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The Howie Severino Podcast

The Howie Severino Podcast

By GMA Integrated News

Insightful conversations with veteran journalist, Howie Severino. Winner of the 2023 Catholic Mass Media Award for Best Educational Program.
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Manix Abrera

The Howie Severino PodcastJun 02, 2021

00:00
38:06
Nature storyteller Celine Murillo on her non-stop road trip

Nature storyteller Celine Murillo on her non-stop road trip

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

Mar 28, 202423:43
MIT grad Hillary Andales on having big dreams at a young age | ICYMI

MIT grad Hillary Andales on having big dreams at a young age | ICYMI

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

2w

Mar 25, 202401:36
Magsaysay Awardee Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on being a woman peace negotiator

Magsaysay Awardee Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on being a woman peace negotiator

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

Mar 21, 202420:37
Peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on finding common ground between enemies

Peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on finding common ground between enemies

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

Mar 21, 202427:59
Marian Pastor Roces on rethinking policy making | ICYMI
Mar 19, 202402:16
If you get intimidated by China, you lose — Antonio Carpio [VIDEO]

If you get intimidated by China, you lose — Antonio Carpio [VIDEO]

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. 

Mar 16, 202444:51
We cannot rely forever on the US — Antonio Carpio

We cannot rely forever on the US — Antonio Carpio

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

Mar 14, 202417:57
If you get intimidated by China, you lose — Antonio Carpio

If you get intimidated by China, you lose — Antonio Carpio

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

Mar 14, 202424:16
Javea Estavillo on being a climate activist | ICYMI
Mar 12, 202404:32
Covering the royal family is bizarre - BBC Correspondent Jonny Dymond [VIDEO]

Covering the royal family is bizarre - BBC Correspondent Jonny Dymond [VIDEO]

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

Mar 11, 202440:27
We’re not a plaything of government – BBC’s Jonny Dymond

We’re not a plaything of government – BBC’s Jonny Dymond

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


Mar 07, 202438:21
[VIDEO] Typewriters and the writing life — a convo with Butch Dalisay

[VIDEO] Typewriters and the writing life — a convo with Butch Dalisay

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.” 


Mar 03, 202438:32
[VIDEO] Leila de Lima on being hostaged by a fellow inmate

[VIDEO] Leila de Lima on being hostaged by a fellow inmate

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. 

Mar 02, 202455:57
Typewriters and the writing life — a convo with Butch Dalisay

Typewriters and the writing life — a convo with Butch Dalisay

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


Feb 29, 202436:45
How do oil spills affect marine environments? | ICYMI
Feb 26, 202404:12
When Leila de Lima was taken hostage in prison | Part 2

When Leila de Lima was taken hostage in prison | Part 2

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


Feb 23, 202436:50
Leila de Lima’s long and peculiar prison solitude | Part 1

Leila de Lima’s long and peculiar prison solitude | Part 1

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


Feb 22, 202417:37
We’re not allowed to use TikTok —AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla

We’re not allowed to use TikTok —AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla

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.

---

Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

Feb 15, 202416:36
The Army embraces inclusivity — AFP’s first woman spokesperson

The Army embraces inclusivity — AFP’s first woman spokesperson

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."

---

Producer: Ivy Andrada Bautista

Researcher: Jenica Villanueva

Editor: Jayr Magtoto



Feb 15, 202425:07
Is self-love necessary before being in a relationship? | ICYMI
Feb 13, 202403:43
What does Kung Hei Fat Choi actually mean? | ICYMI
Feb 10, 202403:38
How should BBM handle Digong? – UP political scientist Aries Arugay | Part 2
Feb 08, 202430:00
What’s happening to the Marcos-Duterte alliance? | Part 1
Feb 07, 202426:44
The worst part of having cancer… — survivor Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala | ICYMI

The worst part of having cancer… — survivor Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala | ICYMI

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.

Feb 06, 202404:22
The Sagada of 40 years ago

The Sagada of 40 years ago

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.

Jan 31, 202403:09
Jeepney drivers are a microcosm of society — Toym Imao | ICYMI
Jan 29, 202404:40
[VIDEO] Hya Bendaña— driver’s daughter, Ateneo valedictorian

[VIDEO] Hya Bendaña— driver’s daughter, Ateneo valedictorian

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.

Jan 28, 202435:00
Hya Bendaña — driver’s daughter, Ateneo valedictorian

Hya Bendaña — driver’s daughter, Ateneo valedictorian

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

Jan 25, 202433:29
What happens in a progressive school? | ICYMI
Jan 22, 202404:18
[VIDEO] DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on modernizing the jeepney

[VIDEO] DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on modernizing the jeepney

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.

Jan 21, 202432:05
What does our faith say about social responsibility? | ICYMI
Jan 18, 202403:09
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on modernizing the jeepney

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on modernizing the jeepney

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

Jan 16, 202431:10
[VIDEO] Gomburza was a little fire that became a revolution — Pepe Diokno

[VIDEO] Gomburza was a little fire that became a revolution — Pepe Diokno

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.


Jan 15, 202444:37
Gomburza was a little fire that became a revolution — Pepe Diokno

Gomburza was a little fire that became a revolution — Pepe Diokno

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.

Jan 12, 202440:30
[VIDEO] Pay up, 17-year-old climate activist tells rich countries
Jan 09, 202424:03
[VIDEO] I don't relate to the word "widow" — Writer Lissa Romero de Guia on losing her husband

[VIDEO] I don't relate to the word "widow" — Writer Lissa Romero de Guia on losing her husband

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.



Jan 09, 202442:21
Pay up, 17-year-old climate activist tells rich countries

Pay up, 17-year-old climate activist tells rich countries

Jan 04, 202422:39
Audio Essay — Firefly is a movie journey full of longing

Audio Essay — Firefly is a movie journey full of longing

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.

Dec 28, 202303:34
Jose Rizal's last signature and what it says about nationalism | ICYMI

Jose Rizal's last signature and what it says about nationalism | ICYMI

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

Dec 25, 202304:13
Erwan Heussaff is helping put Filipino food on the world map

Erwan Heussaff is helping put Filipino food on the world map

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

Dec 21, 202347:14
How do we deal with rude relatives at family gatherings? | ICYMI

How do we deal with rude relatives at family gatherings? | ICYMI

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

Dec 18, 202304:07
"Siargao has magic" — Queenmelo Esguerra, gender equality activist

"Siargao has magic" — Queenmelo Esguerra, gender equality activist

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.

Dec 15, 202328:01
I don't relate to the word "widow" — Writer Lissa Romero de Guia on losing her husband

I don't relate to the word "widow" — Writer Lissa Romero de Guia on losing her husband

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


Dec 14, 202339:38
Chef Claude Tayag on what makes the best lechon experience | ICYMI

Chef Claude Tayag on what makes the best lechon experience | ICYMI

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

Dec 11, 202304:12
[VIDEO] What's wrong with the opposition? — activist Edna Aquino's take

[VIDEO] What's wrong with the opposition? — activist Edna Aquino's take

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.


Dec 11, 202301:17:18
Acclaimed author Patricia Evangelista on being a "trauma journalist" | Part 2

Acclaimed author Patricia Evangelista on being a "trauma journalist" | Part 2

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


Dec 09, 202315:12
Patricia Evangelista on her first book, a surprise critical hit | Part 1

Patricia Evangelista on her first book, a surprise critical hit | Part 1

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



Dec 07, 202326:35
What is seasonal affective disorder? | ICYMI

What is seasonal affective disorder? | ICYMI

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



Dec 05, 202303:44
Activist Edna Aquino on #BabaeAko and Martial Law in the 70s | Part 2

Activist Edna Aquino on #BabaeAko and Martial Law in the 70s | Part 2

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

Dec 01, 202333:39
What's wrong with the opposition? — activist Edna Aquino's take | Part 1

What's wrong with the opposition? — activist Edna Aquino's take | Part 1

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



Nov 30, 202340:19