This episode explores the complex story of the bulul, the iconic carved wooden figures of the Ifugao people. We trace its journey from a sacred ancestral guardian, consecrated with ritual to protect the all-important rice harvest, to its modern status as a celebrated and highly-priced art piece in global auction houses. What happens when a living spiritual vessel is transformed into a collector's commodity? And what does this object reveal about indigenous resilience, colonialism, and the very concept of authenticity? Join us as we offer answers to these questions in episode of our series, Bagay-Bagay: Objects of Philippine Life.

More than just a pest, the rat is an unacknowledged actor in Philippine history, its story intertwined with our own from prehistoric times to the modern day. This episode uncovers that hidden narrative, from the extinct giant cloud rats that coexisted with ancient humans to the arrival of invasive species that brought centuries of agricultural plagues and colonial-era disease. It examines the rat's evolution into a public health enemy, the target of post-war military campaigns, and a potent cultural symbol—euphemized as "mabait" in folklore while weaponized as the namesake for a brutal paramilitary group. With this journey, we find that rats reflect our society's failures in agriculture, urbanization, and waste management, proving that the rat's story is inseparable from our own.

This episode uncaps the surprising history of the tansan—the humble metal crown that sealed our childhood sodas and our uncles' beers. We trace its journey from an unlikely Japanese brand name to the prized currency of sidewalk games like Tatsing. Learn how this piece of industrial waste was transformed into the sound of Christmas karoling and, tragically, the explosive center of the 1992 Pepsi "Number Fever" scandal. Join us as we explore the rise and fall of this accidental Filipino icon.

If you're like us, you grew up hearing that familiar ring of your favorite sorbetero's bell, so join us as we scoop into the history of the Philippines' favorite frozen dessert. In this episode, we trace the journey of sorbetes from an elite 19th-century luxury—made possible by ice shipped from around the globe—to the democratic "dirty ice cream" every Filipino knows and loves. Discover the story behind the controversial nickname, the innovations that made it uniquely Filipino, and why this colorful cart treat remains a sweet symbol of our history and resilience.

For generations of Filipino children, a single peso coin held immense power: the power to choose between a crumbly Choc Nut, a powdery Mik-Mik, a chewy White Rabbit, or a stack of Haw Flakes. This episode unwraps the surprisingly complex history of these iconic sari-sari store treats. We trace their origins from Malabon to Shanghai and explore the unique rituals they inspired: from sacrilegious playground masses with candy 'ostiya' to the shared rite of passage of surviving a powdered milk choking hazard. Discover how economic necessity and a national sweet tooth transformed these simple candies into powerful symbols of nostalgia, creativity, and the enduring sweetness of Filipino childhood.

In this episode, we unpack the immense economic and cultural power of the sari-sari store, the humble neighborhood shop that accounts for 70% of all manufactured goods sales in the Philippines. We trace its origins from pre-colonial barangay trade through the Spanish-era tiendas to its modern digital evolution, exploring how this institution has survived and adapted through centuries of change. Why is it that 75% of these 1.3 million stores are owned by women? And how did the unique tingi (retail) and utang (credit) systems become embedded in the national culture?

Locked in a vault 14,000 kilometers from Manila lies a 16th-century manuscript that survived a Nazi bomb: the Boxer Codex. Created in 1590 through an unlikely collaboration between Spanish colonizers, Chinese artists, and Filipino informants, its vibrant illustrations offer the most detailed visual record of our ancestors—from tattooed Visayan warriors to gold-draped Tagalog nobles—before colonialism transformed their world. Join us as we trace the codex's incredible journey across three continents and explore how this accidental colonial record has become a powerful, and controversial, tool for reclaiming Filipino identity today.

Once a ubiquitous presence in Filipino life, passed around sari-sari stores, stacked on staircases, and even used as panggatong, komiks evolved from cheap newsprint entertainment into a powerful cultural force. This episode charts the journey of the art form, starting with the pioneering work of Rizal and the birth of the iconic Kenkoy, through the golden age pantheon created by visionaries like Francisco Coching and Mars Ravelo. It dives deep into how these illustrated stories taught a nation to read, served as subtle resistance during wartime and martial law, and eventually launched a wave of Filipino talent that transformed American comics. From the humble page to the global streaming screen, discover the history of the medium that refused to die, chronicling the Filipino people's struggles, dreams, and enduring myths.

How does a 19th-century painting of dying Roman gladiators become the most powerful artistic symbol of the Philippines? This episode uncovers the dramatic life of Juan Luna's Spoliarium: a masterpiece that was sliced into three pieces, survived wars and botched restorations, and inspired everything from revolutionary novels to a famous rock song. Join us as we unravel the story of the painting that refused to die and became the unlikely mirror of a nation's soul.

Why do so many Filipinos have Spanish surnames? This episode unpacks the story of the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos, a book distributed in 1849 by Spanish Governor-General Narciso Clavería to solve an administrative crisis. We explore how this single decree systematically renamed millions, assigning surnames alphabetically by town and creating regional naming patterns that still exist. We also debunk the persistent myth of widespread Spanish ancestry, i.e., contrasting the 90% of Filipinos with Spanish surnames against genetic studies showing only 1-3% Spanish DNA, and tell the dramatic story of how this decree led to the persecution of Jose Rizal's mother.