Teka Teka

Remembering Rodolfo “Pong” Biazon

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

He’s remembered as the supposed laggard of his PMA class who went on to become a military icon and chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. But...

What’s left of the Manila Central Post Office after the fire

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Manila Central Post Office was burnt by fire on May 22, 2023. But is it actually gone for good? Diego Gabriel Torres, president of Renacimiento Ma...

Jose Rizal was taller than we thought. Why should we care? (Episode Replay)

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the nation commemorates the 162nd birth anniversary of Jose P. Rizal, historian Ambeth Ocampo talks us through how he settled a long-running debate...

How these 5 Pinoy youth leaders made big impact from starting something small

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this Teka Teka feature, we introduce to you the 5 youth leaders we interviewed for our new podcast, Kasama sa Pagbabago. Get to know the stories o...

Mayon, Taal, Kanlaon: Bakit sabay-sabay nag-aalboroto ang ating mga bulkan?

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mayon, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, has been under Alert Level 3 since June 8, which means that an eruption is possible within days ...

E ano kung mag-coup sa Speakership? Congress as check and balance to the Executive

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The drama at House of Representatives (HoR) continues after former PGMA is demoted for allegedly trying to unseat Speaker Martin Romualdez. Pumapodcas...

Marawi survivors already seeing problems in distribution of P1-B compensation package

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Six years after the Marawi Siege, a reparation package for its survivors is finally underway. Although this compensation package has been a long time ...

Why did the Philippines have two Independence days?

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why and how did the Philippines shift its Independence day from June 12 to July 4 and back again? In this episode, we feature the episode from the sho...

Ang sikreto kung bakit tumagal ang Eat Bulaga ng 43 years

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From little-known television latecomer to bonafide cultural institution, Eat Bulaga has become more than just a TV show – it's now a part of Filipin...

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death for Filipinas – there’s a way to eradicate it

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Efren Domingo, president of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, talks us through the roadmaps and roadblocks to eradicating cerv...

Mas murang kuryente ang renewable energy. What’s getting in the way?

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The government wants half of our energy needs to be fulfilled by renewable sources by 2040. What factors are hastening this transition, and what is ho...

Teka Teka, Ted: Can De Lima hold accountable those who caused her unjust detention and prosecution?

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On May 12, a Muntinlupa court acquitted Leila de Lima of another drug charge. The former senator, who is in her sixth year of detention, is now one st...

What does Teleradyo’s shutdown mean for journalists and viewers?

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility executive director Melinda De Jesus weighs in on Teleradyo's closure and ABS-CBN's new partnership with Ho...

Ano ang nakuha natin sa Maharlika Fund Bill?

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Maharlika Investment Fund inches closer into law after the Senate swiftly passed the bill. Now that it’s only a matter of time before President ...

Reporters’ story: How DepEd laptops ended up in retail stores, not with teachers?

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s the story of how a P667-million contract for the delivery of laptops to public schools was awarded to a small logistics company with no exper...

Stories from the 2023 SEA Games you might’ve missed!

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Inquirer Sports’ editor Francis Ochoa talks about the inspiring stories that came out of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games from the Philippine team.For...

Saan galing ang kuryente natin?

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Brownout! When it comes to the electricity that keeps our gadgets running, a lot of factors are at play. Let’s talk about supply, and the competitio...

How do we create more urgency in combating climate change?

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists say that global warming is inevitable at this point. It’s now a question of how bad this can get, and how much of this can we stop. We fe...

Pass the mic: The first Lebanese immigrants in the Philippines

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fleeing an empire, a near-shipwreck, and an accidental discovery – or so goes the myth of how the first Lebanese immigrants arrived in the Philippin...

How Thailand’s pro-democracy movement won big at the polls

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In May, Thai citizens headed to the polls for only the second time since the current government seized power through a military coup in 2014. A record...

Namemeligro ang ‘Amazon of the Oceans’ na nasa Pinas

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mahalaga ang liquefied natural gas projects sa Pilipinas dahil palaki nang palaki ang energy needs natin. Pero paano kung napipinsala naman ang kalika...

OFWs in Kuwait waiting on PH to resolve diplomatic standoff

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In January 2020, the Duterte government banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait over the death of a Filipino domestic worker. Earlier this...

‘Below-average’ IQ na ang karaniwang Pilipino. Ano ang pwede nating gawin?

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines has been in an education crisis for a while, but we’re only just now beginning to see its effects, including our standing in the wor...

Why listening to island communities is key to fighting climate change

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Island communities like the Boholanos in Danajon Bank are among the most vulnerable to climate change. But with their long history with precarious env...

Bakit wala sa listahan ng mga ‘crony-capitalist’ countries ang Pilipinas?

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After being ranked the fourth most crony-capitalist country by The Economist in 2021, the Philippines drops off the latest edition of the crony-capita...

Op-Ed: Kung hindi adik ang nagdodroga

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Seven years after the first tokhang-related killing, what have we learned about why people use drugs? Researchers and medical doctors Gideon Lasco and...

Mawawalan ba ng trabaho ang mga nasa BPO dahil sa AI?

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As artificial intelligence is deployed in workplaces all around us, could AI and automation actually replace BPO and service workers in the Philippine...

Inside Leila de Lima's second acquittal

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former Senator Leila de Lima is now one step closer to freedom. Her lawyer tells us what it was like to be in the courtroom and gives us a status upda...

The sole survivors of Marikina’s worn shoemaking industry

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Marikina shoemakers were once the face of a thriving industry and cultural institution. Today, they’re struggling to make ends meet in a digital, po...

Pass the mic: World Press Photo winner Kimberly dela Cruz

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Award-winning photographer Kimberly Dela Cruz on the "excruciating" work of covering the drug war.Listen to Pass the Mic Episode 1 here and Tokhang sa...

OPINION: Our Filipino faith, 7 years after the first tokhang killing

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Deeply ingrained Christianity has long shaped and steered Philippine society and politics. In the last administration, bishops loudly denounced Dutert...

How Sibika helps us build a nation, make better Filipinos

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Empowering the youth through education and civic engagement is crucial for building a better future. But academics say it starts at school, and our in...

'Ironclad' alliance: Washington rolls out the red carpet for President Marcos

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Around this time last year, it was unclear if President Marcos would be able to step foot on US soil without getting arrested. Last week, he received ...

How do we address the lessening number of Filipino farmers?

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Ang Ating Kwentong Klima, a four-part series from our other podcast A Better Normal, we surface stories of climate change in hopes of inspiring act...

Nauubos na mga mangingisda ng Ilijan, Batangas City

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Batangas City coast touches the Verde Island Passage—dubbed the Amazon of the oceans for being the center of the center of the world’s marine ...

"Ang init!" The heat index and what it actually measures

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Things will get worse before they get better, weather bureau PAGASA warns.For more from the PumaPodcast team, find us on these platforms:FacebookInsta...

Teka Teka Ted: New oath for new lawyers

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court is revisiting the character of its oath for incoming lawyers. Let’s dissect their new oath line by line with Atty. Ted Te.For more...

Para Po: Kumusta si kuya bus driver?

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic has caused many to shift industries, and now other countries are taking our…bus drivers. In this episode, a manager of a bus company, a...

Pass the mic: Russians in the Philippines watch their country wage war

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"They say…Russians run away from war but you have to be patriotic for your country…But [the] thing is you don't have to be [a] patriot this way wh...

SIM registration extension, ano ang kapalit?

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Filipinos with unregistered SIM cards may lose access to social media sites in the next three months.For more from the PumaPodcast team, find us on th...

Let’s talk about drug users as people

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Popular support fueled the Duterte administration’s so-called “war on drugs.” And a group of lawyers and advocates say labels like 'addict' and ...

Sudan's warring groups agree to a 3-day ceasefire, pero ano ba nangyari?

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A power struggle in Sudan's military reaches its breaking point, redirecting the country's journey to democracy and plunging millions into violence an...

‘Scam call centers’ in Manila: A trafficked Indonesian testifies

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Foreign nationals are being trafficked and coerced into defrauding people online. One smuggled Indonesian shares his harrowing story at a Senate heari...

How communities use indigenous knowledge to adapt to climate change

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines is among the most at risk of the impacts of climate change. How are Filipino communities adapting to something that threatens to chang...

PNP in P67-billion shabu drug haul mess

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In October 2022, police hauled off with 6.7 billion pesos worth of shabu in a drug bust. A low-ranking police official who was part of that operation ...

Remembering Albert del Rosario

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario died at the age of 83 on April 18, 2023. He will be remembered as an ardent defender of the West Philippin...

Covid-19, Year 3: What’s up with this creeping surge?

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new normal feels like becoming numb to news of minor surges, but Manila is considering bringing back mask mandates to curb the growing number of c...

Are we in a water crisis?

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

President Marcos says the Philippines is in the middle of a water crisis. As the threat of El Niño looms, experts weigh in on the state of water mana...

The sound of heritage conservation: a walking tour of San Nicolas

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The iconic San Nicolas district in Manila City has some of the only remaining ancestral houses left in the Philippines that survived World War 2. List...

Meet the medical board topnotcher who didn’t let a chronic illness get in the way

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dra. Aira Cassandra Castro topped the medical board exams among 2,900 examinees around the country–despite battling rheumatic heart disease most of ...

US and Philippines flex alliance as China simulates air attacks on Taiwan

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The annual Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” exercises between Washington and Manila kicked off on a larger scale than ever this week. The stake...

The Mandanas Ruling: Making sense of the conversation around LGUs’ capacity

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For years, the government has been preparing to shift more money and power to LGUs. But concerns over their capacity to absorb larger functions persis...

Allana Lim: The unsung hero of Philippine basketball

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Before the recent boom of Filipino ballers going international, Allana Lim was already playing across Asia. But not many know her name, because the fi...

How a student empowered a village of nanays

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At the height of the pandemic, many trisikad drivers lost their livelihood, pushing their wives to help find other sources of income. In this episode ...

Meggie Ochoa: Champion for children

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In just 10 years since learning jiu-jitsu, Meggie Ochoa has become a world champion and multi-gold medalist. Despite this incredible achievement, Megg...

How malls became the new plazas

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In many parts of the world, malls are closing down and going bankrupt. But not in the Philippines! What's behind this phenomenon? With anthropology pr...

Cultivating a work culture that you want

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If left alone, culture can grow in unexpected ways – even in ways you don’t want. In this episode takeover by The Imaginable Workplace, Haraya Coa...

Manila Bay reclamations: Boon or bane?

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are at least 19 reclamation projects in the Manila Bay area, all meant to create more urban space in the Metro. But how will these affect the su...

This Filipino-made therapy robot just won a patent in Singapore

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A wearable therapy robot developed by engineers from the De La Salle University campus in Laguna won its first international patent in Singapore. Our ...

Filipina “comfort women” finally land a victory at the UN

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A UN panel ruled that the Philippine government violated their rights by failing to give them adequate reparation, support and recognition. (Trigger w...

Sarao Motors reimagines a “King of the Road” fit for the times

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It looks like a traditional jeepney, but it certainly doesn’t sound like one. We visited the factory of the iconic Sarao Motors in Las Piñas to che...

The UN issues a final warning on climate disaster

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a years-long, comprehensive review, a United Nations panel of top climate scientists says we’re approaching our last chance to avert a climate...

Degamo murder: a cache of weapons, a bitter feud, and a big alibi

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves, a key suspect in the killing of Governor Roel Degamo, refuses to come home and answer questions–then turns to soci...

“May yearbook ka?” and other questions Immigration asked of that TikToker

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An immigration officer grilled a Filipina solo traveler for hours, causing her to miss her flight. But thanks to TikTok, she got an apology–and beca...

World Bank: Filipino youth need more and better-quality jobs

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In its latest Philippine Jobs Report, the World Bank warned that Filipino youth aged 15 to 24 were being left out of the post-pandemic labor market re...

Women ambassadors on the long road to get to where they are

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Members of the Women Diplomats Network of the European Union (WEDIN EU) share how they made it to the top against all odds–and how they plan to pave...

Is the PDEA paying informants with…drugs they confiscate?

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is in hot water after claims surfaced that enforcers were paying off informants with the same drugs they confis...

Did you know the Philippines played a key role in upholding women’s rights worldwide?

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Delia Albert, the Philippines’ first and only female foreign secretary, reflects on our success at advancing women’s rights – and how much furth...

The Senate wants to regulate your video games, too

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not just streaming platforms–lawmakers are looking to ban video games “unfit for public consumption” too. Will that really solve problems...

Silicon Valley Bank collapse: Should we be worried?

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is this the start of another financial crisis? The stunning implosion of SVB and Signature Bank in the US has caused major shockwaves in the global ba...

Three years on, what have we learned from the pandemic? Singapore shares lessons.

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Singapore's government published an unflinching review of its COVID-19 response–the good, the bad and the ugly included–as the world marks the pan...

The WHO says we have a massive salt problem

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly two million deaths per year are related to excessive sodium consumption. And the World Health Organization says states are not doing enough to ...

John Matthew Salilig is just the latest victim of Philippine fraternities

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite a 28-year-old law against hazing, fraternities continue to be able to recruit on campus–and secretly carry out brutal initiation rites. What...

Liza Soberano and that controversial 10-year contract

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The actress’ new manager stirred up a heated debate when he suggested that Liza was denied a chance at Hollywood because of a 10-year contract with ...

Why are jeepney drivers up in arms over joining cooperatives?

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Under the PUV Modernization Program, drivers are required to organize themselves into cooperatives. It’s meant to help spread out the cost of buying...

Athlete of the Year Hidilyn Diaz wants more support for women in sports

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippine Sportswriters’ Association names Hidilyn Diaz Athlete of the Year for the fourth time, an incredible achievement by any standard. On ...

The Oriental Mindoro oil spill may take years to clean up

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil is now fully submerged off the coast of Mindoro, endangering vast swathes of coral reefs, mangroves...

What will a trilateral defense pact between the US, Japan and the Philippines look like?

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Citing growing Chinese aggression in the region, analysts make the case for trilateral security cooperation between the Philippines, the US, and Japan...

On the onion trail: how does a kilo go from P55 to P270?

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 For the better part of 2022, white onions were either not available, or wildly overpriced. It got so bad onions turned into a meme. And the Phil...

Should the MTRCB be given oversight over streaming platforms?

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate is debating MTRCB's years-long request to regulate online streaming platforms. But renowned filmmakers like Carlos Siguion-Reyna and Erik M...

Marking the first People Power anniversary under the second Marcos presidency

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How did Bongbong Marcos commemorate the 37th anniversary of the revolution that ousted his father? How did we, as a country? Aries Arugay, chair of th...

LGBTQ couples can now enroll same-sex partners as their dependents

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sunlife recently announced that domestic and common-law partners, as well as same-gender partners, could now be enrolled as qualified dependents under...

Racism against Chinese Filipinos in the time of the pandemic

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The president of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, Meah Ang See, breaks down the history of racism against the Chinese in the Philippines–and what the commun...

The panciteria mentioned in El Filibusterismo is still alive–barely

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We take you on an audio walking tour of the Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto, a Spanish-era restaurant made famous by our national hero–before it ...

As Ukraine marks a year since Russia’s invasion, what can the Philippines do to help?

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ukraine shocked the world when it held off a Russian invasion that analysts expected to last mere days. But the country has paid a high price and cont...

Nearly all of the train cars delivered for LRT-1 Cavite extension found defective

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Department of Transportation just spent P12 billion to buy 120 new train cars to help commuters, only to discover the wagons were faulty and leaki...

A tale of two cities: Makati is rolling back bike lanes while Quezon City looks to ramp up

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After hosting one of the Metro’s first protected bike lanes during the pandemic, Makati announced on February 10 that bike lanes along Ayala Avenue ...

“We’re pushing the panic button”: Advocates sound the alarm on the nursing shortage

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines, one of the world’s top providers of nurses, is quite ironically facing a nursing shortage itself. Some countries are so desperate, ...

How femtech can help Filipinas take charge of their health

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Filipina women continue to face cultural and logistical barriers to pursuing reproductive health, and the pandemic has only made things harder. Jess D...

Why do we import more than 90% of our salt supply?

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even with one of the longest shorelines in the world, the Philippines has to bring in roughly 93% of our salt needs. What went wrong here?For more fro...

This Filipina-founded app is making it easier for OFWs to send money home

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Harvard Business School graduate Rebecca Kersch talks about TANGapp, the remittance service she founded for Filipino migrant workers and their familie...

How can the ICC do a proper investigation if the government doesn’t cooperate?

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The International Criminal Court has greenlit an investigation into killings under the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, but the Marcos governm...

Overcoming mental struggles to be a better athlete

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even the strongest athletes need support. Runner Lexi Noval talks about the importance of having a dependable community in improving athletes’ overa...

10 years after Yolanda, government housing still ‘substandard’ in Tacloban

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Dumodoble yung paghihirap namin”: This year marks a decade since Yolanda tore through Tacloban City, but residents we spoke to say their nightmar...

The US is expanding its military presence here–what’s in it for us?

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

President Marcos grants the U.S. access to four more Philippine military sites, to counter Chinese aggression in the region.Facebook:https://www.faceb...

Have you heard? The Grammys now has a category for video game music

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy–these are just some of the nominees for the first-ever Grammy Awards for best score...

What will it take to solve the growing housing shortage in the Philippines?

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The government is aiming to build one million houses per year, to stave off growing homelessness. But progress has been slow. Mardi Mapa-Suplido, CEO ...

A Filipina racer is overcoming financial barriers in motorsports

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teen racer Bianca Bustamante is blazing a trail as she chases her Formula 1 dreams with support from the W Series. Listen to the full episode on Go Ha...

We interviewed ChatGPT: ChatGPT explains, and raps (in Filipino!) about ChatGPT

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Through the magic of AI and text-to-speech software, Roby Alampay chats with ChatGPT. And yes, may rap pa sa dulo. Listen to this before you submit yo...

Why haven’t we won an Oscar yet?

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to mount a successful Oscar campaign? How much money do you need to woo Academy voters? A Congressional hearing shines the spotlight...