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S1 E1 · Manila and the South China Sea
September 22, 2026
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. 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.
Next episode
September 22, 2026
Manila and the South China Sea
Sep 22, 2026
Palin arrives in the capital and finds a country in an odd political moment, with Bongbong Marcos as President despite his family's exile 40 years ago, and former president Duterte under arrest at the ICC accused over the deaths of 30,000 Filipinos. He then flies to the militarised island of Pagasa in the contested South China Sea, where he ends up in the middle of a standoff between Philippine and Chinese coastguard ships.
The island paradise
Sep 29, 2026
Remote beach camps in El Nido, underground rivers, and swimming with thousands of sardines in Moalboal, showing the tourist-paradise side of the 7,641 islands.
Mindanao
Oct 6, 2026
Under military escort Michael explores the ruins of the destroyed city of Marawi, and on Jolo he meets a member of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, in a region on the UK Foreign Office's "do not travel" red list.
