On Assignment With Me

Sports star Alex Eala just made history — beating defending champion Iga Świątek to reach the second week of Wimbledon, the deepest any Filipino has ever gone in a Grand Slam. Veteran sports journalist TJ Manotoc joins us on this episode to unpack what her rise means for the sport and the country. While Eala was eliminated by Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16, she’s now reached a career-high sing...

Government officials, business owners and developers have contributed to the destruction of Siargao's environment and natural beauty.  On this episode, we speak to Siargao-based anti-corruption advocate and resort owner Christophe Bariou, about the impunity he has witnessed on the island, its impact on the environment, and how he's endeavoured to fight it. Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped isla...

There's a crisis lurking beneath Siargao's oceans. On this episode, we speak to Chie Defino of Ocean Tribe Philippines and go beneath the surface of Siargao's seas – to understand the island's environmental issues underwater. Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty – and is fast becoming one of t...

On part 1 of our three-part series, our assignment is to understand the environmental impact of mass tourism on the island. On this episode, we speak to Analyn Dulpina, Kara Rosas, and Iris Aroa of Lokal Lab, a grassroots NGO focused on sustainability for Siargao. Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines, widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natura...

Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines, widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty. It's fast becoming one of the most popular islands in Asia, but it’s being touted as the next Bali not just because of its ability to draw international crowds, but because its rapid tourism growth and development have brought significant environmental pr...

EXCLUSIVE: Our latest investigation reveals two additional New York City properties have links to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. My assignment today is to investigate how documents, sources and new evidence ties Romualdez and his family to more US properties. Property records show that in 2025, Romualdez's business associate and fraternity brother Andrew Casino was named trustee of three a...

I'm back from a bit of a hiatus that included attending a week-long course at Harvard Kennedy School, on Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century. In this episode, I recap my top three takeaways from the program, reflect on the feeling of being in a classroom again, and talk about why I came out of it feeling surprisingly optimistic about the future. I hope you take something away...

In this bonus episode, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa talks about some of her greatest learnings, how she reacts to the criticisms and online hate against her, and gives advice on how to live a life with no regrets. We also talk about the mental health toll of being female journalists under attack. In her most personal interview yet, I speak to my mentor and friend, and one of the mos...

"It's a perversion... to have hate, anger, fear spread faster. That is the worst of who we are as a people," says Maria Ressa, one of the most famous journalists of our time. "This is a moment of truth for our generation." On the second episode of our two-part conversation, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate warns that the death of democracy is looming – unless we act collectively, now. With the preva...

This is Maria Ressa like you've never seen her before. In her most personal interview yet, I speak to my mentor and friend... who also happens to have won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. Maria talks about the most formative moments of her life, how she sticks to her values in a fragmented world, and what the Nobel meant to her. "The minute you become corrupt, you can't help it," she says. "You will f...

One of the things I love most about the work I do is being able to speak to individuals with influence and power, ask them questions, and push for accountability for citizens. On this episode, we sit down with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) head Vince Dizon, who has been tasked to lead what has been coined the Philippines' most corrupt government agency. My assignment today is to u...

EXCLUSIVE: Amanpulo resort on Pamalican Island in Palawan is an ultra luxurious, ultra private enclave for the super wealthy that is only accessible via private plane. Our investigation reveals that a multi-million dollar, four-bedroom villa that sprawls over an acre surrounding an infinity pool has ties to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. My assignment today is to dig through public documen...

The world's first social media ban for children under 16 was rolled out in Australia in December 2025. Australia is noted for priding itself on being strong on regulation and being at the forefront of change, with the law being a bold, new move. It's aimed at trying to make tech platforms more responsible for what they are doing with algorithms that target early teenagers, and to protect children...

In the second part of this two-part interview, we examine what's next after the flood control corruption scandal: can ill-gotten wealth be truly recovered? What does President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. need to do to prove he's serious about overhauling the system? Will charges be filed against former house speaker Martin Romualdez who is the president's first cousin? We continue our conversation with R...

In this two-part interview, we revisit the New York City property acquired by the Romualdez family – a prominent clan in Philippine politics –which was first exposed during the launch of this podcast. My assignment this week is to understand how the family of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez acquired their wealth. We speak to Ruben Carranza, who was the commissioner of the Presidential Commis...

On this bonus episode, we continue our previous conversation with Dr. Ritesh Malik (Episode 4), a doctor from India who left medicine behind to pursue entrepreneurship... and became a millionaire in his 30s. Ritesh realized he didn't feel fulfilled as a doctor, took a huge leap, and shifted careers. In 2015, he founded Innov8 Coworking, a startup that just four years later, was acquired by Softban...

On this special New Year's episode, we sit down with Dr. Ritesh Malik, an Indian medical doctor turned entrepreneur. Ritesh realized he didn't feel fulfilled as a doctor, took a huge leap, and shifted careers. In 2015, he founded Innov8 Coworking, a startup that just four years later, was acquired by Softbank-backed OYO, an Indian multinational hospitality chain. Today, Innov8 is a significant cow...

It has been established that the alleged gunmen of the Bondi Beach massacre on December 14 were in the Philippines just weeks before they killed 15 people in a terrorist attack in Sydney. The father and son duo spent four weeks in the country, but authorities have yet to ascertain what exactly they did there despite unverified reports they received "military-style training." On this episode of On...

On this episode, I take you on assignment with me as I report from Bondi Beach after Australia's deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. I bring you along as I update you on the latest news, share the mood in Sydney's iconic beach, and speak to a young Jewish Australian who calls Bondi home. Come and experience what it's like to be... On Assignment With Me. Subscribe today on Spotify, App...

On this first episode, I go solo to introduce myself and explain why I've decided to start this podcast. Then, I break an exclusive story about a luxury property owned by former House Speaker Martin Romualdez – a close ally of the Philippine president and a top government official – who has allegedly been linked to a massive corruption scandal that has rocked the country, accusations he denies. Th...

Coming soon. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also send news tips and notes to the host Natashya Gutierrez, and learn more on natashyagutierrez.com.