close to the people.

Team

Written and directed by Johannes Berger & Stephan Krasser
Executive producers Petra Lederhilger, Susanne Lummer
Production companies A production of Terra Mater Studios/Catkin Media in co-production with NDR
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