Teka Teka

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...

“We have failed them”: VP Sara on the many shortcomings of our education system

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte paints a dismal picture as she lays out the Basic Education Report for 2023. A dire lack of facili...

In the face of a global recession, where should you invest?

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been thinking of investing but are afraid to take that leap? Here’s the episode for you, from an equally-rattled young person: We asked an ...

Your credit card interest rates are about to shoot up

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Starting February, banks will now be able to charge you three percent per month for any unpaid outstanding balance. Bawas swipe na ba muna? We talk to...

The Great Resignation is still “in full swing” in the Philippines

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Across industries, waves of workers continue to quit their jobs because many companies don’t provide adequate remote-work support, according to a st...

COVID-19 is no longer among the top 10 causes of death in the Philippines

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the first nine months of 2022, COVID-19 was no longer one of the leading causes of mortality in the country, underscoring the big strides we’ve t...

Maria Ressa’s acquittal: What does it mean for Leila De Lima… and for President Marcos?

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Ressa and Rappler are cleared of four counts of tax evasion shortly after President Marcos is asked about the case in Davos, Switzerland. Presid...

The Marcos government is reshuffling appointees—again

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the space of two weeks, President Marcos’ administration has had to replace three key officials in Defense. And analysts say there may be more “...

Did the Philippines really snub Ukraine?

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Department of Foreign Affairs took offense when a Ukrainian diplomat revealed that the war-torn country has been asking for a call with President ...

What happens to the Earth if humans disappear?

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Roby Alampay goes on an African safari with his family, post-pandemic lockdowns - and they are humbled to learn, the animals, the plants, the land did...

Why the nine richest Filipinos own more than the bottom 55 million do

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A new report by Oxfam International found that income inequality around the world worsened in the last two years of the pandemic. And the rich-poor di...

Modular homes out of bamboo and plant fiber: Meet the startups using high tech to fix the housing crisis

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Habitat for Humanity’s accelerator program incubates startups that are trying to address the housing crisis using cutting-edge technology—and the ...

The fall of FTX and what it means for the local industry

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, the cryptocurrency exchange FTX was valued at $32 billion. But turns out, it was all just “really old-fashioned embezzlement”.Fo...

‘If you won’t do it, who will?’ The perilous work of Filipino conservationists

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Filipino conservationists gathered recently to celebrate their wins, but also talk about the massive challenges they’ve taken on. Spanning ocean con...

Marcos is off to the Swiss mountains next week

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

President Marcos will travel to Davos, Switzerland, next week to rub elbows with the world's richest and most powerful. This will be his 8th trip abro...

Mass resignation at the PNP–will it fix anything?

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than 600 generals and colonels heeded the DILG’s call to submit their courtesy resignation, as the government tries to rid the police force of ...

The new US House Speaker made history–just not in the way he’d hoped

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A drawn-out debacle over the US House speakership highlights the deep fissures within the Republican Party. So much so that headlines are now calling ...

The Justice Secretary’s son walks free

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After just 84 days in detention, the son of Justice Secretary Boying Remulla, who was found with almost 900 grams of a high-grade marijuana called kus...

Marcos seeks to move ties with China to “higher gear”. What does that mean?

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

President Marcos makes China his first state visit outside of ASEAN, signaling its importance in his foreign policy direction. And yet, the latest pol...

Dolly de Leon and her road to bagging that historic Golden Globe nomination

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dolly de Leon is the first Filipino to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the prestigious Golden Globes. The road to get there was long and h...

New Year’s Day air travel chaos—what went wrong?

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A “technical glitch” with the NAIA’s air traffic management system canceled and delayed hundreds of flights and ruined New Year for thousands of...

Assessing the DepEd’s hotline for victims of sexual abuse in schools

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Department of Education launched the “Learner Rights and Protection Office” website and national hotline for victims of sexual harassment and ...

China dropped its covid-zero policy–and got overwhelmed by a surge

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Experts say China is battling the largest case surge ever after abruptly lifting its zero-Covid policy. That left countries grappling with the same qu...

The PumaPodcast team’s favorite podcasts of 2022

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s what we tuned into this year, what changed our lives, and what we think you should listen to as well! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...

Op-Ed: Para sa mga tumaya noong eleksyon

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mika Ortega from “Give A Hoot” podcast talks about channeling emotions from the 2022 elections towards healthy communication and nation building. ...

Op-ed: Why I choose to be part of the Pumapansclub

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No longer a fresh grad, PumaPodcast’s audience engagement staffer reflects on her first year on the job and the things that made her stay. Hosted on...

Op-Ed: A love letter to men who love sports

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As more PBA players are accused of violence against women, women’s groups have been calling for change. But have we included the men in the discussi...

Op-Ed: Building inclusive workplaces for a more inclusive society

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carl Javier, CEO of PumaPodcast and co-host of The Imaginable Workplace, spends a lot of time thinking about how to make work and society better, and ...

Op-Ed: Navigating Parallel Public Spheres During the Holidays

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kat Ventura, co-host and producer of the Catch Me If You Can podcast, shares her reflections on the online polarization aggravated by the 2022 electio...

Op-Ed: Sibuyas, pagkaing mayaman na ngayong 2022

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cherry Madriaga, co-host of the Usapang Econ podcast, discusses the alarming rise of prices of goods and services this year, and what the government c...

Here’s how you can do the P500 Noche Buena, according to the DTI

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

According to the Trade Department, P500 may be enough budget for noche buena–for a family of up to five. Bale, ganito raw ang puwedeng breakdown (ma...

One step forward, 2 steps back for LGBTQIA+ rights across Southeast Asia this year

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A rights activist talks us through the good, the bad, and the ugly of the debate over legal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community across Southeast Asia in...

Tulfo, Villar clash on the issue of turning farmlands into subdivisions

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Senators Cynthia Villar and Raffy Tulfo get into a heated exchange over our shrinking farmlands. Villar, a billionaire developer, says: Where will our...

Jose Mari Chan on his life, career, and going against his dad’s wishes to pursue music

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Iconic singer-songwriter and sugar businessman Jose Mari Chan celebrated his heritage and shared stories from his youth while receiving another lifeti...

A journalist is convicted of cyber libel over a Facebook post. Was it fair?

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Baguio journalist Frank Cimatu was convicted of cyber libel over an old Facebook post against then-Agri Secretary Manny Piñol–reigniting the debate...

US freezes Quiboloy’s assets and mulls extradition over “serious rights abuses”

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lawyer weighs in on the sanctions levied by the US against Apollo Quiboloy – the founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ church, SMNI owner, and spirit...

The Metro Manila Subway faces delays because of property owners

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The “crown jewel” of Philippine railways was supposed to start excavating in mid-December, but once again, right-of-way issues are, well, getting ...

A global recession is coming. How can the country prepare?

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The International Monetary Fund says “the worst is yet to come”. It sees a global recession taking root early next year. Is there anything vulnera...

TNT Coach Mau Belen reflects on her exclusion from Gilas team

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the first female coach in the PBA, Mau Belen has broken many glass ceilings. But despite her long list of achievements, she found herself excluded ...

The hoops PWDs have to jump through to have their IDs renewed

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lawmakers are pushing for the lifetime validity of the ID cards of persons with disabilities.For more from the PumaPodcast team, find us on these plat...

The MRT has run out of beep cards—but they’re on Lazada at higher prices

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Beep cards aren’t being sold at some train stations anymore, due to what the DOTr calls a supply chain issue. But guess what, you can get them onlin...

What’s wrong with the Maharlika Investment Fund?

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A new House bill is moving through Congress at lightning speed, which could see the country’s first-ever sovereign wealth fund set up before the end...

Masakit pa magpa-tuli: The day I got a vasectomy

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it like to go through no-scalpel vasectomy? And what does this have to do with the health of one’s partner? For Dr. Jondi Flavier, long-tim...

Gooooaal! Filipinos get swept up in the FIFA World Cup frenzy

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Studies show Filipinos are all-in on the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Who are they rooting for? And are we #TeamRonaldo or #TeamMessi? Hosted on A...

Baron Geisler bats for segregation of addicts

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Relishing in the fame of his hit Netflix movie, Baron says he’s using this second chance to push for a more holistic approach to drug addiction. Luc...

In 2022, yellow onions were so scarce they became a meme. How did it come to this?

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For most of this year, Filipinos either survived without white or yellow onions, or paid a lot more for them. And yet our neighbors in Southeast Asia,...

Three out of ten Filipino children have considered taking their lives

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 isn’t the only pandemic we’re facing. Recent studies found that the pandemic-induced mental health crisis among Filipino youth never went...

Preventing blindness when you have diabetes is possible

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, we learn how everyone from personnel in barangay health stations to ophthalmologists in city hospitals, to pe...

Teka Break: PumaPodcast goes to the Komikero Komiks Museum

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the Teka Teka News team takes you on an immersive audio tour of the Komikero Komiks Museum, which reopened its doors in September aft...

Tropical architecture: In the face of climate change, this is how we can protect our cities

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Architect Mia Quimpo shares how tropical architecture can be the answer to making our homes and urban centers more disaster-resilient.Looking back on ...

Kamala Harris embarks on a historic trip to Palawan. Was it a message to China?

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

US Vice President Kamala Harris renews the superpower’s commitment to the Philippines on a highly charged trip to Palawan. For more from the PumaPo...

A Chinese mafia is grooming Filipinos to become cryptocurrency scammers

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Senator Risa Hontiveros says she unearthed a plot by Chinese syndicates that recruits Filipino workers, in turn forcing them to lure foreigners into d...

A new House bill wants to tax your Netflix, Spotify and Lazada transactions

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This bill is proposing to tax all online services and subscription-based streaming services to raise much-needed public revenues. Problem is, experts ...

Robredo reflects on disinformation at the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former US President Barack Obama holds his foundation’s first Democracy Forum in New York, with activists and leaders like former VP Leni Robredo sh...

A bittersweet life living with diabetes

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For World Diabetes Day, we speak to Johanah Co, who has been living with diabetes for 21 years. From constantly checking her blood sugar to planning t...

COP27: Will countries like the Philippines ever see climate justice?

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The stakes couldn't be higher for the Philippines as the world deliberates on climate compensation at the UN's climate summit this year. We speak to A...

There are now 8 billion of us on this planet

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, the world population crossed a staggering milestone: 8 billion humans. And the symbolic 8 billionth baby was actually born here in the Philippi...

Balikbayan boxes are stuck at Customs—again

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a perennial issue year after year: the families of overseas Filipino workers have to wait months to get their balikbayan boxes for Christmas. O...

Pinay leaders share concrete steps to grow women’s basketball in the PH

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In a male-dominated sport, how do we create more opportunities for women and inspire more girls to take a step and be part of change? First female PBA...

Op-Ed: Do it for the art, they say! But where does that leave us?

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carljoe Javier gives his thoughts on how society looks at art, film and music. And how this affects public support–or feeds the lack thereof. For m...

Paano ang Noche Buena? Inflation is here to rain on our Christmas parade

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Few countries take Christmas as seriously as the Philippines – but with inflation set to peak this December, Filipinos are in for a sparse holiday s...

Percy Lapid’s killing exposed deep cracks in our prison system

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Percy Lapid’s killers are finally facing charges after an up-and-down investigation, but the bigger questions remain: How could a kill order have co...

Unmasking Influence Operations in the Philippines

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At Harvard, disinformation researcher Jonathan Ong and former Vice President Leni Robredo discuss concrete ways to counteract malevolent influence cam...

What modernizing the agriculture sector will really look like

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Usapang Econ podcast returns for another season! Listen to economists JC Punongbayan and Cherry Madriaga as they talk about what it will take to impro...

How we can preserve our culture while redefining our urban spaces

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all wish to live in ideal cities where we have better transportation systems, easier access to our needs and more space to grow our talents. In thi...

How Jia de Guzman found her purpose in growing PH volleyball

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to have gender equality in volleyball and empower the next generation of players? In this episode takeover by Go Hard Girls, host an...

How this website crowdsources the dangers around us for our safety

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

MapaKalamidad.ph believes that when we share what we see, everyone can stay informed to avoid danger and to reduce risk together. In this episode take...

A day in the life of the visually impaired in the Philippines

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than two million Filipinos have visual impairments as of 2018, according to the Philippine Eye Disease Study by the Philippine Eye Research Insti...

Disinformation, self-censorship and a fragmented social media: Just a day in the life of a Filipino journalist

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We listen in on the annual Jaime V Ongpin Seminar, as notable journalists discuss the challenges of working in an era marked by impunity and disinform...

What does Xi Jinping’s absolute power mean for the Philippines?

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, President Xi Jinping cemented himself as the most powerful leader China has seen in decades. He now has virtually unchecked control of the ...

How do you end racism in policing? The UN is taking bold steps.

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The police kill one black person every four hours in Brazil, and they are two and a half times more likely to shoot a black person to death in the US....

Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes to critically ill children

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Make-A-Wish Philippines executive director Aleah Ortiz walks us through what we can do to help make children’s wishes come true–and arm them with ...

Here’s what the DOTr is planning under Marcos

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Full speed ahead,” President Marcos directed the Department of Transportation at his first State of the Nation Address. Transport Secretary Jaime...

Jinggoy Estrada gets roasted for suggesting a ban on K-dramas

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Widespread backlash has forced the senator to quickly walk back his comment on banning Korean dramas. But he did get an important discussion going: wh...

Remulla son's case a 'litmus test' for drug war under Marcos

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The high-profile illegal drug case against Juanito Jose Remulla III has once more shone a spotlight on the justice system. Will it treat the justice s...

Why is a Grab ride so expensive these days?

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What used to be a P200 fare for a 15-kilometer trip can now set you back around P800. We’re sure you noticed it too. What is the LTFRB doing about t...

Leila de Lima: 5 years in prison without a verdict

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Completely unacceptable.” Some members of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations called the government out over how long former senator...

Assessing the President’s first 100 days in office

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The first 100 days of a presidency are watched carefully because they often set the tone for the rest of the term. We listen in as the Stratbase ADR I...

Op-Ed: PBBM's First 100 Days - Character shines through, or it leaches out

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. heralded his hundredth day in office by inviting controversy and questions over his decision to fly to watch the F1 Gra...

Op–Ed: My new tita from Iran

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dressed in her Sunday best for a plane ride, an older lady would tell a stranger through her limited English what was going on back home in Iran. "Ira...

“Don’t shoot the messenger”, Percy Lapid said days before he died

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another day, another journalist killed with impunity. It’s gotten to a point where the embassies of Canada and the Netherlands have had to issue sta...

‘Binakla ang kampanya’: Queer participation in the 2022 elections

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this excerpt of Catch Me If You Can, sociologist Andoy Evangelista and film director Rod Singh talk about the role of the LGBTQIA+ community in the...

This company is bringing clean energy to 7,100 households in Palawan

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

WEnergy Global has a dream: use smart microgrid systems to bring clean, reliable electricity to more than 30,000 people in Palawan. Kids want to keep ...

Lea Salonga on the support pandemic-hit creative industries need

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amid acclaim for her recent Time100 Impact Award, Broadway star Lea Salonga urged more support for pandemic-hit creative industries. For more from the...

Marcos tries to spin his secret Singapore trip to watch F1

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So many questions, but we home in on the two biggest ones: Can a president just up and leave without informing the country or leaving someone in charg...

Why do Pinoys spend more on haircare after disasters?

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New data aggregated by Packworks from sari-sari stores tells an interesting story about why sales of hygiene and self-care products–and not canned f...

Yet another new Omicron strain is concerning scientists

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers warn that a subvariant of Omicron is demonstrating an alarming ability to dodge immunity. For more from the PumaPodcast team, find us on ...

How this alter account brought VP Leni’s historic pink rally to Makati

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this excerpt of Catch Me If You Can, we hear from the person behind the Twitter alter account @supernegatrona as he talks about how he influenced t...

How did the Sierra Madre save us from super typhoon Karding?

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Time and time again, the Sierra Madre breaks the megastorms rolling in from the Pacific Ocean before they hit us in Luzon. Super Typhoon Karding was j...

The many things grade-school textbooks get wrong about Martial Law

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A panel of history professors sounds the alarm over what students are learning – or not learning – about Martial Law. President Marcos Jr. attend...

Marcos makes his United Nations debut…after checking in at the ultra-posh Carlyle Hotel his mother loved

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

President Marcos Jr. attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, marking a triumphant return to the city – and his mother’...

Do we really need a presidential chief of staff?

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez is now presidential chief of staff, after resigning in the wake of the sugar fiasco. Wait, what’s the diffe...

‘Pera talaga ‘yung laban’: How trolls went up against BBM using attack memes

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We go behind the scenes of an outfit that was creating attack memes against Bongbong Marcos during the 2022 elections. Listen to excerpts of the new e...

'Cooperate, or you'll be beheaded just like this man' - The Memory Project

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The victim was arrested shortly after the declaration of Martial Law in September 1972. He was ordered to give his captors information about the CPP/N...

Death threats forced this student to say he was a 'subversive' - The Memory Project

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The victim, an engineering student, had been called to the school president's office one afternoon in 1982. Little did he know that this would deliver...

Nakadto pa ako ha Calbiga, Samar - The Memory Project

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"...I was still in Brgy Binanggaran, Calbiga, Samar, a military operation consisting of 11 people passed by our house. They called me to come down fro...

Chased by her captor and stripped - The Memory Project

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"Hindi ako makakain at napasuka pa dahil sa ginawa nilang pambabastos at pagyurak sa dangal ng aking pagkababae," reads the affidavit of this victim w...

Former British colonies want their crown jewels back

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In some parts of the world, Queen Elizabeth II’s death has sparked not grief and sympathy–but demands for the return of prized jewels and artifact...

At this QC cafe, the baristas have all lost a loved one to the drug war

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At Silingan Coffee, the staff will serve you their bestselling hazelnut latte along with–if you’re willing to listen–a story or two about how th...

“Hindi kami namumuhay nang normal”: Meet Martial Law’s 3-year-old detainee

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On the 50th anniversary of Martial Law, the daughter of detainees and torture survivors tells her family’s story. For more from the PumaPodcast tea...