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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

“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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.