It’s 2025, and the DTI is once again insisting that a ₱500 Noche Buena is possible—sparking déjà vu from the same debate three years ago. So we’re bringing back that earlier episode to revisit the original uproar and explore what the ₱500 Noche Buena tells us about affordability, holiday spending, and the cost of living in the Philippines.

This episode rerun was produced by Hannah Tasarra and engineered by Anthony Tobias. Jaemark Tordecilla is our editor-at-large.

Listen to our episodes on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For more updates, follow us on these platforms: Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do so many Filipino children struggle to read and what does that say about the state of education and literacy in the Philippines today?

In this National Book Week episode, we revisit our conversation with Gillian Reyes of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) to unpack the country’s growing reading crisis. From lack of access and rising book costs to home environments and reading culture, this episode explores the real reasons why fewer Filipinos are reading for pleasure — and how this impacts literacy, learning, and national development.

We also dive into how initiatives like Book Nooks, the Philippine Book Festival, and local language translations are working to rebuild a culture of reading in communities across the country.

This episode rerun was produced by Anthony Tobias and engineered by Jem Bunao. Jaemark Tordecilla is our editor-at-large.

Listen to our episodes on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For more updates, follow us on these platforms: Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Philippines has become one of the most active frontlines in the growing US–China information war, where digital influence operations, propaganda campaigns, and soft power tactics are shaping public opinion, politics, and national security.

In this episode, we speak with Reuters correspondents Poppy McPherson and Karen Lema about their investigation into a Chinese-backed disinformation network operating in the Philippines — and how it mirrors similar tactics used by the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From troll accounts and fake engagement to “soft diplomacy” influencers and controversial awards for public officials, this conversation unpacks how global powers compete for narrative control in the country. It also explores why the Philippines has become such a strategic target in both information warfare and the broader US–China geopolitical rivalry, especially in the context of the South China Sea, Taiwan tensions, and regional security.

This episode was engineered by Anthony Tobias. Jaemark Tordecilla is our editor-at-large.

You may read the Reuters articles here and here.

Listen to our episodes on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For more updates, follow us on these platforms: Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.