Teka Teka

Patricia Matias, a graduate of MIT Sloan and Harvard Kennedy School, joins PumaPodcast editor-at-large Jaemark Tordecilla to discuss "endo" or end-of-contract labor practices in the Philippines, where workers are dismissed before gaining full benefits and job security. Matias highlights that despite presidential promises, endo persists due to business interests and a lack of worker solidarity. She...

In this episode of Generations from Philstar Life and PumaPodcast, award-winning filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone sits down with Philstar Life columnist Angel Martinez and PumaPodcast editor-at-large Jaemark Tordecilla to talk about her latest film, “Sunshine”, which won the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. The film confronts the stigma surrounding sex educati...

Director Baby Ruth Villarama joins Regine Cabato to delve into her documentary, "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea." They discuss the film's challenging journey, from its international premiere and award recognition at Doc Edge in New Zealand and a series of full house screenings in Manila despite significant censorship attempt, to the ongoing struggles faced by Filipino fishermen...

We’re rewinding to the very first Thought Bubbles episode to talk about the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift—now with an update for her brand-new era. From her country beginnings and pop reinventions, to The Tortured Poets Department, the record-breaking Eras Tour, and her fight to reclaim her masters, Taylor has shown time and again she’s a master of reinvention. And now, she’s announced her 12th...

Fyt's Atom Araullo and Voltaire Tupaz join PumaPodcast editor-at-large Jaemark Tordecilla to discuss the evolving media landscape and the unique approach of their media startup, driven by changing media consumption habits and a desire to create space for impactful, independent journalism. They discuss the LyfSaver app, a crowdsourcing platform for climate action and disaster response and highlight...

In the pilot episode of Generations from Philstar Life and PumaPodcast, PhilStar Life columnist Angel Martinez, a Gen Zer, and Pumapodcast editor-at-large Jaemark Tordecilla, an Xennial, unpack the seeming Gen Z shift away from career ambition and toward "lazy girl jobs," "quiet quitting," and "coffee badging." Is it a crisis of ambition or self-preservation? This conversation explores how differe...

Former Teka Teka reporter Bella Perez-Rubio reflects on her journey from traditional newsrooms to audio journalism, sharing why she left legacy media at the height of the 2022 elections and found a new voice through podcasting. In this candid conversation, Bella talks about covering the Duterte and Marcos administrations, the ethical compromises journalists face, and how platforms like PumaPodcast...

What does it mean to leave at the right time — and for the right reasons? In this episode, journalist Bella Perez-Rubio reflects on her journey from traditional newsrooms to PumaPodcast, and now, to New York University. Along the way, she shares stories that shaped her — from immigrant families to displaced voices — and the quiet, radical act of finding her own. We explore carding , a writing tech...

Renowned investigative journalist Sheila Coronel, the director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University, joins Roby Alampay and Jaemark Tordecilla in breaking down the threats facing media, academia, and free speech today. Sheila talks about the hidden power of archives to shape history, the lessons from martial law, and why journalists must keep recording the trut...

In a landmark decision that stunned many legal experts, the Philippine Supreme Court dismissed the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, citing the constitutional "one-year bar" rule. Oscar Franklin Tan, constitutional law expert and former law professor, joins PumaPodcast editor-at-large Jaemark Tordecilla to unpack how the Court’s ruling diverged from the 2003 Francisco v. House...

Teka Teka reporter Hannah Grace sits down with geoscientist and educator Ricarido Saturay Jr. to unpack the science, policies, and practical realities behind class suspensions in the Philippines. Why do we still get false alarms — no classes but no rain? What’s the difference between a tropical cyclone signal and an orange or red rainfall warning? How can local governments, teachers, and parents m...

Move beyond the traditional "Hero's Journey" as we explore how to find profound meaning in life's continuous efforts. Drawing inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki, this episode reveals how his films offer clarity by animating the world's complexity rather than simplifying it. Discover how creative resistance and moral storytelling can illuminate emotional and ethical truths that lay beneath our everyda...

Roby Alampay continues his conversation with Prof. Joseph Chinyong Liow of Nanyang Technological University. They discuss how the Philippines is recalibrating its ties as China rises and the United States retreats from Southeast Asia. They also unpack why the Philippines remains pro-America in public opinion but increasingly open to China’s economic influence. Liow wrote about Southeast Asia’s qui...

Roby Alampay sits down with Prof. Joseph Chinyong Liow of Nanyang Technological University to unpack Southeast Asia’s evolving balancing act between the United States and China. Are ASEAN countries still truly neutral? What does 30 years of data reveal about the region’s quiet shift toward Beijing? Liow shares insights from the “Anatomy of Choice” index—a detailed study he conducted with Yuen Foon...

In 2022, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte rose to power with the help of hyper-partisan influencers — online propagandists and attack dogs who dominated social media feeds. But when cracks appeared in the Marcos-Duterte alliance, those same bloggers turned their claws on the president they once defended. Now, pro-Marcos lawmakers are cracking down on these...

When should kids really start kindergarten? Should you worry if your child is “behind” in writing or reading? In this episode, Hannah Grace talks to Dr. Marison Dy, an early childhood care and development expert from UP Los Baños, about the Department of Education’s new cutoff for kinder enrollment, play-based learning, developmental milestones, and how parents can better support their kids at hom...

Public healthcare in the Philippines is often seen as slow, crowded, and lacking resources. But did you know your local health center offers many essential services for free?  In this episode, Hannah Grace talks to Dr. Cecille Francisco, a public health physician in Manila, about what Filipinos are missing out on: from free vaccines and HIV screening to family planning, mental health medicine...

The recently concluded ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ gave birth to more love teams that fans have been getting kilig over. But ever wondered why Philippine showbiz is made up of love teams? In Today’s episode of Teka Teka, we turn to Bubbles Magpayo for insights on the Philippines and its love for love teams. Joining in on the conversation is LJ Sanchez, Associate Professor of Broadcast Communication at the...

Veteran journalist Roby Alampay sits down with Daxim Lucas, former senior reporter at the Philippine Daily Inquirer and now founder of InsiderPH, to unpack the Inquirer’s historic decision to merge its print and digital operations. Dax shares insider insights on newsroom resistance, leadership struggles, and the economic realities of journalism in a post-print world. More than just a story about t...

As diplomatic tensions flare once again, we revisit a conversation covering six key narratives Beijing is pushing to sway Filipino minds. Robin Michael Garcia, founder and chairman of polling and research firm WR Numero, explains how China’s propaganda campaigns target democracy, exploit U.S. weaknesses, and aim to tilt Philippine foreign policy in its favor. Listen to our episodes on: Spotify , A...

Think your first job is just a job? Think again. With the help of Jag Garcia, founder, former chair and now senior faculty member of the film department at De Lasalle - College of Saint Benilde, this episode uncovers the hidden Hero's Journey within the demanding world of our own lives. It's about how different timelines of struggle and growth intersect to build a cohesive understanding. We reinfo...

Senator Imee Marcos is trying to stake her claim as the true keeper of the Marcos legacy by subtly undermining her own brother, President Bongbong Marcos. In a conversation with journalist Regine Cabato, political sociologist Ash Presto unpacks the quiet but growing rift between the siblings. While Bongbong faces criticism for being hands-off and indecisive, Imee crafts a more forceful image throu...

A Philippine firm, Comm&Sense Inc., was named in an OpenAI threat-intel report for using ChatGPT to generate pro-Marcos propaganda across Facebook and TikTok. Political sociologist Ash Presto joins Regine Cabato to break down how chatbot-generated content can be used to sustain loyalist narratives online at scale: from mass-produced comments to paraphrased talking points seeded across platform...

In this episode, independent journalist and content creator Jacque Manabat advocates for journalists to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and view themselves as "sellers of  information" to maintain audience trust. For Jacque, journalism is not dying but evolving, and adapting to new times and technologies is essential for its survival and for paving the way for future storytellers. This episo...

In late May, a photo of a woman emerging from a canal in Makati went viral. It sparked headlines, memes, and a government response, but behind the “mole people” narrative was a deeper, more human story. In this episode, we catch up with “William Roberts,” the anonymous photographer behind the viral post, to reflect on what happened. We talk about media responsibility, unintended consequences, and...