How can we we make craft sustainable, equitable and empowering for the artisans who sustain our rich cultural traditions?

In this episode, we introduce the Crafting Futures research conducted by the MUNI team on the state of handloom weaving in the Philippines, and interview veteran furniture designer Debbie Palao, co-founder of HoliCOW or Holistic Coalition of the Willing, a sustainable furniture and housewares company based in Cebu City, and Chevening scholar Ceeli Martinez-Miranda, Chief Operating Officer of Ananas Anam Philippines, the company behind Piñatex, a plant-based alternative to leather made with pineapple fiber.

Dive deeper into this conversation by joining our live event Crafting Futures Together -- a sharing session on research and collaboration on sustainable weaving on August 8, 4-6PM, Philippine time. Register via the link in our show notes until August 6 or while slots last.

Show notes: muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep9.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by britishcouncil.ph and designcenter.ph.

One of the unexpected impacts of COVID is that it actually ushered in a real interest in backyard farming for a lot of people. Are the social or environmental benefits to growing food in urban centers significant? Or is urban farming just a hobby for bored, locked down titas of Manila? 

We talked to two urban farmers, who have reaped real benefits from urban farming, and found resiliency and community through their food gardens: JC Tejano, a Quezon City resident with zero experience in farming, who turned a trash-filled lot into an abundant community garden while in lockdown, and Muneer and Raina Hinay of Kids Who Farm from Zamboanga City, who empower the youth to learn the benefits of urban farming and set up community food gardens of their own. Access the references cited in this episode here: muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep8.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by forestfoundation.ph.

How does the anti-terror bill affect our freedoms, and in particular, those who fight to protect our environment and all who live in it?

The Philippines is one of the most deadly places to be an environmental activist, and there have been 113 reporting killings of environmental defenders since President Duterte assumed office. With the anti-terror bill, these defenders face potentially greater dangers in being labeled or "red-tagged" as terrorists.

We asked environmental activists Chuck Baclagon of 350, Krishna Ariola of Youth for Climate Hope, & Issa Barte of Fund The Forest to share stories of environmental defenders, and how the Anti-Terrorism Bill impacts them and their work.

Join our MUNI Meetup on Starting a Movement on June 27 by signing up here: bit.ly/Meetup-Movement.

Access the references cited in this episode here: muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep7.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. 

How can craft contribute to a mindful and livable world, even post-COVID? 

Last March 6-8 at the Making Futures Conference in Cebu, we met Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui, who works with Pakistani craft communities, and learned about Cameron Tonkinwise, who teaches transition design at the University of Technology Sydney. Six weeks after the conference and several weeks into lockdown, we catch up with them to talk about how COVID now impacts craft, and how craft, in turn, might possibly influence more sustainable and equitable futures. Making Futures was organized by British Council and Plymouth College of Art, in cooperation with the Design Center of the Philippines. Learn more and get access to more episode resources via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep6.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by britishcouncil.ph and designcenter.ph.

With the COVID-19 crisis, we need to share stories that give us hope -- in a world where we look out for one another, and grow stronger communities that can withstand these greater challenges.

We spoke to: Ayen Lopez of Help From Home, a volunteer-driven information hub to help COVID-19 frontliners and families at risk; Trish Lim & John Francia of Woven, who created the Bahay Kubo food sustainability program for their rural communities; and Christopher Ng, whose individual actions helped grocery workers at the frontlines. 

Throughout the episode, we also feature two short stories of hope from Mikka Malonzo and Dr. Arnel Jumayao, in collaboration with Where To Next, to remind ourselves of the value of acts of compassion and empathy, because we never know how an act of kindness can impact another person.  

See our show notes and find ways to help via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep5.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by forestfoundation.ph.

How effective is tree-planting as natural climate solution? What are the challenges we face in protecting and growing our forests? And how might we find love when we bring our passions forward? ;) We asked forest-loving couple: Lee Ann Canals-Silayan of UP Mountaineers and Eco Explorations, and Alan Silayan, an independent climate change professional. Learn more via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep4.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by forestfoundation.ph.

COVID-19 has forced us to practice social distancing, but these are the times we need to support each other even more. We asked two leaders, Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of the social enterprise Rags2Riches, and Dave Albao of the conservation NGO managing Danjugan Island: How are you and your employees coping with COVID-19? How can we better support each other through this? Learn more about this episode and how to help via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep3.

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. 

People don't respond to data, but they respond to stories. In our second episode, we ask: what role does art and creativity play in telling the story of our ecological and social crises? We talk to Gab Mejia, a conservation photographer, and Mich Rama, co-founder and executive director of Dakila, about their work in arts for activism. Learn more via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep2. 

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by forestfoundation.ph.

Whether we respond effectively to our ecological crisis depends on how we handle our collective distress. We spoke with marine conservationist Anna Oposa, executive director of Save Philippine Seas, and also briefly with permaculture educator Rosemary Morrow, about how they deal with eco-anxiety. Learn more via muni.com.ph/post/podcast_ep. 

Find us on Instagram @muni_ph, and connect with us on Facebook via the MUNI Community page and MUNI Community group. This episode was brought to you by forestfoundation.ph.