Banana Q: a Filipino-Flavored Podcast

Our Chinese New Year episode is a narrative about the inspiring rags-to-riches life stories of two of the richest Filipino-Chinese tycoons in Philippine history: John Gokongwei and Henry Sy. These men built massive business empires which included Robinsons, Cebu Pacific, SM, and Banco de Oro... but how did they get there? Listen and get motivated to follow their paths, while laughing at Dee and Re...

We talk about the cultural differences in the offices of the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong. We start with being new hires and discuss how we got to know our colleagues over lunch or through team outings and work events, and end on how we bid farewell. We offer tips on how to make friends at work using our own experiences as an example. Link: Pictures and videos of stuff we mention

We cover Filipino culture tidbits which could be helpful for foreigners visiting or moving to the Philippines. We talk about what to do and not do from the moment you arrive at the airport until you mingle with the locals. We give tips on these and more: how to avoid getting ripped off, when not to get a haircut, what not to sing at karaoke so you don't get killed, and generally how to act so you...

We interview Tyne and Zenie on their inspiring stories about how they became Overseas Filipino Workers in order to help their families financially. After encountering bloopers and culture shock, they are now citizens of Canada and Jersey Channel Islands, UK. Listen as they share their OFW journeys and tips on how to follow their paths. Link: Dee's Jersey Channel Islands visit

We talk about Artificial Intelligence and interview an AI apprentice on this matter. We delve into how AI is used in social media, which has caused damage to society, citing information we learned from The Social Dilemma documentary. We talk about problems caused by social media - addiction, depression, tribalism, misinformation, and manipulation. We end with suggestions on how to reduce these iss...

We talk about predictions for 2021 and 2030. Madam Dee puts on a turban and we literally use tarot cards to try and see what's in store for these years. We also read out speculations from our listeners and discuss forecasts that were wrong and eerily spot on in entertainment and real life. Link: Behind the scenes photos

In this bonus episode, we categorize COVID-19 impact into three buckets: health, financial, and social, and share our own and other people's experiences. Dee goes into detail about her quarantine experience after moving from Singapore to Hong Kong in the middle of a pandemic.

We list TV shows, movies, and podcasts that we found binge-worthy this year. We split our TV shows into these categories: comedy/light, heist/mystery, drama, sci fi/fantasy, Asian, and reality/documentary. We reveal what we consider our movie of the year. We talk about how we first discovered podcasts and what we enjoy in them. We end on the pros and cons of the binge life. And here is a list of a...

We talk about Filipino food. We wonder why Filipino food is not that popular globally and mention dishes which we think have a chance of getting there. We also bring up some favorite Christmas food and regional dishes in Visayas and Mindanao. This episode is chock full of trivia and realizations.

We interview three Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in the Middle East. Myren and Glee are accountants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while Cris is an engineer in Oman. They share the stories of how they became OFWs and share a glimpse of their lives as white collar workers in the Middle East.

We interview Na Rae, a Korean, and Max, a K-pop addicted Filipino. We talk about Korean food, K-pop, K-fashion, and K-beauty. We discuss the fascinating journey that K-pop stars undergo before they succeed. Max tells the unusual story of how she was inspired to become part of the BTS army. We express our admiration for how Koreans take good care of their skin.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Marvel and Pinoy superheroes got into a fight? We took our fan fiction pens and wrote down the action-packed scenarios with comedic moments. Just like in a typical superhero film, you need to stay until after the credits have rolled.

We interview two guests on the importance of language and cultural context when living in a country far away from home. Edmund gives helpful tips on how to survive as a non-Japanese speaking expat in Japan. Shayne talks about her interesting experiences as a full time missionary in different countries. Links: Edmund's YouTube page | Shayne's YouTube page

We talk about Filipino name practices which confuse people of other nationalities, like our middle names are our mother’s maiden surname and sometimes we have nicknames that are nowhere to be found within our names. We also bring up common naming practices in the Philippines like kids being named as a portmanteau of their parents’ names. We discuss strange names and its possible impact on a person...

If a Shopee genie gave you 3 wishes, what would you put in your online shopping cart? We talk about Singles Day trivia and interview Pinoys from all over the world to get insights on their shopaholic tendencies and gather tips on impulse-buying.

This bonus episode is about Filipina director Antoinette Jadaone’s film Fan Girl which premiered at the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival on 31st October 2020.  Fan Girl follows the story of an overzealous fan (portrayed by newcomer Charlie Dizon), who somehow ends up in the same mansion as her celebrity crush, Paulo Avelino – who portrays himself in the film.  Rey, Kathleen, and MonMon share...

It's all about '90s nostalgia as we build a list that only '90s Filipino kids will remember. We reminisce about sari-sari store snacks, neighborhood games, tree-climbing, pogs, MIRC, Backstreet Boys, cartoons, cassette and VHS tapes, landline phone pranks, and how precious camera pictures used to be when we were growing up in the Philippines.

For Halloween and All Souls Day, we take a page from Magandang Gabi Bayan and talk about creepy creatures from the Philippines - aswang, mangkukulam, tiktik, manananggal, tikbalang, sigbin, tiyanak and white lady. We raise weird questions and share an epic ghost story experienced by a friend.

Jollibee is the #1 fast food in the Philippines. Is it just because of panlasang Pinoy? But it's also making waves in other countries like Singapore. We interview several people of different nationalities in a quest to find answers. We discover patterns and form a conclusion. For the finale, we feature a special podcast episode, so don't miss it!

We hash out the pros and cons of being in our thirties. We commiserate about tiredness, back pain, and slower ability to learn new skills or make new friends. We celebrate being able to afford quality things and possessing more wisdom. We discuss whether it's really so bad to no longer be in the calendar.

It's our origin story: how I met my co-podcaster. Dee tells two amusingly similar tales about risk and reward. She details how she almost didn't even get into Singapore if not for luck and how her luck ran out when she became a recession victim. Rey also shares his own journey to becoming an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). We talk about life as OFWs in Singapore and share insights on expenses, fla...

We wax nostalgic over the stuff we love about Christmas - childhood carolling, movies, decorations, parties, food, and gifts. We talk about how we celebrate Christmas in the Philippines, Singapore, and Japan, and laugh over memorable moments from Christmases past.

We interview a COVID-19 survivor who was hospitalized for 22 days in Metro Manila, Philippines. What were his symptoms? How did they treat his virus? How much was his hospital bill?

We share our hilarious personal experiences of the many instances that cause confusion: Bisaya words that have different meaning in Tagalog, hard to understand accents, and missing cultural context.

Hi! Welcome to Banana Q Podcast!