The P*I* Podcast

In this episode, we are joined again by Karl Gaverza, Mythology researcher, writer and founder of Philippine spirits. We discuss his new book, Mythica Obscura Vol. 5-8, the current trends in contemporary use of Mythologies, and what we need to do to preserve them

0:00 Intro

0:47 Karl's new book

3:30 Karl's favorite creatures

5:30 Legends(Alamat) vs. Myth

13:40 Updates and highlights

23:40 Contemporary mythologies

28:00 Appropriation of Myths in art

30:00 Myths in the Philippines

32:00 Myths and the Diaspora

42:00 Forgotten Island

48:00 "Be more local"

52:00 What needs to be done?

56:30 Promos

You can find Karl's work here: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=philippine%20spirits

You can order PH Spirits merch here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoLnrwlDQ6NQcN76CPgPTjJWwxVxY5A2N7yQs-9ttEIe_DrA/viewform

You can order Bukuna Bestiary here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/488564/bukana-bestiary-a-5e-wakesong-supplement

In this episode, we are joined by Dustin Celestino, an award-winning filmmaker and Playwright. We discuss his upcoming films and stage plays:

1. Hydra: A film reflecting on the effects of disinformation, political grief and hope in today's political atmosphere. It releases in theaters nationwide starting June 3. :https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40707480/

2. Animal: An upcoming film about rival political families and their scandal involving unethical treatment of animals. It can be seen at the upcoming Cinemalaya Film Festival. See more info here:https://www.cinemalaya.org/films/2026-finalists/

3. Elehiya is featured VLF XXI Set C. It discusses masculinity and the "death of patriarchy" through monologues between fathers and sons. You can buy your tickets here: https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=VIRGLABC26

You can find more about Dustin's films at Sinemetu: https://www.facebook.com/studiosinemetu

Recommendations:

1. Duyan ng Magiting

2. Decalogue: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092337/

3. Screenwriting Software:https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/screenwriting-software/

0:00 Intro

1:12 How Dustin Began his writing Journey

4:40 How Dustin handles Political topics

7:20 Dustin's shift from fiction to film

11:15 Dustin's influences

12:40 Early Works

15:30 Utopia

19:30 Duyan ng Magiting

29:30 Hydra

33:00 Hydra a Kakampink film

36:00 Hydra and Greek Mythology and Animation

39:00 Hydra and non-kakampinks and villains

45:40 Animal

47:20 Why Animals?

48:40 The cast of Animal

51:20 Animal as Title

52:30 Elehiya: VLF Play

57:40 Set C VLF

58:46 Dustin's Concluding Remarks

1:01:40 Tips for Writing

1:04:00 AI as a writing tool

1:06:30 Recommendation

In this episode our guest is Siege Malvar, Author and Playwright. We discuss his unique writing style and brand of social commentary he uses in his books, Oral Hystery, Team Building and Stratplanning. His Play, Presidential Suite #2 is also being revisited in this year's Virgin Labfest (VLF)under Set E from June 3–28, 2026. The play follows the Zaragoza Famlly as they decide what to do with their ailing Senator Mother. It deals with political dynasties, political surveys and how family drama becomes a political crisis.

You can buy his books here:https://www.myavenida.com/products/strat-planning

You can read more about Virgin Labfest here: https://theaterfansmanila.com/guide-the-virgin-labfest-2026-synopses-cast-and-more-details-announced/

You may purchase your VLF tickets here:

Buy your tickets now!

For single tickets:

🎟️ bit.ly/VLF21TicketWorld

🎟️ bit.ly/VLF21Ticket2Me

For Festival Passes:

🎟️ bit.ly/VLF21FestivalPassPremiereWeek

🎟️ bit.ly/VLF21MidWeekFestivalPass

🎟️ bit.ly/VLF21RepriseWeekFestivalPass

You can read my review of Siege Malvar's works here: https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/books-and-art/the-unserious-satires-of-siege-malvar-a8141-20260311-dyn

Recommendations:

Ang Susunod na Kabanata:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIRt9dUIzdxX8rvRI6MAPZKkFze3nJwgz

Veep: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759761/?ref_=fn_t_1

Hacks: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11815682/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_Hacks

The comeback:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434672/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_The%20comeback

The Thick of it:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0459159/

0:00 Intro

1:55 Siege's origins as a writer

5:30 Siege Malvar and horror

9:40 Social Commentary

12:40 Siege Malvar's Writing Style

20:00 Avenida's Eskinita Series

25:00 Oral Hystery

34:00 Team-Building

45:00 Strat Planning

47:40 VLF: Presidential Suite #2

56:00 Working with Theater Production

1:02:00 Revisiting Presidential Suite #2

1:04:00 Taking Risks with Storytelling

1:08:00 Recommendations

In our Mayo Uno Special, we are joined by Karl Suyat, founder of Project Gunita. We discuss his early political awakening about Martial law, his experiences as a student journalist and his founding of Project Gunita as an archive so that nation will remember

0:00: Intro

1:30 Karl Suyat's activism

4:20 Political Awakening

13:00 Batas Militar

19:00 Synthesizing different opinions on Marcos and Martial law

28:00 Student Journalism

33:00 Finding the truth

43:40 What is Project Gunita

51:00 Gathering Materials

1:03:00 Highlights of Project Gunita

1:17:00 What do we do moving forward?

You can find Project Gunita here:

Website:https://www.projectgunita.com/

Email:[email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectgunita/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/projectgunitaph/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Y1lRb72zWUSj7QciXsrUL

In this episode, we continue our coverage of ENDO: the stageadaptation with Director Melvin Lee. We discuss his work with PETA, his approach in updating the movie, the use of staging and choreography in dramaand the importance of portraying precarious work

0:00 Intro

1:00 Direk Melvin Lee’s Career in Theater

4:15 Direk’s focus on realism and PETA

6:20 People’s Theater

12:00 Wobbly stage and the unstable world of ENDO

14:00 Choreography and Physical Storytelling

18:20 Gadgets, Apps and New Hierarchy of Labor

20:20 Casting Actors

24:30 How Characters Evolved

27:20 Handling the Romance scenes

31:30 Gender and Labor

37:00 Candy and the Ensemble

41:00 Why watch ENDO

You can get your tickets at Ticketnet

You may purchase your tickets here :https://www.ticket2me.net/event/22737

You can find more shows here: https://www.ticket2me.net/

You can find more about PETA here: https://petatheater.com/

PETA and Ticket2me presents the stage adaptation of ENDO(2026) or "end of contract", based on the 2007 film about a love story between two workers in the gig economy. The play will run from April 10 to May 10. In this episode, we are joined by Liza Magtoto, award-winning playwright of ENDO. We discuss her body of work in theater, her collaborations with PETA, and her approach to adapting ENDO onstage. We also talk about the importance in telling the story of precarious labor in the Philippines and the role of theater in instilling socio-political awareness, hope and solidarity.

0:00 Intro

1:40 How Liza Magtoto got into Theater

7:40 History of PETA

11:00 Peta's 59th Anniversary

13:30 Liza Magtoto's Mission in Theater

20:00 Liza Magtoto's most important work and legacy

24:30 Background of staging ENDO

25:10-25:17

32:00 ENDO as a love story

37:00 Dealing with social realities

40:30 Updating ENDO

42:00 Why watch theater about social realities?

46:50 Writing Political Theater

49:00 Hope in Theater

52:09 Why the Phiippines needs theater

57:00 Recommendations

1:00:30 On the Cast

You may purchase your tickets here:https://www.ticket2me.net/event/22737

You can find more shows here: https://www.ticket2me.net/

You can find more about PETA here: https://petatheater.com/

Recommendations-

1. Endo (2007)-https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/4790450211914240

2. Remaindered life by Neferti Tadiar-https://unipress.ateneo.edu/product/remaindered-life

3. continuing the narrative of Philippine theater the story of Peta-https://petatheater.com/a-continuing-narrative-on-philippine-theater-the-story-of-peta/

4. Birthings: A Journal of Shared Lives by Liza Magtoto-https://petatheater.com/birthings-a-journal-of-shared-lives/

5. Bienvenida de Soltera by Liza Magtoto-https://shopee.ph/Bienvenida-de-Soltera-Tatlong-Dulang-Ganap-ang-Haba-by-Liza-C.-Magtoto-i.291137203.5545679547

6. Control Shift-https://www.ticket2me.net/ControlShift

Why is Theater Political with Langgam Performance Troupe

The P*I* podcast is a media partner of Langgam Performance Group, a contemporary performance company focused on experimental theater. Their new show, "Within and Without End" will run on March 13 and March 14. Langgam Director, Jenny Logico-Cruz, and Dramaturg, Blonski cruz, discuss their different brand of theater, the importance of theater in democracy and their insights from their experimentation.

You may purchase tickets for Within and Without end here: https://forms.gle/H37QAgcbc597SBZm8

You may find them here:

W: www.langgamperformancetroupe.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LanggamPT/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/langgampt/

Recommendations:

1. Notes on Theater Rolando Tinio- https://everythingsfine.cococart.co/#intro

2. Theater Fans Manila-https://theaterfansmanila.com/

3. Endo (PETA)-https://www.ticket2me.net/event/22737

4. Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4-https://petatheater.com/events/ang-babae-sa-septic-tank-4-oh-sht-its-live-sa-cheter/

5. Mga Mister ni Rosario

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

1:15 What is langgam

4:20 Langgam's Mission and place in Ph theater

11:40 What is Experimental Theater

18:50 What is a Langgam Experience

23:40 What is a Drammaturg;

28:10 Scriptless productions

33:00 Theater and Democracy

39:00 Politics of Langgam

47:00 Within and Without End

1:00:00 Why watch Langgam

1:05:05 Recommendations

The 2025 midterm elections have just concluded with may surprising and crucial results in the senatorial and partylist races. We are joined by Prof. Arjan, Assistant Professor at Ateneo de Manila University, seasoned campaign consultant and Political Analyst. We discuss what makes a good campaign, election spending, endorsements, coalitions and how they affected the results of the Senatorial and partylist elections.

You can follow Arjan at the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arj.aguirre.9

X (formerly twitter): @arjaguirre

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Intro

1:20 Arjan's Campaign Experiences

4:40 Basic Principles of a good campaign

12:10 Adjusting to difficult campaigns

17:30 Campaign Strategies backfiring

24:20 Endorsements

31:00 On the Senatorial Magic 12

36:00 On Imee Marcos and Camille Villar

39:30 On Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan

45:30 Arj's advice to Alyansa team

53:00 Arj's Advice to Duterten

59:00 Partylist results

1:09:00 Final Remarks

Note: You MUST watch this in VIDEO format!

In just one week away from the 2025 Midterm elections, we are joined by Timothy "Tim" Hormigos who has produced detailed and comprehensive maps of the 2022 National and Local election results. We discuss his process in creating the maps and key voting territories, patterns and power struggles he discovered with the maps.

You may find Timothy's work at his X(formerly Twitter) account here:

https://x.com/bnstim?s=21

You can find Project Boses '25 here: https://t.co/DCzouBKEOe

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:40 Who is Tim Hormigos

4:00 Why Maps?

7:40 Presidential Maps

30:40 Senatorial Maps

48:50 Partylist Maps

1:06:30 Concluding Remarks

1:13:30 Recommendations

Recommendations:

Post-Marcos Politics: A Geographic and Statistical Analysis of the 1992 Philippine Elections by Carl Lande

https://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg/publication/186

https://www.amazon.com/Post-Marcos-Politics-Carl-Lande/dp/9813055200

Philippine Electoral Almanac:

https://archive.org/details/philippine-electoral-almanac-revised-and-expanded/page/n123/mode/2up

Comelec: https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=home

For more x(formerly Twitter) maps, check them out here:

@ianislander3

@Heyograpinas

@AkachiYousoro

This episode features Lean Porquia, lifelong activist, labor organizer and candidate for the Partylist, Bayan Muna, one of the pioneers of the party list system.

We discuss the importance of protest, labor issues, Bayan Muna's rich history in the left and congress, its struggles with red-tagging, the partylist system and Bayan Muna's platform for 2025.

You may learn more about Bayan Muna below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bayanmunapartylist/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bayanmunapartylist

Website: https://bayanmuna.com.ph/

Email:[email protected]

0:00 Music

0:10 Intro

1:30 Who is Lean Porquia

5:00 Lean's leftist influences

9:20 The left's reputation among Filipinos

12:15 The left and protest culture

16:00 What protests gave us

19:00 What is Bayan Muna

22:00 The Rise and decline of Bayan Muna

29:30 Bayan Muna and Red-tagging

34:00 Bayan Muna's legislative record and platform

40:30 How Bayan Muna adjusts for 2025

46:20 Party list reforms

48:00 Why vote for Bayan Muna

50:00 Nominees of Bayan Muna