Delikado: Defending the Defenders Q&A

Watch this captivating discussion with the team behind Emmy Award-nominated feature documentary Delikado, and the land defenders risking their lives to protect ecosystems in the Philippines and Australia.

The panel features film director Karl Malakunas, former logger-turned-land defender and film participant Tata Balladares, and Bardi-Kija-Nyul Nyul man and 2019 Conservationist of the Year Albert Wiggan in conversation to discuss the critical issues facing land and water defenders in their efforts to preserve our natural resources, and efforts to improve government and corporate accountability.

This event was presented in March 2024, as part of Documentary Australia’s Environmental Accelerator program with support from Intrepid Travel.

About the film - Palawan appears to be an idyllic tropical island. Its powder-white beaches and lush forests have made it one of Asia’s hottest new tourist destinations. But, for a tiny network of environmental crusaders and vigilantes trying to protect its spectacular natural resources, it is more akin to a battlefield. 

Delikado follows Bobby, Tata and Nieves, three magnetic leaders of this network, as they risk their lives in David versus Goliath-style struggles trying to stop politicians and businessmen from destroying the Philippines’ ‘last ecological frontier’.

Take action to support environmental land defenders

In Delikado we see Bobby and his team at the Palawan NGO Network Inc (PNNI) fighting to protect Palawan’s native forests and environments from illegal logging, fishing and mining. One of the biggest challenges they face is funding to continue this important work.

Support Palawan’s environmental land defenders to combat illegal logging

Take action to save Palawan’s forests

Environmental land defenders like Tata are fighting to protect Palawan’s native forests, known globally for their rich ecosystems and biodiversity. However, these forests are threatened by mining, monocrop plantations, and ill-planned infrastructure projects.

Join the call for governments to protect the remaining 600,000 hectares of forest