Left By the Ship

A moving portrait of Filipino Amerasians, the sons and daughters of Filipina sex workers and American servicemen stationed at Subic Bay, once the largest US naval base outside mainland USA. This documentary follows the lives of these Amerasians over the course of two years as they struggle with discrimination, family problems and identity-related issues, trying to overcome a past for which they are not responsible. When the Subic Bay base closed in 1992, thousands of Amerasian children were left behind. Unlike Amerasian children from other countries, Filipino Amerasians were never recognised by the US government. It is estimated that there are at least 50,000 Amerasians living in the Philippines today. Abandoned in early life, living with the stigma of being illegitimate children and unable to escape prejudice due to their physical features, they are teased with the names of 'Iniwan ng Barko', which means 'left by the ship'.