What does it mean to rise above the challenges and self-doubts you feel and to capitalize on uplifting feelings from achievements? Moreseo, how do you overcome challenges like an embarrassing moment in class, overcoming  seemingly impossible course works, and even more, losing a loved one? John Dexter Canda, or JD for short, writes about that in his essay, "The anesthesia incident." It was published last January 19, 2021, and on this episode, he tells us more about his love for medicine, what he's learned from med school, and his advice to those planning to enter the vocation of being a doctor.  | About the guest: John Dexter Canda is a third-year medical student at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. He gives biology lectures to clever college kids as a laid back teaching assistant at the same university. He spends most of his spare time acquiring junk and trivia knowledge by watching 'Jeopardy!'.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Were you once that kid who wanted to be a NASA astronaut, the next JK Rowling or maybe even Spiderman? Like you and me, this week's featured writer once fantasized of being her favorite superhero, among others. But then, reality confronted her and she realized that the idea of becoming whoever you want to become was a myth. Odeza writes about that in her essay, "Why dreams die." It was published last December 1, 2020, and on this episode, she tells us more about her own dream when she was young, what she's currently up to now, and her advice for kids who have the wildest dreams but lack the resources or the environment to nurture that innate passion for whatever craft.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Faith started gardening in 2017, and she's often asked why she likes tending her plants, which she considers as precious family. Moreso, why did she write about her love for cultivation, why does it give her a sense of fulfillment, and why does she keep at it even when she gets extremely preoccupied with other responsibilities and work? Faith Buenacosa, a self-proclaimed plantita, answers those questions in this week's featured essay, "Halaman woman." Her essay was published last May 5, 2019, and on this episode, she talks about her how gardening connects her to her mother, what it's like to be newly thirty, and her advice for those who are new to or are still planning to get into gardening. | About the guest: Faith Buenacosa is newly thirty. She teaches communication and writing. She loves gardening, silence, Korean variety shows, and true crime.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

What would you do if you saw a guy in a yellow dress? Would you be silently weirded out or would you shamelessly laugh? Asked the same question, Atria Cutanda, this week's writer says she'd put on her brother’s blue jerseys, go back out, and say hello. She explains why, in her essay, The guy in a yellow dress. Her essay was published on January 04, 2018 and on this episode, she joins us on a call from her hometown, Guimaras, to talk about her current views on feminism and why she thinks we should be wary of stereotyping people based on gender. | About the guest: Atria  started writing essays when she  was in grade school after her teacher saw her crying silently and said that if she couldn't communicate her feelings to people verbally, writing's a good way to do it. As she was growing up, whenever asked what she wanted to be, she'd say, "happy", but now she'd say that she wants to be an inspiration to her fellow youth. She loves yellow because it's a happy color.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Why do lawyers defend murderers? Why is there such a thing as innocent until proven guilty? And is death penalty something that our country, or any other nation, afford to do? Rejinel Valencia, a 3rd-year UP Law Student, answers those questions in this week's featured essay, "Defending murderers." His essay was published last October 22, 2020 and on this episode, he talks about his advocacies as a law student, what it means to uphold the Philippine constitution, and his advice for young Filipinos who are interested in pursuing law. | About the guest: Rejinel Valencia is a junior Juris Doctor student at the University of the Philippines College of Law.  Alongside his studies, he is working as a knowledge management officer at the Office of the Vice President. He often spends his free time playing with his dogs, Ollie and Olla. 

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

One of the many things that Kevin has done while quarantining in the comfort of his home is connecting to his family's heritage. The medium through which he did this is music, which he beautifully narrates in his personal essay, "The missing vinyl." His essay was published last November 12, 2020, and on this episode, he joins our host on a call all the way from Laguna to talk about his love for music, his family heritage, and why he thinks it's important for everyone to know one's origins and learn how to love it. | About the guest: Kevin, 26, works at Laguna State Polytechnic University. He is currently taking up Master of Arts in Communication Arts at University of the Philippines Los Banos. He is fond of writing creative nonfiction and essays, reading books, and watching coming-of-age films.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Abraham Cowley, a prolific personal essayist, once said, "I confess I love littleness in all things. A little convenient estate, a little cheerful house, a little company, and a very little feast; and, if I were to fall in love again, which is a great passion, and therefore, I hope I have done with it, it would be, I think, with prettiness rather than with majestic beauty." Kristel shares the same sentiments with him, and she explains why living a well-lived life has nothing to do with grandeur, and everything to do with simply appreciating the little things in her essay, simply appreciation. | Kristel's essay was published last November 02, 2014. In this episode, she talks  about mental health, the power of consistency over intensity, and why she continues to live by her personal rule of never, ever smoking.  | About the writer: Kristel graduated from Saint Louis University with a degree in Accountancy. She is currently a full time government employee and a part time student. Her 2021 goals include taking more calculated risks.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

What does it mean to be an advocate of science? Does one have to be a scientist in a lab, an academic or a whiz kid to be considered as one? And is our country, along with our educational system, equipped with the necessary resources to produce world-class men and women in STEM?Anna Tongco answers those questions in this week's featured essay, "A fine day for science," which was published last May 2, 2017. On this episode, she talks about her passion for her work as a food scientist, her life as a graduate student at Michigan State University, and her advice for young Filipinos who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM. // About the guest: Anna is primarily a food scientist, but she also likes to wear other hats. She's an amateur writer, a very amateur ballroom dancer and an even more amateur musician, theater enthusiast, bookworm and arnisadora.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Almost everyone has that one answer when asked the question, "What is the secret to success?" To some, it's confidence, to others, it's grit. In the case of Ian, he was told that it's "diskarte." He writes about his thoughts on this and its effect on our Philippine society in his essay, 'Diskarte.' His essay was published last October 13, 2020, and on EP 28, he joins us on a call to talk about the "Filipino culture of being resilient and "madiskarte," the work he's doing as a content creator and business person, and lastly, his own take on what it really means to be 'successful'. | Ian is a 25 year-old content creator and business person. He is one of the core leaders of Passionate Creators and the founder of The Writing Movement.

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.

Tish was a student in the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) when she wrote about her experience as a student-activist. In her essay, she narrates the way she's been stereotyped as an upper middle-class rallyista and more importantly, why she thinks it's important for all of us to devote ourselves to a cause that we strongly resonate with--no matter how simple. Her essay was first published fifteen years ago, in 2006, and in this episode, she talks about how being an activist has molded her into who she is today as a mother, a writer, a philanthropist, and an overall superstar. // About Tish: Tish dreams of a Philippines where every Filipino can live with dignity. She is currently the lead convenor of The Foundation Foundation PH, a volunteer group that assists survivors of sex trafficking; and board member of the Urban Poor Resource Center of the Philippines. She has been working in public relations for over 13 years. // Photo by by Mixi Ignacio for Cosmopolitan Philippines. // Here are some resources on 2016 election funding and the case of Angelo dela Cruz:  https://www.ijurr.org/spotlight-on/political-geographies-of-right-wing-populism/waiting-for-duterte/ https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/how-much-do-candidates-owe-their-rich-backers https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/21/world/hostage-is-freed-after-philippine-troops-are-withdrawn-from-iraq.html // Episode art by Alexandra Ranielle Gallego, Produced by Caitlin Jo and Leah Cioco

About our partner, the University of the Philippines' Consulting Group (UPCG): Now in its second year, The Business Building Bootcamp (BBC) of the UP Consulting Group aims to educate small business owners on ways to take their business to the next level. This year's BBB will be held on March 5 and 6, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) and will cover the following topics: business planning, digital marketing, and brand positioning, finance and accounting, legal matters, and corporate social responsibility. Each segment will consist of a 30-minute talk by prestigious industry experts, followed by an open forum, and a workshop.