SineLikas: Bridging the Climate Crisis with Human Struggles

Official Main Publicity Material of SineLikas: Lente ng Klimang Mapagbago (Lens of Changing Climates)

By Christ Dustly Go Tan

This Philippine National Arts Month, Haring Ibon University of the Philippines Los Baños, in collaboration with the UPLB Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, will host SineLikas, the organization’s official film festival aimed at raising environmental awareness through the medium of film.

This year’s programming is centered on the question: Why do Filipinos still not care? Despite the availability of scientific data attesting to environmental degradation and the worsening effects of the climate crisis, public urgency often feels absent. Perhaps the damage has not been seen directly. Or perhaps it has gone unnoticed, even as many are already affected by it.

With the theme “Lente ng Klimang Mapagbago (Lens of Changing Climates),” the festival explores the intersections between the climate crisis and everyday human struggles, revealing how deeply intertwined the environment has always been with human life.

Through Cinemata, SineLikas’ advocacy extends beyond physical screenings into the digital space. Select films from the official lineup are also available in Cinemata’s archives, allowing audiences to engage with these stories beyond the festival dates.

Below are the films available to stream on Cinemata via this playlist:

Lagi na lang Umuulan sa Probinsya (It is Always Raining in the Countryside) 

Dir. Austin Tan

A letter to a loved one who left long ago, set against the backdrop of typhoons in Cagayan, Philippines. A film about rain, wind, floods, darkness, silence, and grief.

Glitters

Dir. Darryl Villafuerte

As vast and alive as our marine ecosystems are, they are slowly confined and destroyed by seemingly harmless specks of colorful dust—glitter that does not belong to the ocean world.

Here, Here

Dir. Joanne Cesario

Years after mining scarred his hometown, 22-year-old Koi returns with an infected ear and a quiet dread of loss. As he waits with his mother for news of his injured father, the film drifts through decaying landscapes and fragile bodies—blurring fiction and reality in a visual meditation on damage, memory, and survival.

Lunod (Drown)

Dir. Mads Miraflor

This documentary explores the sacred Tinipak River in Rizal Province and its deep connection to local communities. Centered on 63-year-old Nanay Nelly, a member of the Dumagat tribe, the film follows her confrontation with the impending Kaliwa Dam project, which threatens the river’s existence.

Walang Hanggang Buhay ni Leonardo Co (Immortal Life of Leonardo Co)

Dir. Nannette Matilac

A different approach to human rights and environmental advocacy from the point of view of a child, this 30-minute documentary is narrated by the daughter and only child of the slain ethno-botanist Leonardo Co.

WATCH THE PLAYLIST

Catch the film screenings on February 18–19 at the Makiling Film Lab, UPLB, as part of UPLB Fringe 2026. Admission is free, but slots are limited. Register here!