BBC 3's Blood, Sweat and Luxuries

[Arthur Little]

Overall, I thought it was a very interesting and informative program.

Did you really?

Well ... good for YOU! I take it you're English ... and not a member of one of the Mindoro families doing such a diabolical job in order to eek out a meagre existence.

What I'D like to see is someone making a DECENT documentary - illustrating the myriad of beauty that is to be found in these islands - instead of filming all the crap portayed in the likes of this one ... and the Charlie Boorman effort shown several months ago!! Or is that too much to expect?

[Jamesey]

What I'D like to see is someone making a DECENT documentary - illustrating the myriad of beauty that is to be found in these islands - instead of filming all the crap portayed in the likes of this one ... and the Charlie Boorman effort shown several months ago!! Or is that too much to expect?

Cheer up, Arthur!

You can't expect every program on the Philippines to be something that the Philippine tourist board might produce. But there have been several documentaries about the Philippines that have highlighted the beauty and positive aspects of the islands. For example the Lonely Planet episode, Michael Palin's "Full Circle", Fantastic Festivals of the World, Planet Food in Manila, the documentary about whale shark watching in Donsol, etc. I also think that Charlie Boorman's program was a positive one.

[Arthur Little]

Cheer up, Arthur!

You can't expect every program on the Philippines to be something that the Philippine tourist board might produce. But there have been several documentaries about the Philippines that have highlighted the beauty and positive aspects of the islands. For example the Lonely Planet episode, Michael Palin's "Full Circle", Fantastic Festivals of the World, Planet Food in Manila, the documentary about whale shark watching in Donsol, etc. I also think that Charlie Boorman's program was a positive one.

Jamesey ... perhaps it's a "generational" thing! And whilst I respect your views as a much younger person than either Dedworth or myself, I feel it's programmes like the one under discussion] that give people who've never been to the Phils [nor are ever likely to WANT to go there if they saw it!] the wrong impression about what ARE (for the most part) beautiful tropical islands with soooo much to offer visitors. I mean, do you honestly believe that anyone wishing to produce a film extolling the picturesque scenery of say, Scotland (for the sake of argument) would, in his or her right mind, set up cameras amidst the high-rise flats in the "slum" areas of Glasgow (the city of MY birth, incidentally!). No, they most certainly would NOT!!

Point taken about the documentaries made by Michael Palin and the others you mention. Unfortunately, I didn't see any of those ... though I'd have really liked to - now that I've been there twice, myself (and on the second occasion, stayed for 3 months). And yes, it's important that viewers are made aware of the impoverished, as well as the desirable aspects of a country. But the fact remains, that MOST folk - and Filipinos are no exception - much prefer to have their homeland portrayed to the 'outside world' in the best possible light, rather than as some kind of massive "dumping ground". It's called 'pride' ... one of the seven deadly sins, admittedly - but a very human one - and one that is to be found almost everywhere on the planet.

[Pete/London]

If you look on You Tube Arthur you might find Charlie Boormans and the other programs mentioned.
Its unusual for anything positive to be shown about
the Philippines but I have always enjoyed my many visits there, even through some horrendous times when my boys were babies and they always got taken ill when we visited. In those days our holiday always consisted of 3 to 7 days camped out in hospital with even more horror stories of bad treatment,wrong medication doses, you name it we suffered it, And most of them was at Makati General or Angeles University hospitals. Thank God we can laugh about it now.