Michael Palin reveals why he's travelled to the Philippines for new series and what he found there

We’ve been doing a whole series with 5 going to places that people wouldn’t normally visit, or places that used to generate headlines, like Iraq and Nigeria. We’re trying to find out what’s happening in those countries, and how their people are dealing with past events. When I travelled there previously [for the BBC travel series Full Circle, which aired in 1997] we looked at the spectacle of the place. This was more a study of what lay underneath.

Were you surprised by anything you found there?

I knew it would be beautiful, with lots of islands and clear seas, but they contrast with slums where people live in poverty. And there are strange things happening there – for example, the current president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is the son of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, while people are in the street celebrating the 40th anniversary of his parents being kicked out of power. And the vice-president is Sara Duterte, the daughter of a man – and former president – standing trial at the Hague for abuse of power.

You arrived in Manila on that day of celebration, and you met the current president during your visit. What did you discover about the Filipino people?

It’s a paradox because emotion remains strong enough to bring generations out onto the streets, and yet there is Bongbong in the Imperial Palace. Has time healed those wounds? The average age in the Philippines is unbelievably young, so many citizens are far too young to have memories of Ferdinand or Imelda Marcos. But corruption is still a very big thing in the Philippines, so those marching were saying, “Not this ever again.” We talked to an older lady protestor, who remembers Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, and she’s of the view that their son has restored democracy, that the country’s in a better place because of him, so there’s a sense of pragmatism and looking forward.

More generally, do you ever feel scared on your travels?

I never take these things seriously, though I probably should. I’ve been stopped with a rifle, but no one’s ever fired at me. I take a quite blithe approach: I always have the feeling it’s all going to be all right if you smile a lot. It’s very English. Mostly, it’s about listening to people and letting them speak; it’s important not to be judgemental of people in other cultures.

What else did you find striking?

Well, six million tourists visit each year, and Filipino people are welcoming in a way that very, very few nationalities are. Even the police smile at you. And the geography is quite exquisite.

One night you stayed in a deserted hut on a beautiful beach in El Nido. Was that a paradisical experience?

I slightly exaggerated that because during the night, being 83, you have to go and find a loo at some point. I came back and was climbing in the dark, slipped on a bamboo step and cut my shin. Being the Boy Scout that I am, I was able to dress it, but that made the night a little less paradisical. It is a beautiful place though.

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You’ve been travelling for a fair while now. What’s been the biggest change you’ve seen in the world?

We spent the 1990s in search of the place not yet discovered, and now it seems everything is. I think there is a greater curiosity about the world, people want to take on fairly difficult journeys, and the travel business is much more organised. And there are lots of people everywhere, which didn’t used to be the case. The initiative of the ordinary traveller seems greater, which I’m surprised and rather pleased by.

Have you succumbed to a selfie stick?

No. I take the odd selfie, but the camera does something to my face and I get anxious as to what’s behind me. That’s why I go with a film crew.

Have you identified a place other than your home where you think you might be happy living?

I can’t actually think of any happier existence than being in my little street in north London, where I’ve been for 50 years now, with family nearby and all that. So that’s not very adventurous, but the truth is I’m very happy here. I like New York a lot, but there’s no place which stands out and says, “Michael, you must come and live here.” Which is probably a good sign.

The final episode of Michael Palin in the Philippines airs Monday 12 October at 9pm on 5. Watch the whole series on 5 streaming.

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