On 6 March 2020, SocSci 105 on “Gender Issues in the Philippines” hosted an interactive forum featuring the film project Racing the King Tide: A film project on the climate resilience of small islands in the Philippines, and women’s agency for resilience; with guest researchers from the Manila Observatory (Philippines), Waseda University (Japan), and Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom), and the Hatch.
The film Racing the King Tide is a project that deep dives into the experiences of four small island communities in Tubigon, Bohol who have been adapting to extreme tidal flooding since 2013, despite numerous constraints. Using interactive storytelling and building on scientific research, the film project reveals how vulnerable communities are far more resilient than we think. This exhibit has a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities women face in adapting to climate change.
Chancellor Corro gives the opening remarks as she remembers summers in her home in northern Cebu and adding that our natural resources are now a luxury due to the changing climate.
Dr. Miguel Esteban from Waseda University presents a series of photos and videos showing the rising sea levels in Ubay, Bohol. “Instead of retreating, humans are now reclaiming more land from the sea. People are now going into the sea!”
Further, he elaborates on the effects reclaiming the land has on society as not only do solutions to rising sea levels are expensive, this will in effect have a disproportionate effect on the poor who often inhabit areas most at risk.
Dr. Ma. Laurice Jamero from Manila Observatory presents the question “What are the real impacts of relative sea-level rise?” and the challenges of women who are left on the island to care for the children while their husbands go fishing.
Chris Chadwick, together with Wesley Storey from Hatch, presents three linear videos of interviews of the lives of the residents of Tubigon, Bohol. He added that as filmmakers from a more privileged part of the world, with the films they created they hope to not only be the voice but eyes to how this part of the world is living.
