The Howie Severino Podcast

The millennial artist Taipan Lucero calls his art CalligraFilipino, applying an Asian art form to the Filipino pre-colonial script Baybayin.

He has taken his art overseas where he’s demonstrated it at US universities, Google headquarters, and even at a Golden State Warriors basketball game.

It’s his way of honoring Filipino heritage while calling for more teaching of Filipino scripts.

Link: https://www.taipanlucero.com/

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Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Dr. Eric Tayag speaks with Howie Severino on the eve of his retirement after 35 years of government service. 

He talks about how he started using his zumba moves in health campaigns and the challenge of preventing children’s deaths amid a global vaccine shortage. 

Is the pandemic over? When should we still wear masks? Why is there a pertussis outbreak? Why did many believe the anti-vaxxers? Dr. Tayag provides clear answers without having to dance.

April rings in Filipino food month. Kapampangan Chef Claude Tayag describes Filipino Cuisine” as a symphony of sweet, sour, and salty in a single bite.

Catch the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/40jHRX3Ln6adjNU58z2Kdb?si=3tagRka0SOuijFgGnL

The end of the pandemic unleashed a flood of tourists around the Philippines that is wreaking havoc on fragile ecosystems. Environmental planner Chen Mencias has been advising local governments to aim for "high value, low volume," and involve local communities in tourism enterprises. She gives hot takes on the Chocolate Hills controversy and the Boracay model of development. And she lists the ways that Filipinos can be responsible tourists, and mentions two localities where local governments are managing their tourism sustainably.

Dr. Eric Tayag speaks with Howie Severino on the eve of his retirement after 35 years of government service.

He talks about how he started using his zumba moves in health campaigns and the challenge of preventing children’s deaths amid a global vaccine shortage.

Is the pandemic over? When should we still wear masks? Why is there a pertussis outbreak? Why did many believe the anti-vaxxers? Dr. Tayag provides clear answers without having to dance.

CREDITS Producer: Ivy Andrada-Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

TOYM Awardee and Young Inventor Angel Palma tells the story behind her affordable air-con that uses no harmful refrigerants and less electricity than conventional air-conditioners.

Catch the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qhsg7mIZRTL98e0zmLaAK?si=_rzmdXruSRW762Ihmel79g

The end of the pandemic unleashed a flood of tourists around the Philippines that is wreaking havoc on fragile ecosystems. Environmental planner Chen Mencias has been advising local governments to aim for "high value, low volume," and involve local communities in tourism enterprises. She gives hot takes on the Chocolate Hills controversy and the Boracay model of development. And she lists the ways that Filipinos can be responsible tourists, and mentions two localities where local governments are managing their tourism sustainably.

Links:

https://youtu.be/k5h6DmJUy-I?si=Ju0thUPfD_Db-K4n

https://youtu.be/Y2Xt6snaUk4?si=zL1W3zzk2P85b1lJ

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/85JY3SGrnW6rPZxc/?mibextid=TRmnTU&startTimeMs=3000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqRJV3pJniU

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

The British royal family has been the talk of the town. On March 22, 2024, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer following her abdominal surgery in January. In case you missed it, BBC Royal Correspondent Jonny Dymond shares his thoughts on covering the British Royal Family.

Listen to the full episode here:
Upload: March 7, 2024

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4J8IFbRKTNWAN7DlSCgHzT?si=i0FBg4GDSMidHDAC_xl_Jw

The pandemic locked down many and made them homebodies. But in 2022, married couple Celine and Dennis Murillo left home and spent more than a year on the road, traveling around the Philippines in a camper van they called Eli. They shared their awe at the wonders of the country on YouTube before Celine began a Tiktok series on the native trees and plants they saw on their journeys.

In this first part of her conversation with Howie Severino, Celine talks about the practicalities of life on the road – where did they shower and go to the toilet, did they ever feel unsafe, how did they earn a living?

Solving those issues enabled her to produce unique educational content about Philippine biodiversity, including showing live specimens of colorful species depicted in monochrome on the country’s money (“Saribuhay sa Salapi”).

Celine explains that focusing on the nation’s native species is part of her mission to “decolonize” the public’s view of nature.

Retired UP professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for shepherding a peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, recognizing her as “the first female Chief Negotiator in the world to sign a final peace accord with a rebel group.”

Ferrer explains how she remained focused despite the Mamasapano massacre in 2015 which nearly derailed the peace process. She shares insights on how to get opposing forces to talk seriously about peace, referring also to ongoing conflicts in the Philippines and the Middle East.

She recalls the lessons of growing up with a famous lawyer-father, Antonio Coronel, who had clients and friends on the opposite side of the political fence as his activist-children.

On her popular nature vlog, Celine Murillo constantly identifies plants and animals by their scientific names aside from their common or local names. She stresses that having this knowledge is part of knowing your environment and can even save your life. Part of that essential awareness is why native tree species should be planted and not foreign species, such as the mahogany trees that are seen growing in many places, part of an ill-advised government reforestation program. Does she ever get tempted to call out those who do wrong to the environment? Celine shares her take on that and on her growing influence on TikTok and elsewhere. Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

The pandemic locked down many and made them homebodies. But in 2022, married couple Celine and Dennis Murillo left home and spent more than a year on the road, traveling around the Philippines in a camper van they called Eli. They shared their awe at the wonders of the country on YouTube before Celine began a Tiktok series on the native trees and plants they saw on their journeys.

In this first part of her conversation with Howie Severino, Celine talks about the practicalities of life on the road – where did they shower and go to the toilet, did they ever feel unsafe, how did they earn a living?

Solving those issues enabled her to produce unique educational content about Philippine biodiversity, including showing live specimens of colorful species depicted in monochrome on the country’s money (“Saribuhay sa Salapi”).

Celine explains that focusing on the nation’s native species is part of her mission to “decolonize” the public’s view of nature.

Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

This March, The Howie Severino Podcast celebrates National Women’s Month with extraordinary Filipinas like Hillary Dianne Andales.  In case you missed it, Hillary tells us how her love for science began at a young age.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yOw8793TDdgQpATtD6Nl4?si=38QNbX5HTFWk3zOZ_oPT

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Then-President Noynoy Aquino took a risk when appointing a woman as peace negotiator with the male-dominated MILF.  But the decision bore fruit with the historic “comprehensive agreement” with the MILF in 2014.  

Miriam Coronel-Ferrer talks about the cultural biases women face around the world, including the Philippines despite its high global rankings in gender equality indexes.  She explains how many Filipino women in Muslim Mindanao and elsewhere ended up in public office.  

“The more women are able to show the world that women can do it, (biases) become less and less of a problem,” she asserts. But she adds that their struggle needs the voices of feminist men. “Men need to hear from other men.”

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Retired UP professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for shepherding a peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, recognizing her as “the first female Chief Negotiator in the world to sign a final peace accord with a rebel group.”  

Ferrer explains how she remained focused despite the Mamasapano massacre in 2015 which nearly derailed the peace process. She shares insights on how to get opposing forces to talk seriously about peace, referring also to ongoing conflicts in the Philippines and the Middle East.  

She recalls the lessons of growing up with a famous lawyer-father, Antonio Coronel, who had clients and friends on the opposite side of the political fence as his activist-children.

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

This March, The Howie Severino Podcast celebrates National Women’s Month with extraordinary Filipinas like Marian Pastor Roces.  In case you missed it, the art critic and curator tells us why the national narrative must be informed by new science to make more effective policies. 

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tsV91UQDtfqzBpxXe06EC?si=zKr_GyXiQVOm3ebE52DjCA

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio has been the strongest and most consistent voice against China’s incursions into Philippine territory. He explains to Howie Severino the Chinese strategy of using intimidation to win control of the sea and what’s holding China back from even more aggressive behavior. 

But Carpio believes the Philippines still has space to maneuver in the maritime powder keg and proposes an approach to gain the upper hand, including building a lighthouse and other civilian facilities in disputed territory. 

The former Supreme Court justice is calling for building up the nation’s self-defense force and forging closer military ties with regional neighbors.

Carpio warns that another Trump presidency in the US could introduce changes in global alliances unfavorable to the Philippines.

“If you don’t fortify your defenses, you will be erased from the map. That has happened to many countries. And it could happen to us.”

With sea level rise, Carpio argues, the Philippines’ “exclusive economic zone” will only get larger. “So all we have to do is hang on to our claim. Never, never give up our claim because everything will be underwater in that area by the end of the century.”

CREDITS:

Producer: Ivy Andrada-Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio has been the strongest and most consistent voice against China’s incursions into Philippine territory. He explains to Howie Severino the Chinese strategy of using intimidation to win control of the sea and what’s holding China back from even more aggressive behavior.

But Carpio believes the Philippines still has space to maneuver in the maritime powder keg and proposes an approach to gain the upper hand, including building a lighthouse and other civilian facilities in disputed territory.

CREDITS:

Producer: Ivy Andrada-Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Among the BBC’s leading journalists, Jonny Dymond recently came to the Philippines for one of the British broadcaster’s flagship programs, World Questions, and spoke to Howie Severino about what makes the Philippines interesting to outsiders. He also talks about his coverage of the British royal family (“a surprisingly hard job”) and Russian President Putin (“His mission is about Russia, not communism”).

Dymond explains how the BBC has been able to stand up to the British government despite being funded by taxpayers.

In the face of various threats to journalists around the world, he urges media colleagues to keep believing in their mission. “If you don’t have people who are prepared to call out the government, who are prepared to report on the government’s successes and failures, then it’s impossible to say that you really have a functioning democracy,” Dymond asserts.

“It’s easy to be cynical, but coming to the Philippines where I know journalists have been under so much pressure, it kind of straightens my back. It makes me believe again in what we do.”

BBC’s World Questions in Manila moderated by Jonny Dymond airs in the Philippines on BBC Radio on March 9 at 8 P.M.

The panelists on the show:

Atty. Antonio Carpio – Former associate justice of the Supreme Court

Dr. Roberto Galang, Dean of the Ateneo de Manila University Gokongwei School of Management

Ms. Rafaela David – President of the Akbayan Citizens' Action Party

Professor Richard Heydarian – Columnist and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines

BBC WORLD QUESTIONS episode link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct59td

This March, The Howie Severino Podcast celebrates National Women’s Month with extraordinary Filipinas like Javea Estavillo.  In case you missed it, Javea tells us how the fight against climate change can be both frustrating and enraging, and what her version of an ideal Philippines would look like. 

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tsV91UQDtfqzBpxXe06EC?si=zKr_GyXiQVOm3ebE52DjCA

Among the BBC’s leading journalists, Jonny Dymond recently came to the Philippines for one of the British broadcaster’s flagship programs, World Questions, and spoke to Howie Severino about what makes the Philippines interesting to outsiders. He also talks about his coverage of the British royal family (“a surprisingly hard job”) and Russian President Putin (“His mission is about Russia, not communism”).

Dymond explains how the BBC has been able to stand up to the British government despite being funded by taxpayers.

In the face of various threats to journalists around the world, he urges media colleagues to keep believing in their mission. “If you don’t have people who are prepared to call out the government, who are prepared to report on the government’s successes and failures, then it’s impossible to say that you really have a functioning democracy,” Dymond asserts.

“It’s easy to be cynical, but coming to the Philippines where I know journalists have been under so much pressure, it kind of straightens my back. It makes me believe again in what we do.”

BBC’s World Questions in Manila moderated by Jonny Dymond airs in the Philippines on BBC Radio on March 9 at 8 P.M.

The panelists on the show:

Atty. Antonio Carpio – Former associate justice of the Supreme Court Dr. Roberto Galang, Dean of the Ateneo de Manila University Gokongwei School of Management Ms. Rafaela David – President of the Akbayan Citizens' Action Party Professor Richard Heydarian – Columnist and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines

LINK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0380g6d

BBC WORLD QUESTIONS episode link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct59td

CREDITS: Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio Editor: Jayr Magtoto

The eminent writer is also an avid antique typewriter collector. Butch Dalisay talks to Howie Severino about a bygone pre-internet era when these analog machines were the tools of trade of writers and journalists. Despite the advantages of his laptop, Dr. Dalisay says there’s still a romance and even practicality about typewriters. “Wala kang distraction, you can’t surf,” he says. “It’s much more intimate... You’re disconnected from the world.” 

After collecting for years, he’s still searching for one antique model typewriter that was developed specifically for Tagalog writers. He knows it exists because of a trove of 1950s love letters from prison by a Tagalog poet. That typewriter has become, in Butch’s words, his “holy grail.” 

Three months after being released on bail, former senator and prisoner of conscience Leila de Lima describes in graphic and terrifying detail the day in prison when she was held captive by an Abu Sayyaf inmate known for beheading hostages. 

She reveals that after the hostage taker was shot dead and she was rescued, she received a concerned call from President Marcos, an early sign that his alliance with the Dutertes could be cracking. 

That was her scariest moment, she says, but not among her darkest, which were the times she wasn't allowed a furlough from jail to attend the wakes of close friends, including PNoy. 

Not originally a cat lover, she adopted stray cats in prison to keep her company. She took several home after her release and one of them insisted on joining her for this interview. 

Otherwise, she was in solitude for nearly seven years while imprisoned in Camp Crame and one of the rare VIP inmates without a mobile phone. "I wanted to follow the rules," she tells Howie Severino. She also was not allowed access to the Internet, so she kept up with the outside world through print newspapers and printouts of online articles delivered by her senate staff. 

She says she never lost faith in the judicial system, which she's confident will vindicate her and declare her innocent of all charges. 

Yet for the alleged crimes of former President Rodrigo Duterte, she says the only recourse is the International Criminal Court because there is a "clear demonstration of the unwillingness and inability" of the Philippine justice system to investigate. 

"That's one of the reasons why nagwawala na si Duterte. Out na ang antagonism niya kay President Marcos because I think he suspects the BBM administration is really cooperating with the ICC."

Meanwhile, as she vows to assist the ICC gather evidence, de Lima is back to teaching law and spending time with her aged mother, who was never told by her protective family what her famous daughter went through. 

The eminent writer is also an avid antique typewriter collector. Butch Dalisay talks to Howie Severino about a bygone pre-internet era when these analog machines were the tools of trade of writers and journalists. Despite the advantages of his laptop, Dr. Dalisay says there’s still a romance and even practicality about typewriters. “Wala kang distraction, you can’t surf,” he says. “It’s much more intimate... You’re disconnected from the world.”

After collecting for years, he’s still searching for one antique model typewriter that was developed specifically for Tagalog writers. He knows it exists because of a trove of 1950s love letters from prison by a Tagalog poet. That typewriter has become, in Butch’s words, his “holy grail.”

Links: https://cms.philstarlife.com/geeky/313514-rizal-s-typewriter#google_vignette https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/opinion/content/177163/tribute-to-a-typewriter/story/ Producer: John Eumer Yanga Researcher: Jenica Villanueva Editor: Jayr Magtoto

February 28, 2024 will mark the first year since the Mindoro oil spill happened. In case you missed it, diver and underwater filmmaker Robert Suntay explains how harmful this event was on Philippine biodiversity.

Listen to the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DkmKMZlVF02qKogB1XHIG?si=2b52dce3536847fd   

Three months after being released on bail, former senator and prisoner of conscience Leila de Lima describes in graphic and terrifying detail the day in prison when she was held captive by an Abu Sayyaf inmate known for beheading hostages.

She reveals that after the hostage taker was shot dead and she was rescued, she received a concerned call from President Marcos, an early sign that his alliance with the Dutertes could be cracking.

That was her scariest moment, she says, but not among her darkest, which were the times she wasn't allowed a furlough from jail to attend the wakes of close friends, including PNoy.

For the alleged crimes of former President Rodrigo Duterte, she says the only recourse is the International Criminal Court because there is a "clear demonstration of the unwillingness and inability" of the Philippine justice system to investigate.

"That's one of the reasons why nagwawala na si Duterte. Out na ang antagonism niya kay President Marcos because I think he suspects the BBM administration is really cooperating with the ICC."

Meanwhile, as she vows to assist the ICC gather evidence, de Lima is back to teaching law and spending time with her aged mother, who was never told by her protective family what her famous daughter went through.

The Howie Severino Podcast reached out to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s camp. As of posting, there is no comment yet from his office.

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Not originally a cat lover, Leila de Lima adopted stray cats in prison to keep her company. She took several home after her release and one of them insisted on joining her for this interview.

Otherwise, she was in solitude for nearly seven years while imprisoned in Camp Crame and one of the rare VIP inmates without a mobile phone. "I wanted to follow the rules," she tells Howie Severino. She also was not allowed access to the Internet, so she kept up with the outside world through print newspapers and printouts of online articles delivered by her senate staff.

She says she never lost faith in the judicial system, which she's confident will vindicate her and declare her innocent of all charges.

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

The military has banned TikTok among its personnel, according to the new AFP spokesperson, Col. Francel Padilla, an expert on cybersecurity. While being vague about how the AFP intends to enforce its directive, Col. Padilla explains how Filipinos' immersion in social media has made the country vulnerable to "social engineering" tactics by adversaries. She cautions her audiences to be wary of platforms that request access to their cameras, microphones, and contacts, especially Tiktok which is allegedly owned by China.

She explains what it means to be a "certified ethical hacker," one of her credentials as the nation's first woman spokesperson of the armed forces.

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Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Col. Francel Padilla is accustomed to being a pioneer. She was among the first women to graduate from the Philippine Military Academy. Now as the armed forces' first woman spokesperson, she has seen many barriers fall as women soldiers are now serving even in combat roles.

Col. Padilla has become the most visible face of the Philippine military at a crucial time, when the country is pivoting from the insurgency to the external threat of China. As an expert on cybersecurity, she brings an uncommon skill set to her new role.

She talks to Howie Severino about the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated institution. She opens up about having to start a sensitive mission guarding a visiting head of state just after losing her husband, a fellow PMA graduate, in a helicopter crash. "Grieving is a lifelong journey," she says in a candid moment, sharing how she raised two young sons in the wake of their loss.

Soon after assuming her position as spokesperson, Col. Padilla had to field questions about former President Duterte's effort to rile up the military against the current administration. "We are professional, united, and non-partisan," she assures. "We do not want to break the trust of the people."

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Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, Psychologist Dr. Anna Tuazon says self-love is non-negotiable–citing the significance of finding happiness in oneself before sharing it with someone else.

Catch the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DXduVHN9aWQ5WoyS9d2t3?si=b68bd63a77a047cd 

In case you missed it, Chinoy Ivan Man Dy debunks this famous Chinese New Year greeting and offers alternatives.

Listen to the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0YvITGvqiLPV8p8ukZkRa4?si=180eaea8106e4276  

The exchange of drug bombshells between former President Rodrigo Duterte and current President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. represents a high-stakes gambit: how much will Marcos tolerate verbal abuse and threats from his predecessor? Is Duterte risking irrelevance by making threats that no longer resonate beyond his Davao base?

Dr. Aries Arugay analyzes the political chess match and the various other players involved.

Links:

https://polisci.upd.edu.ph/faculty/arugay/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aries-arugay-a6a2a629a/?originalSubdomain=ph

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nKU50MQAAAAJ&hl=en --

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

“Ilabas na ang popcorn,” many exclaimed online as the Marcos-Duterte feud blew up. But is this more than just entertainment? Professor Aries Arugay unpacks the current political brouhaha and its possible impact on the country’s political alignments.

He also points out what he sees as the real existential threat to the democratic system – charter change – and breaks down the camps on both sides, while highlighting the absence of a “third force,” an opposition strong enough to challenge what he calls the “dynasty cartel.”

Links:

https://polisci.upd.edu.ph/faculty/arugay/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aries-arugay-a6a2a629a/?originalSubdomain=ph https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nKU50MQAAAAJ&hl=en --

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

After being misdiagnosed and enduring a long journey to healing, breast cancer survivor Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala says what troubled her most was not the pain or even the prospect of dying young. She tells Howie Severino there was something even worse. But there were also blessings.

As we mark World Cancer Day on February 4, we revisit Kara’s inspiring message about surviving cancer and the need for her to give back after defying the odds.

Long before the Internet, one could disconnect completely by going to places like Sagada, an alluring mountain town nestled in sublime vistas. Howie Severino remembers the many trips he made to that Sagada, sometimes alone.

Unconsolidated PUV operators and drivers will be banned from plying their traditional routes soon, in line with the PUV Modernization Program. In case you missed it, Toym Imao describes his 2020 installation art that reflected the plight of jeepney drivers.

Catch the full episode here: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/03b5s6bZOU9hM0n9PefTS3?si=ea0537b06a1949be

Her father’s jeepney is exactly her age and named after her. All of her young life, it was the same jeepney that sustained the family through her father’s long days and nights driving polluted routes, before catching a few hours of sleep inside the jeepney.

All of her father’s hard work enabled Hya Bendaña to focus on school and graduate college valedictorian of Ateneo de Manila University in 2019.

Now she’s paying it forward by speaking out on behalf of jeepney drivers as the government phases out jeepneys as part of its contentious modernization program.

Hya talks to Howie Severino about the challenge to achieve despite her poverty and offers an insider’s view of the world of the iconic jeepney.

Her father’s jeepney is exactly her age and named after her. All of her young life, it was the same jeepney that sustained the family through her father’s long days and nights driving polluted routes, before catching a few hours of sleep inside the jeepney.

All of her father’s hard work enabled Hya Bendaña to focus on school and graduate college valedictorian of Ateneo de Manila University in 2019.

Now she’s paying it forward by speaking out on behalf of jeepney drivers as the government phases out jeepneys as part of its contentious modernization program.

Hya talks to Howie Severino about the challenge to achieve despite her poverty and offers an insider’s view of the world of the iconic jeepney.

--

Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, Raya School Director Ani Almario breaks down some key features of progressive education.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HhbhDqFeR3HR7Ev09537K?si=43e624fe61014f29 

If the Department of Transportation has its way, more than 30 percent of jeepneys will be off the road starting this year. Those are the vehicles that private operators did not include in new jeepney cooperatives and corporations required by the DOTr. That will be the first stage of the government’s controversial jeepney modernization program. The older, decrepit vehicles will then be replaced by newer models, some no longer resembling the iconic back-entry designs of the traditional jeepney.

Modernization is more than new vehicles, Transportation Secretary Bautista is quick to emphasize in his conversation with Howie Severino. Public transport routes will be studied and “rationalized,” so that the number of public utility vehicles will be adjusted according to the volume of commuters along those routes.

Despite the reduction of jeepneys plying existing routes, Bautista assures that there will be no commuter crisis, as he says the remaining jeepneys will be more than enough to handle the demand. Even with the modern jeepneys, Bautista asserts that the future of public transport lies not in road vehicles but in trains, as he gives us an overview of the rail projects in the pipeline.

Isn’t it a disadvantage for chauffeur-driven officials like him to be making decisions about public transport? Secretary Bautista has a ready answer.

January 9th saw close to 6 million devotees joining the Traslacion 2024. Truckloads of garbage were collected in the aftermath. In case you missed it, Fr. Edu Gariguez talks about being a priest environmentalist and the role of Christians in taking care of the environment.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jBQRhyLHOyq3sPOSGsIE1?si=5a3b0618a0274af7

If the Department of Transportation has its way, more than 30 percent of jeepneys will be off the road starting this year. Those are the vehicles that private operators did not include in new jeepney cooperatives and corporations required by the DOTr. That will be the first stage of the government’s controversial jeepney modernization program. The older, decrepit vehicles will then be replaced by newer models, some no longer resembling the iconic back-entry designs of the traditional jeepney.

Modernization is more than new vehicles, Transportation Secretary Bautista is quick to emphasize in his conversation with Howie Severino. Public transport routes will be studied and “rationalized,” so that the number of public utility vehicles will be adjusted according to the volume of commuters along those routes.

Despite the reduction of jeepneys plying existing routes, Bautista assures that there will be no commuter crisis, as he says the remaining jeepneys will be more than enough to handle the demand. Even with the modern jeepneys, Bautista asserts that the future of public transport lies not in road vehicles but in trains, as he gives us an overview of the rail projects in the pipeline.

Isn’t it a disadvantage for chauffeur-driven officials like him to be making decisions about public transport? Secretary Bautista has a ready answer.

--

Links:

https://ltfrb.gov.ph/puv-modernization-program/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hW1z2RWzyC2PqwGwh3s_obsf3zRCqe2g/view

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Metro Manila Film Festival Best Director awardee for the film “Gomburza,” Pepe Diokno, shares his surprise at how a serious movie about history has drawn mainstream audiences.

He talks to Howie about researching how the idea of a Filipino nation was born and how faithfully his movie tries to portray history.

They discuss the challenge of dramatizing historical events without battlefield heroes and the need to set the record straight about what happened in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny which led to the martyrdom of the three priests Gomes, Burgos and Zamora. The executions inspired Jose Rizal’s life work.

Pepe addresses the Majoha reality-show brouhaha sympathetically and what it says about the way history is taught. Howie asks him how coming from the illustrious Diokno family influences his choice of subject.

“Gomburza” is the 36-year-old Pepe’s first film in eight years, after a period of self-doubt about his career. Audience response in recent weeks seems to have restored his faith.

Metro Manila Film Festival Best Director awardee for the film “Gomburza,” Pepe Diokno, shares his surprise at how a serious movie about history has drawn mainstream audiences.

He talks to Howie about researching how the idea of a Filipino nation was born and how faithfully his movie tries to portray history.

They discuss the challenge of dramatizing historical events without battlefield heroes and the need to set the record straight about what happened in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny which led to the martyrdom of the three priests Gomes, Burgos and Zamora. The executions inspired Jose Rizal’s life work.

Pepe addresses the Majoha reality-show brouhaha sympathetically and what it says about the way history is taught. Howie asks him how coming from the illustrious Diokno family influences his choice of subject.

“Gomburza” is the 36-year-old Pepe’s first film in eight years, after a period of self-doubt about his career. Audience response in recent weeks seems to have restored his faith.

Javea Estavillo, the Philippines' youth delegate to the recent climate change conference in Dubai, delivered a speech calling for developed nations to compensate smaller countries for damage caused by climate change.

Raised in Pasig and bound for Stanford University, Javea shares with Howie Severino her impressions of being one of the youngest among tens of thousands of attendees in Dubai. While noting the "small steps" that gave her hope, she acknowledged feeling annoyed by the adults in the room who "kept talking and talking, and a lot of the time I'm sitting there, like, 'Yeah, you're saying that but you're not going to change.'"

Before representing the country's youth, Javea spent time on a remote island in Mindanao without electricity getting to know young people there. Afterwards, she helped raise money for solar panels for the community.

At Stanford, she intends to study climate science on the road to becoming an environmental lawyer. "Hopefully in the future I'll participate in climate negotiations as a delegate instead of a youth delegate”.

--

Links: ⁠

http://arehnaflourpower.com/⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10161760003511967&id=609776966⁠

⁠https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/890857/cop28-ph-youth-delegate-make-climate-financing-a-reality/story/⁠

Javea Estavillo, the Philippines' youth delegate to the recent climate change conference in Dubai, delivered a speech calling for developed nations to compensate smaller countries for damage caused by climate change. 

Raised in Pasig and bound for Stanford University, Javea shares with Howie Severino her impressions of being one of the youngest among tens of thousands of attendees in Dubai. While noting the "small steps" that gave her hope, she acknowledged feeling annoyed by the adults in the room who "kept talking and talking, and a lot of the time I'm sitting there, like, 'Yeah, you're saying that but you're not going to change.'"

Before representing the country's youth, Javea spent time on a remote island in Mindanao without electricity getting to know young people there. Afterwards, she helped raise money for solar panels for the community. 

At Stanford, she intends to study climate science on the road to becoming an environmental lawyer. "Hopefully in the future I'll participate in climate negotiations as a delegate instead of a youth delegate”.

--

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Speech file courtesy of Atty. Antonio La Viña 

Links: ⁠

http://arehnaflourpower.com/⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10161760003511967&id=609776966⁠

⁠https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/890857/cop28-ph-youth-delegate-make-climate-financing-a-reality/story/⁠

Howie Severino reflects on the adventure tale and stunning visual feast that begin in a Manila slum and descend on a magical island. The movie received multiple awards in the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival including Best Screenplay and Best Picture.

In case you missed ti, curator Marian Pastor reveals the stunning story behind Rizal's last signature before he was to be executed.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6csUGLWqT6rQqQKIbLn2Qi?si=27cd5499ab1a4652&nd=1&dlsi=e8bd47e4cebe4c57

Suave, American-accented and half-French, Erwan Heussaff stuck out in Basilan and Tawi-tawi, just two of the places off the beaten track he's gone to explore the world of Philippine cuisine.

"I get frustrated sometimes with the monochromatic view that we have of Filipino food and culture," the food vlogger tells Howie Severino, explaining his travels to remote corners of the archipelago to experience unfamiliar flavors and meet locals who cook.

Unlike celebrated chefs who introduce Filipino food to international audiences through their fusion creations, Heussaff does it through stories.

From the "Erwan-centric" food vlogs typical of this personality-driven genre, his work has evolved to become deeply researched documentaries on such topics as the making of artisanal salt in Bohol, the subtle differences between varieties of ube, and the preparation of a wedding feast in a Cordillera mountain village.

His stories have informed legislation to preserve heirloom salts and created a so-called "Erwan effect" on local establishments he features.

The prestigious James Beard Foundation took notice of his approach to food stories and gave Heussaff its top award this year for social media, beating food content creators from around the world.

In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, Erwan and Howie talk about Christmas overeating, a myth about taho, and the three dishes he would recommend to a newbie to Filipino food.

And he shares how he feels when people on the street forget his name and refer to him simply as "asawa ni Anne Curtis."

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/@featrmedia

https://www.thefatkidinside.com/

--

Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

After a ten-year career as a theater actress in Miss Saigon and other international productions, Lissa Romero de Guia was living a joyful family life in Baguio with two young children when she suddenly lost her husband, the filmmaker Kidlat de Guia, who died in his sleep while visiting Spain in 2022.

When he died, Lissa had just taken a workshop on grieving after losing a close friend. She had also been doing yoga and meditation, and had experience counseling traumatized typhoon victims. A newspaper columnist and author, she has been writing openly about her grief and offers an example of how to deal with such a devastating loss. "I don't cope, I just allow," she tells Howie Severino. "You should allow that crucible of pain, that experience to shape you, to change you... I feel like that is the gift."

She and her two children, now 10 and 8, remember Kidlat every day, so they still feel his presence.

"My joke is that Kidlat couldn't have died at a better time in my life because in my 50 years here on earth, I've gravitated towards practices that are really about soothing the highly anxious child inside."

In this revealing conversation, de Guia talks about those practices, but also about the importance of writing to "right things" and adjusting to life as a single parent. She shares advice on how to talk to people going through loss. She quotes another writer who said, "Every love story is a ghost story." She explains what that means in this episode.

Do relatives really mean well when they ask certain questions during gatherings? In case you missed it, trauma therapist and mental health clinician Gang Badoy answers.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Acmz5ST3dv2NRFZLgkL7a?si=dd5c04b9853246c3&nd=1&dlsi=20a9ec8e7cbb4ede

After living in New York, London, and Manila, the former TV producer and now LGBT advocate Queenmelo Esguerra has resettled in Siargao, which has evolved from remote provincial backwater to a trendy, cosmopolitan surfing hot spot.

Queenmelo, or Melo for short, tells Howie Severino what makes Siargao magical: the combination of natural beauty and an egalitarian vibe where rich and poor, native and foreign can freely play and socialize together.

"When surfers go to the water, everyone is equal. It's just you and your relationship with nature," she says while dressed in her typical flowing kaftan and flamboyant shades. "They carry that attitude when they're on the ground."

Queenmelo asserts that Siargao is one of the most open places in the country for the LGBT community. But she says the Philippines still has a long way to go in gender equality, citing the sleeping status of the SOGIE bill.

Shortly after she moved to Siargao in 2021, Typhoon Odette struck. Queenmelo and a friend survived by taking shelter in a fire station. The next day, she swung into action, mobilizing friends to set up a relief kitchen that prepared hot meals for beleaguered islanders. Queenmelo has also helped rebuild homes and start community food gardens.

Siargao people's response to their plight demonstrated their community spirit and further deepened their roots in their adopted home. As they rebuild, they have a chance to create a model for the rest of the country — in sustainable tourism and in socially just ways of relating to each other.

After a ten-year career as a theater actress in Miss Saigon and other international productions, Lissa Romero de Guia was living a joyful family life in Baguio with two young children when she suddenly lost her husband, the filmmaker Kidlat de Guia, who died in his sleep while visiting Spain in 2022.

When he died, Lissa had just taken a workshop on grieving after losing a close friend. She had also been doing yoga and meditation, and had experience counseling traumatized typhoon victims. A newspaper columnist and author, she has been writing openly about her grief and offers an example of how to deal with such a devastating loss. "I don't cope, I just allow," she tells Howie Severino. "You should allow that crucible of pain, that experience to shape you, to change you... I feel like that is the gift."

She and her two children, now 10 and 8, remember Kidlat every day, so they still feel his presence.

"My joke is that Kidlat couldn't have died at a better time in my life because in my 50 years here on earth, I've gravitated towards practices that are really about soothing the highly anxious child inside."

In this revealing conversation, de Guia talks about those practices, but also about the importance of writing to "right things" and adjusting to life as a single parent. She shares advice on how to talk to people going through loss. She quotes another writer who said, "Every love story is a ghost story." She explains what that means in this episode.

Producer: Aubrey delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

https://thebaguiochronicle.com/author/lissa/?fbclid=IwAR3X5QAmnvW0xUAw-HtK85KaJScH2C6Y-9sI5WP16HE5ScvJ-Hoqcd5aEMs

https://atmaprema.global/blogs/self-love-teachers/lissa?fbclid=IwAR2Idbe-ijrc1jU3wORTIOvinc29cVpLzmLXzGTOHE9ZhLighdvPddLSDPw

https://peopleihavebeen.blogspot.com/?view=mosaic&fbclid=IwAR16kVWNICJHS5S9aK1jUyT0lsv44zPGJY1PF7jmqVTAwnPb3-_VxONWKuc

https://artbooks.ph/products/people-i-have-been?fbclid=IwAR0mcDqXrfz-qrrEPgVp861nRscxeuEIJnQrpYx78b70KedVXuguycV3g1E

In case you missed it, Chef Claude Tayag shares tips on how to get the best out of feasting on the Philippines' popular holiday offering.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QxMRyM4hOzJDqir6n2T6b?si=0a678d7ca85a49d2&nd=1&dlsi=6f2789b980bb486d

Drawing on her five decades as advocate and organizer, Edna Aquino talks about the Marcos comeback, the release of Leila de Lima, and what ails current social movements and human rights education.

She and Howie discuss how a traditional respect for women won't stop many from voting for a misogynist. The former campaigner for Amnesty International assesses the prospects of justice for Filipino victims through the International Criminal Court.

In the second part of their conversation, Patricia Evangelista discusses with Howie a thought-provoking aspect of her approach: unpacking the peculiar language used in the Philippines to cloak, justify and record violence by the state, from the origins of "salvage" to mean extrajudicial killing to the refrain of "nanlaban" (resisting arrest) to the clinical coldness of absurdly fantastical police reports.

Evangelista did not come out of nowhere. Her book is part autobiographical, including her wunderkind years when she became a teen-age public speaking world champion. She talks about her famous grandfather, the journalist Mario Chanco, and the big reveal she makes about him in the book; and her turning point when she stopped being a carefree youth and began to care about the forced disappearances of other youths.

She offers advice for would-be book writers ("if you're going to sit with a story for four or five years, you better very much care about it."), and for those who want to follow her path as a "trauma journalist."

When interviewing victims, she instructs, "try to make it as easy as possible. We ask for facts, not for feelings. Hindi 'yung 'anong pakiramdam mo?'... I try to be as respectful as possible. It doesn't mean I'm always successful. But I try."

(Please be advised that this conversation contains sensitive content and some profanity.)

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Photos courtesy of Mark Nicdao and Patricia Evangelista

Links:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/some-people-need-killing-the-boy-from-kyiv-wound-and-this-is-salvaged?fbclid=IwAR1NNVsChgKAE722ur4MoD-Oda4uvCWy9ddpfh4N5Vr6zgzOH41MclKYTXI

https://time.com/collection/must-read-books-2023/6332496/some-people-need-killing/?fbclid=IwAR3JAoXwYyviMPlhN4D56KZb3usKilNwNRNxxP5zreUCWnGzn2NLuVBODt0

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/books/review/some-people-need-killing-patricia-evangelista.html?fbclid=IwAR3oO5J4mu9MrdYxFAw9rebQvpNkoIdYjEWgAJUCYwAyzLyg5DVubmPozY4

https://cseas.yale.edu/patricia-evangelista?fbclid=IwAR2yd-De8BwUTseHaZewt6jMzZjg04nFf0UgKgoW3lr7LteiKjfGI1W15FE

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2200743/patricia-evangelista/?fbclid=IwAR2tuT9ogrwKXZWw-5axDXONtDdKfKKvZp0_9StkgX62CTMcTjLKO3_22Ok

Newly published in the United States, Patricia Evangelista's book, "Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in my Country," has been appearing on prestigious lists of best books of the year. The editor of the esteemed New Yorker magazine called it a "journalistic masterpiece."

When Patricia spoke to Howie Severino, she sounded more relieved than elated, having finished a four-year struggle to write a book that failed to meet various deadlines. She talks about the weight of processing the trauma of many victims' families, the risks of naming names, and the obsessive fact-checking and due diligence required of a book about a state-sponsored drug war that shocked the world.

What was as shocking as the dead bodies, she says, was the approval of many. "The terrible became ordinary with applause," she tells Howie. The author acknowledges that she never expected her reportage to change anything and only wanted to create a record of the heinous events. Yet her book's recent acclaim shows that "this one story that I thought might not matter in the context of many things happening in the world does matter."

(Please be advised that this conversation contains sensitive content and some profanity.)

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Photos courtesy of Mark Nicdao and Patricia Evangelista

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/some-people-need-killing-the-boy-from-kyiv-wound-and-this-is-salvaged?fbclid=IwAR1NNVsChgKAE722ur4MoD-Oda4uvCWy9ddpfh4N5Vr6zgzOH41MclKYTXI

https://time.com/collection/must-read-books-2023/6332496/some-people-need-killing/?fbclid=IwAR3JAoXwYyviMPlhN4D56KZb3usKilNwNRNxxP5zreUCWnGzn2NLuVBODt0

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/books/review/some-people-need-killing-patricia-evangelista.html?fbclid=IwAR3oO5J4mu9MrdYxFAw9rebQvpNkoIdYjEWgAJUCYwAyzLyg5DVubmPozY4

https://cseas.yale.edu/patricia-evangelista?fbclid=IwAR2yd-De8BwUTseHaZewt6jMzZjg04nFf0UgKgoW3lr7LteiKjfGI1W15FE

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2200743/patricia-evangelista/?fbclid=IwAR2tuT9ogrwKXZWw-5axDXONtDdKfKKvZp0_9StkgX62CTMcTjLKO3_22Ok

In case you missed it, psychologist and life coach Ali Gui defines seasonal affective disorder and gives advice on how to help people experiencing it during the holidays.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2CiLExLxBNMIrMqoKmuEAZ?si=757d257d5d994fe6&nd=1&dlsi=cdf2f9207ff6428b

Drawing on her five decades as advocate and organizer, Edna Aquino talks about the Marcos comeback, the release of Leila de Lima, and what ails current social movements and human rights education.

She and Howie discuss how a traditional respect for women wont stop many from voting for a misogynist. The former campaigner for Amnesty International assesses the prospects of justice for Filipino victims through the International Criminal Court.

Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Drawing on her five decades as advocate and organizer, Edna Aquino talks about the Marcos comeback, the release of Leila de Lima, and what ails current social movements and human rights education.

She and Howie discuss how a traditional respect for women won't stop many from voting for a misogynist. The former campaigner for Amnesty International assesses the prospects of justice for Filipino victims through the International Criminal Court.

https://bitly.ws/33Rd2

https://bitly.ws/33Rdk

https://bitly.ws/33RdD

https://bitly.ws/33RdS

Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

An era ended when Mang Tani retired. In his place are four young presenters, the most seasoned of whom is Amor Larrosa.

An occasional campus speaker, Amor explains climate change to listeners in layman's terms.

And will she one day be known as Aling Amor? Still a bit too young for the moniker, she's focused on making the science of weather accessible to ordinary people. So whatever she's eventually called, it will be earned.

In case you missed it, historian Ambeth Ocampo reveals the hero of revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio.

An era ended when Mang Tani retired. In his place are four young presenters, the most seasoned of whom is Amor Larrosa.

She talks to Howie Severino about succeeding an industry icon, the life-and-death responsibility of forecasting typhoons, and how supertyphoon Yolanda changed weather communications (there's now a signal no. 5).

An occasioinal campus speaker, Amor explains climate change to listeners in layman's terms.

And will she one day be known as Aling Amor? Still a bit too young for the moniker, she's focused on making the science of weather accessible to ordinary people. So whatever she's eventually called, it will be earned.

Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Over a hundred Filipinos have already been evacuated with their families from Gaza, but 25 are still known to be remaining as the bombing and ground invasion of the Israeli military continue.

Howie Severino speaks with Ambassador Ezzedin Tago, the Philippine envoy to Egypt, who is handling Filipinos' evacuation from Gaza through the Egyptian border, the only exit allowed by Israel. But that window may be closing as the war spreads in Gaza.

Amb. Tago describes the danger facing Filipinos in Gaza, and the tension and uncertainty of his mission, especially as communications are spotty at best.

He explains that some Filipinos still in Gaza may be hoping for a ceasefire but that prospect is fading fast. In this interview, Amb. Tago makes a call to the remaining Filipinos to leave as soon as possible while embassy personnel in Egypt stand ready to assist them with their journey back to the Philippines.

He says some evacuees are third-generation Filipinos in Gaza who know no other home and will receive assistance in their difficult adjustment in the Philippines after their repatriation.

In case you missed it, artist Manix Abrera talks about the power of comics as a platform for the underrepresented.

Over a hundred Filipinos have already been evacuated with their families from Gaza, but 25 are still known to be remaining as the bombing and ground invasion of the Israeli military continue.

Howie Severino speaks with Ambassador Ezzedin Tago, the Philippine envoy to Egypt, who is handling Filipinos' evacuation from Gaza through the Egyptian border, the only exit allowed by Israel. But that window may be closing as the war spreads in Gaza.

Amb. Tago describes the danger facing Filipinos in Gaza, and the tension and uncertainty of his mission, especially as communications are spotty at best.

He explains that some Filipinos still in Gaza may be hoping for a ceasefire but that prospect is fading fast. In this interview, Amb. Tago makes a call to the remaining Filipinos to leave as soon as possible while embassy personnel in Egypt stand ready to assist them with their journey back to the Philippines.

He says some evacuees are third-generation Filipinos in Gaza who know no other home and will receive assistance in their difficult adjustment in the Philippines after their repatriation.

Producer: Aubrey delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, digital media researcher Prof. Fatima Gaw explains the criteria that constitute disinformation, and why the term "fake news" is an oxymoron.

Joanna Sustento-Bacsa lost five members of her family during supertyphoon Yolanda, holding on to her mother before the storm surge forced her to let go.

A traumatized survivor, Joanna decided to devote her life to making people aware of the effects of climate change.

In one of the most riveting episodes of this podcast, Joanna recalls that tragic day in Novembr 2013 when the water suddenly entered their home and engulfed her family.

She surprises Howie by telling him that watching his documentary, "Climate Justice," turned her into a climate activist, the kind who would protest alone in front of the office of a major oil company. She wielded a poster of her young nephew, still missing after being swept away by the storm, until police led her away.

Joanna and Howie talk about what still needs to be learned about one of the worst calamities of our time. An infant's mother, she says the joy of motherhood was mixed with guilt about bringing life into this kind of world.

"I was sad because climate change took away my family, and it was discouraging me to have my own. But I wasn't to blame for this mess. It was unfair," she shares. "So when my husband and I decided to have a child, it was an important decision because a child means hope. A child symbolizes hope in the future."

Joanna Sustento-Bacsa and Howie talk about what still needs to be learned about one of the worst calamities of our time. An infant's mother, she says the joy of motherhood was mixed with guilt about bringing life into this kind of world.

"I was sad because climate change took away my family, and it was discouraging me to have my own. But I wasn't to blame for this mess. It was unfair," she shares. "So when my husband and I decided to have a child, it was an important decision because a child means hope. A child symbolizes hope in the future."

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Joanna Sustento-Bacsa lost five members of her family during super typhoon Yolanda, holding on to her mother before the storm surge forced her to let go.

A traumatized survivor, Joanna decided to devote her life to making people aware of the effects of climate change.

In one of the most riveting episodes of this podcast, Joanna recalls that tragic day in November 2013 when the water suddenly entered their home and engulfed her family.

She suprises Howie by telling him that watching his documentary, "Climate Justice," turned her into a climate activist, the kind who would protest alone in front of the office of a major oil company. She wielded a poster of young nephew, still missing after being swept away by the storm, until police led her away.

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, Born to be Wild host and veterinarian Doc Nielsen Donato debunks animal myths, including the famous comparison of crocodiles to corrupt politicians.

In my line of work, you tend to spend almost as much time with a cameraman as with your spouse. I worked with the same cameraman, Egay Navarro, for more than 10 years. If he didn’t get sick and pass away in 2013, we’d probably still be shooting together. Ten years later, I think about him whenever — whenever I need motivation to keep shooting after three decades of documentary-making, whenever I want to smile to myself (because he was amusing in his childlike demeanor), and just whenever, like these days at the end of October and early November when we think about those who have gone ahead. Egay taught me a lot of things, but most of all he showed me how to lead an interesting life.

Zahra Bianca "Z" Saldua was second runner-up in the Miss World Philippines pageant in 2013 and living a beauty queen's life with hosting gigs and product sponsorships.

But after the war in Israel erupted on October 7, she stopped posting about products and devoted herself to the Palestinian cause. The child of an OFW and a Palestinian woman who met in Kuwait, Z is the product of two diasporas who said she joined beauty pageants to have a larger platform for what she cared about. 

She's endured online hate for her views and suffers from what she says is "survivor's guilt" by living a safe, comfortable life in the Philippines, while the people she identifies with are being bombed. She explains to Howie Severino that her mission is to provide a human face to a misunderstood cause and explain the roots of a conflict that go back to 1948.

In case you missed it, lawyer and educator Tony La Viña explains the effects of disinformation during elections.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KaNhB7ty5Ocn3ndEK0Q43?si=d9dcb087ed4c49f4

Zahra Bianca "Z" Saldua was second runner-up in the Miss World Philippines pageant in 2013 and living a beauty queen's life with hosting gigs and product sponsorships.

But after the war in Israel erupted on October 7, she stopped posting about products and devoted herself to the Palestinian cause. The child of an OFW and a Palestinian woman who met in Kuwait, Z is the product of two diasporas who said she joined beauty pageants to have a larger platform for what she cared about. 

She's endured online hate for her views and suffers from what she says is "survivor's guilt" by living a safe, comfortable life in the Philippines, while the people she identifies with are being bombed. She explains to Howie Severino that her mission is to provide a human face to a misunderstood cause and explain the roots of a conflict that go back to 1948.

--

Producer: Eumer Yanga

Researcher: MJ Cerillo

Editor: Jayr Magtoto 

YouTube comedy sensation Mikey Bustos grew up in Canada wanting to be a veterinarian. Then after success on Canadian Idol, he decided to become a singer. But he soon discovered what entertained his audiences the most were his funny videos about the Filipino culture of his immigrant parents, such as his viral musical parody about the common, indispensable tabo. 

Howie Severino talks to Mikey about his childhood in Canada as often the only Filipino kid in class, resettling in the Philippines, and coming out with his partner RJ, with whom he shares a new, art-filled home. 

Mikey never forgot his childhood love for animals and retained his obsession with ants. He even recently made news as the discoverer of an ant species in his yard that was not known to exist in the Philippines. He tells Howie how his passion for ants became a business with international operations. 

With millions of followers on multiple platforms, Mikey shares tips on how to earn from creating online content. But it all starts with developing your talent and being ready for that “curveball from the universe.” 

In case you missed it, Raffy Tima explains how covering wars affected his personal life and shaped his faith in humanity.

Listen to the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dPKy7GYSrtOBHgN1iGQjf?si=6b3d979eee9c41a5 

YouTube comedy sensation Mikey Bustos grew up in Canada wanting to be a veterinarian. Then after success on Canadian Idol, he decided to become a singer. But he soon discovered what entertained his audiences the most were his funny videos about the Filipino culture of his immigrant parents, such as his viral musical parody about the common, indispensable tabo. 

Howie Severino talks to Mikey about his childhood in Canada as often the only Filipino kid in class, resettling in the Philippines, and coming out with his partner RJ, with whom he shares a new, art-filled home. 

Mikey never forgot his childhood love for animals and retained his obsession with ants. He even recently made news as the discoverer of an ant species in his yard that was not known to exist in the Philippines. He tells Howie how his passion for ants became a business with international operations. 

With millions of followers on multiple platforms, Mikey shares tips on how to earn from creating online content. But it all starts with developing your talent and being ready for that “curveball from the universe.” 

Links:

https://youtu.be/MFHISwnlzG8?si=o0YEQQbaGQqKb6Wy

https://youtu.be/Vzb98tQp53I?si=CQVHAffz3PnVBlbZ

--

Producer: Arla Fabella Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, former CCP vice president Chris Millado talks about a controversy faced by the cultural center and how it upheld the freedom of expression.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ANhtTRoCNSVYNoYfFdeCF?si=f8bdded4a4e0478c

The Hamas attack on Israel was the latest and one of the bloodiest episodes in a long history of war between Arabs and the Jewish state. 

UP political scientist Herman Kraft tells Howie Severino that the tensions began in 1948 when, backed by the United Nations but opposed by Arab states, Israel established itself as a state in what was then the territory of Palestine. As Israel, mostly a nation of European immigrants, won wars and became a military and economic power, Arab states sought peace, sidelining the nationalist interests of their Palestinian allies. 

As Israel prepares for a bloody occupation of Gaza, Kraft advises Filipinos to postpone any travels to Israel, even pilgrimages to Jerusalem, as the war could widen and drag on.

There’s a reason why there’s not much buzz about the barangay and SK elections this month — candidates are generally avoiding premature campaigning. Our podcast guest Atty. Ona Caritos of LENTE, a prominent election watchdog, says the Comelec has shortened the campaign period and warned against campaigning before or after it.

Make no mistake, says Atty. Caritos, the barangay elections are important because the barangay is where most citizens experience government and public service. In many places, it’s also where bases of power are formed for higher office.

The Sangguniang Kabataan elections on the same day are unique in at least one major way — it’s the only elections where members of political dynasties are disqualified from running. The application of a ban on dynasties in the SK elections may provide a template for other elections.

The October 30 elections will be manual. Could its successful conduct return us to the pre-automated system for the next elections? Atty Caritos weighs in.

Vote buying has become easier with mobile and online payment systems. That hasn’t deterred watchdog groups like LENTE from trying to stop it, now with the help of the PNP.

In a time of floods and traffic, Manila gives its residents much to complain about. But Diego Torres loves it enough to give free walking tours to show what history and beauty in the city remain and must be preserved.

Efforts by heritage activists like Torres have stopped demolitions and restored the grand dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater, an art deco marvel.

He also shares personal connections to the city, like how his grandparents met while both were working in Escolta when his future lolo spied his future lola through an office window.

He explains why the proposed Pasig River Expressway could rob the city of its famous vistas and offers an alternative vision — one that is pedestrian-friendly with a revived streetcar network called the tranvia and museums devoted to Manila’s fashion, architecture, and military history.

The Hamas attack on Israel was the latest and one of the bloodiest episodes in a long history of war between Arabs and the Jewish state.

UP political scientist Herman Kraft tells Howie Severino that the tensions began in 1948 when, backed by the United Nations but opposed by Arab states, Israel established itself as a state in what was then the territory of Palestine. As Israel, mostly a nation of European immigrants, won wars and became a military and economic power, Arab states sought peace, sidelining the nationalist interests of their Palestinian allies.

As Israel prepares for a bloody occupation of Gaza, Kraft advises Filipinos to postpone any travels to Israel, even pilgrimages to Jerusalem, as the war could widen and drag on.

Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8DwCl5uEL8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRYZjOuUnlU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0uLbeQlwjw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGVgjS98OsU

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/10/11/israel-hamas-war-live-gaza-faces-growing-humanitarian-catastrophe

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/10/11/hamas-israel-conflict-war-explained/71133876007/

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/09/middleeast/israel-hamas-gaza-war-explained-mime-intl/index.html

https://www.britannica.com/event/Arab-Israeli-wars

--

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, award-winning artist Robert Alejandro shares how his cancer diagnosis made him realize the value of self-love.

Catch the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7faZEjus6rDiDas2xMUbL0?si=5d0871e5cd7c416b

There’s a reason why there’s not much buzz about the barangay and SK elections this month — candidates are generally avoiding premature campaigning. Our podcast guest Atty. Ona Caritos of LENTE, a prominent election watchdog, says the Comelec has shortened the campaign period and warned against campaigning before or after it.

Make no mistake, says Atty. Caritos, the barangay elections are important because the barangay is where most citizens experience government and public service. In many places, it’s also where bases of power are formed for higher office.

The Sangguniang Kabataan elections on the same day are unique in at least one major way — it’s the only elections where members of political dynasties are disqualified from running. The application of a ban on dynasties in the SK elections may provide a template for other elections.

The October 30 elections will be manual. Could its successful conduct return us to the pre-automated system for the next elections? Atty Caritos weighs in.

Vote buying has become easier with mobile and online payment systems. That hasn’t deterred watchdog groups like LENTE from trying to stop it, now with the help of the PNP. Links:

https://www.lente.org.ph/

https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=home

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES - Official Gazette

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/1991/10oct/19911010-RA-7160-CCA.pdf

--

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, TOYM awardee and public school teacher Sabrina Ongkiko talks about the difference between “matalino” and “magaling."

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mESdr7UDFBepmxAoPd2wx?si=ca57a29aa08442d6 

In a time of floods and traffic, Manila gives its residents much to complain about. But Diego Torres loves it enough to give free walking tours to show what history and beauty in the city remain and must be preserved.

Efforts by heritage activists like Torres have stopped demolitions and restored the grand dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater, an art deco marvel.

He also shares personal connections to the city, like how his grandparents met while both were working in Escolta when his future lolo spied his future lola through an office window.

He explains why the proposed Pasig River Expressway could rob the city of its famous vistas and offers an alternative vision — one that is pedestrian-friendly with a revived streetcar network called the tranvia and museums devoted to Manila’s fashion, architecture, and military history. Links: https://www.facebook.com/RebirthManila?mibextid=ZbWKwL

https://instagram.com/rebirth.manila?igshid=MmU2YjMzNjRlOQ==

https://youtube.com/@RenacimientoManila?si=HsKOTKKIeY34k33T

https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/renacimiento-manila-everything-to-know

-- Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

In case you missed it, Christmas hitmaker Jose Mari Chan reveals that Christmas in Our Hearts was initially tagged “too Christian” and was not projected to be a hit.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zwp2dFiuI4KfSFDxjuPIQ?si=8848e739bcea4ae4 

After living in New York, London, and Manila, the former TV producer and now LGBT advocate Queenmelo Esguerra has resettled in Siargao, which has evolved from remote provincial backwater to a trendy, cosmopolitan surfing hot spot. 

Queenmelo, or Melo for short, tells Howie Severino what makes Siargao magical: the combination of natural beauty and an egalitarian vibe where rich and poor, native and foreign can freely play and socialize together. 

“When surfers go to the water, everyone is equal. It’s just you and your relationship with nature,” she says while dressed in her typical flowing kaftan and flamboyant shades. “They carry that attitude when they’re on the ground.” 

Queenmelo asserts that Siargao is one of the most open places in the country for the LGBT community. But she says the Philippines still has a long way to go in gender equality, citing the sleeping status of the SOGIE bill. 

Shortly after she moved to Siargao in 2021, Typhoon Odette struck. Queenmelo and a friend survived by taking shelter in a fire station. The next day, she swung into action, mobilizing friends to set up a relief kitchen that prepared hot meals for beleaguered islanders. Queenmelo has also helped rebuild homes and start community food gardens. 

Siargao people’s response to their plight demonstrated their community spirit and further deepened their roots in their adopted home. As they rebuild, they have a chance to create a model for the rest of the country — in sustainable tourism and in socially just ways of relating to each other. 

For more information:

https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/philanthropy/after-the-storm-typhoon-odette-queenmelo-esguerra

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/content/815454/siargao-after-its-worst-hit-with-odette-from-the-eyes-of-a-typhoon-survivor/story/

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/815052/almost-99-of-population-in-siargao-including-tourists-affected-by-odette-matugas/story/

-- Producer: Eumer Yanga Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto

“Baptism of fire right after college"

At just 28, Regine Cabato is one of the most influential, if relatively unknown, journalists in the Philippines. Covering both the Duterte and Marcos governments for the Washington Post, Cabato is read by political leaders around the world, not to mention embassies and key institutions that affect the Philippines.

Cabato talks to Howie Severino about her recent blockbuster reports, on the so-called “digital sweatshops” in the Philippines that service the booming Artificial Intelligence industry and the century-old remains of a Filipina teen-ager secretly used for controversial research in Washington DC. 

She recalls the harassment she endured during her coverage of the drug war, and explains what it will take for journalists to push back the tsunami of falsehoods reaching ordinary people. 

Cabato is also a Palanca awardee for her poetry, where she expresses emotions triggered by her reporting. 

Even in a hostile environment for journalists, Cabato says, “I'm not sure that I can picture myself doing anything else. I've always wanted to be a journalist.” 

At just 28, Regine Cabato is one of the most influential, if relatively unknown, journalists in the Philippines. Covering both the Duterte and Marcos governments for the Washington Post, Cabato is read by political leaders around the world, not to mention embassies and key institutions that affect the Philippines.

Cabato talks to Howie Severino about her recent blockbuster reports, on the so-called “digital sweatshops” in the Philippines that service the booming Artificial Intelligence industry and the century-old remains of a Filipina teen-ager secretly used for controversial research in Washington DC. 

She recalls the harassment she endured during her coverage of the drug war, and explains what it will take for journalists to push back the tsunami of falsehoods reaching ordinary people. 

Cabato is also a Palanca awardee for her poetry, where she expresses emotions triggered by her reporting. 

Even in a hostile environment for journalists, Cabato says, “I'm not sure that I can picture myself doing anything else. I've always wanted to be a journalist.” 

Links to her stories:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/interactive/2023/maura-philippines-smithsonian-brain-collection/

http://tldtd.org/poet/regine-cabato/

https://anmly.org/ap32/neighbor-species-32/regine-cabato/

https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/seven-journalists-five-continents-join-institute-journalist-fellows-term

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/28/scale-ai-remotasks-philippines-artificial-intelligence/

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018841930/regine-cabato-how-the-marcos-dynasty-regained-power-in-philippines

https://youtu.be/xeHPmTeeKfI

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1413379452187655

--
Produced by Arla Fabella
Researched by MJ Cerillo
Edited by Jayr Magtoto

Young Baguio horsewoman Solana Perez’s dream to race in the 1000-kilometer Mongol Derby was postponed by the pandemic. 

But she finally made it last month as the event’s very first rider from the Philippines.  She spoke to Howie Severino about the highs and lows, from the adrenaline rush to the meditative pace with which she finished. 

Solana learned to ride horses in her native Baguio, and said she was racing not just for herself but for all the Baguio pony boys who taught her to ride from a young age. 

She experienced more than a race but a unique Mongolian frontier culture that took her in like she was one of their own.

In case you missed it, cycling advocate Lester Babiera talks about the importance of protected bike lanes for more equitable and safer roads.

Catch the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6axPyV65pCao6Mzd1UcSbC?si=77225d8bc1b84793

Young Baguio horsewoman Solana Perez’s dream to race in the 1000-kilometer Mongol Derby was postponed by the pandemic.

But she finally made it last month as the event’s very first rider from the Philippines. She spoke to Howie Severino about the highs and lows, from the adrenaline rush to the meditative pace with which she finished.

Solana learned to ride horses in her native Baguio, and said she was racing not just for herself but for all the Baguio pony boys who taught her to ride from a young age.

She experienced more than a race but a unique Mongolian frontier culture that took her in like she was one of their own.

Links: https://equestrianists.com/mongol-derby/the-riders/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5HeLnD_BN4

https://www.facebook.com/easterncommph/videos/990508204755476/

https://www.gridmagazine.ph/watch-listen/grid-eastern-communications-vol-09-solana-perez

https://whenisnow.org/portfolio/horse-on-a-high-cliff-by-solana-l-perez/

-- Produced by Aubrey Delos Reyes Researched by MJ Cerillo Edited by Jayr Magtoto

I make museums, that's how Marian Pastor Roces often matter-of-factly describes her work. An art and museum curator of almost 50 years, Roces considers museums an essential part of understanding a culture and reversing the harmful misconceptions that have dragged Philippine society down. "Curation is about dealing with moral questions," she says.

Why do Filipinos cannot solve large social problems, why do we have confused notions about our identity, and what should a new museum a hundred years from now contain about our present time? Watch the full interview in the video.

In this audio essay, Howie Severino traces the career of Mike Enriquez from his mellow days as the English-speaking DJ Baby Michael all the way to his years as TV news anchor and a pillar of the broadcast industry.

Howie also knew another side of Mike as a colleague on a hazardous assignment in Iraq 20 years ago, and as a friend who appreciated the work of cameramen and others who worked with him.

Mike died last August 29, 2023 at the age of 71. 

Demonstrating the wide scope of her interests, Roces talks about Rizal as both mestizo and indio, and why the government's Martial Law museum should not be about any golden age. 

She argues that Martial Law distorted culture and fried Filipinos' brains, the effects of which are still being felt.

As a final question, Howie asks her, what should a new museum a hundred years from now contain about our present time?

For more information:

https://21am.culturalcenter.gov.ph/en

https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/tours/show/2

https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/tours/show/3

https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/tours/show/4 -- Producer: Eumer Yanga Researcher: MJ Cerillo Editor: Jayr Magtoto