Episode 80: Howie Severino | Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel
Si Howie Severino ang surprise guest ni Pia Arcangel sa kaniyang podcast this week.
Kilalanin pa siya sa sa latest episode ng 'Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!'
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3t7owHe
Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3T7f1lS
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/46OfcFT
Kilalanin pa siya sa sa latest episode ng 'Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!'
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3t7owHe
Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3T7f1lS
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/46OfcFT
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Surprise everyone and welcome to a new episode of Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel where every conversation is an unexpected conversation which makes for laughter, sometimes tears, but lots and lots of good, thoughtful, insightful conversation.
00:19 And that's what we're after. So, thank you so much for downloading, streaming, and listening to your favorite streaming platform.
00:26 And for today, we have another surprise guest who is a special guest, I'm sure, but I'm not sure who she is.
00:35 So, okay, we'll be accepting clues. First clue, who do you think is in these words? Oh, I guessed it already.
00:43 Okay, but I will go through the clues one by one.
00:45 First, Batangas. Second, Buhay Ni Rizal. Third, Bisikleta. Fourth, Balita. And the fifth clue, Baybayin. There can only be one. I'm so sure of this. Is that you, Howie? Sir Howie Severino? Yes!
01:01 Surprise!
01:03 Oh, what a wonderful surprise!
01:06 Wow, the clues are so obvious.
01:09 The clincher was the Baybayin, right? Because Batangas is a bit of a FIPA, but when it comes to Baybayin, it's sure.
01:15 We have a lot. Oh, yeah, correct. Correct. Well, it's great to see you again, Pia. We met in Cebu last September in the GMA Masterclass. So, great seeing you.
01:23 And congratulations on your podcast and advance happy birthday.
01:28 Thanks, Howie. Wow, you remembered my birthday. Thank you. And thank you also for being with us because you said we were together in Cebu. That was two days, right? But it still feels like a bit of a break. All of our conversations were still a bit of a break. So, I'm so happy we get to do this.
01:46 Yeah, yeah. Well, it's great. Maybe our listeners and viewers are thinking that all of us on TV are always together. But actually, I only see you on TV usually, except in the makeup room sometimes. So, we really bonded in Cebu.
02:03 And I have to say, because I was observing you interact with the students. You're so down to earth, Pia. I'm not trying to flatter you because it's your podcast.
02:10 Or because it's my birthday.
02:12 Yeah, well, maybe that's true. But if I were a student, I would have found you very approachable and even modest, considering you're a celebrity, you've been on TV, you've been an anchor for so long.
02:26 And you were asking really earnest questions and you were giving really sensible answers. Not that I was that surprised. You're that kind of person. But I saw that you've been listening for a long time, apart from your anchoring. We know that's a very different context. But that interaction in Cebu, it kind of humanized you in my eyes.
02:49 Oh, thank you so much.
02:50 I think I know you better.
02:51 Thanks, Howie. I really enjoyed it. You know, when we came back from Cebu, for our listeners, because Howie and I were together in Cebu for GMA Masterclass. It was a discussion on artificial intelligence.
03:01 And we were there for two days. And when I got home, I told my husband, Mico, I said, "Wow, spending that much time with Howie, I felt like I've become smarter just by spending time with you."
03:14 You always say in your podcast, "Long attention span makes you smart." So I said, "I feel like the two days we've been together, I've become smarter."
03:23 Your podcast is not exactly brief or actually counterintuitive in that sense. That's why I say that, just to remind people there's value in length. Because now, the trend is to reduce the content.
03:40 TikTok is popular, which is a minute long. Many experts say that the attention span of ordinary people is also reduced because there's so many distractions, etc.
03:50 So I think the long-form formats we do on audio, on the internet, in podcasts, but at the same time, I've been doing it for a long time on TV, in documentary, which is long-form non-fiction.
04:03 It goes against that trend. And I think we have to remind people of the value of that. I say that the long attention span makes you smart. I didn't invent that.
04:13 There's a science behind it. Whether you're studying for an exam or trying to learn the piano or trying to memorize something, if your attention span is too short, you're too distracted, there's a lot going on in the world, there's a lot going on on your phone.
04:27 It makes you think. I'm not saying that, the scientists are saying that. It limits your ability to learn.
04:36 For us, because we're influenced by others, I think we have to remind people, if you're able to listen intently to a conversation for half an hour or up to an hour, it's already an accomplishment these days.
04:49 That's why I'm saying that. It's not just a slogan. If you repeat something often enough, people might remember it and they might apply it in their lives.
04:58 And that's exactly what you said when you received your CMMA, which I have to congratulate you for. Congratulations to the Howie Severino podcast on your CMMA.
05:07 Because I like also what you said, this sort of legitimizes this format as really a way to educate and inform. And that means it's something that people are beginning to embrace as well.
05:17 So congratulations also on your recent win.
05:19 Thank you. Well, of course, you're just as deserving. I was just a little ahead, but you're just as deserving.
05:25 Yours was the first podcast of GMA Integrated News and it really paved the way for the rest of us.
05:31 Actually, when I saw you, I said that my thought bubble when you appeared on screen, I was like, "Uh-oh."
05:37 Because our format is very different from yours because you're really well-researched and all.
05:41 But of course, this is a surprise. So we don't have the same format in that sense. But it's really just like I said earlier, where we end up in this conversation, it's up to us.
05:54 Now that you mentioned format, Tia, let's talk about that a little bit.
05:59 First of all, who came up with this? It's unique. It's a unique format. And you've taken to it naturally.
06:05 Your conversations are beautiful. But who deserves credit for this? Was it you?
06:11 We all collaborated. We were thinking of new ideas, new formats.
06:15 And then this is actually based on other podcasts because there's this podcast also in the US.
06:19 They're a group, actually, a group of three hosts. It's only one host who knows who the guest is. So it's a surprise for the two others.
06:25 So because that way, the conversation isn't always just a Q&A. It's an actual conversation.
06:33 If you happen to chance upon somebody you kind of know or are meeting for the first time.
06:38 So it's like that. I'm getting nervous here, Holly.
06:42 I'll ask you about this. Because your style, where you have a surprise interview with your guest,
06:49 is a bit counterintuitive, if I may say, for our journalists or trained in Mastcom or even research.
06:56 Because it goes against our training that you always need to be prepared.
07:01 To me, that's what I always tell my students. There's no secret to what we do.
07:08 But a lot of it has to do with preparation. But your format, it's hard to prepare.
07:13 So my first question is, because I'm used to asking questions instead of answering them.
07:17 That's fine. I'll do it.
07:19 So how prepared or unprepared are you for these surprise guests?
07:24 So I've been lucky because usually I have an idea who the guest is.
07:28 And that's really the point. You have guests that you already know a little bit about.
07:33 Even if I don't know who the guest is, the team, of course, they get in touch with the guest. They do the research.
07:37 Sometimes, if they have questions of their own or they want to lead the conversation in a certain direction,
07:43 sometimes they'll message me if there's something that they want me to ask.
07:47 But you know what, because like you said, our work is that you always need to be prepared.
07:52 We're so used to that, especially when you're out in the field, you have to have all your questions ready.
07:57 So I thought the podcast would be a nice break.
07:59 I want to try going into a conversation that's just a story, not a one-on-one Q&A.
08:07 Just pure story. So that's how this idea was born.
08:11 What I thought while listening to some of your episodes,
08:15 your format is only going to work if you have wide stock knowledge.
08:19 Seriously, I mean, I'm surprised sometimes.
08:22 For example, sometimes I honestly think that the surprise is just a joke.
08:26 But you already know the surprise because how did you know that Vilma Santos was going to do a Zumba in her vlog?
08:32 Was it just a coincidence that you saw that?
08:35 For example, my team surprised me that Vilma Santos, I mean, honestly, I haven't seen her vlog.
08:40 I wouldn't know that she's doing Zumba. But you brought it up in the conversation.
08:44 It led to this whole phenomenon of vlogging and then she helped Lucky,
08:48 even her housemates, her household staff, joined the vlog.
08:52 It kind of opened up all these trains of thought that I would not have been able to trigger
08:59 because I haven't seen her doing Zumba.
09:02 I would have talked about the '70s, this movie I saw with Vilma Santos maybe 20 years ago.
09:08 It gives you an idea, Howie, of what my algorithm is like on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
09:14 My algorithm is very varied and mixed. That's why I see so many things.
09:21 Yeah, yeah. Because of your triggers, you're able to start these various conversations because of this stock knowledge.
09:30 I also learned a lot besides humanizing your guests.
09:34 I was able to find inside info about certain guests.
09:38 For example, I listened to the entire conversation with Annette Gozon.
09:42 That one I really enjoyed but I was nervous that whole time.
09:47 I can imagine. I mean, what is it? Were you careful with what you were asking?
09:51 But what came out of it is, of course, we don't know this family that well.
09:56 The boss, we see him in the elevator. He's quite businesslike.
09:59 But what came out of it is that they're very close-knit. They're very warm.
10:04 The kids are raised to be achievers. At the same time, they're not spoiled.
10:09 They had a lot of privileges growing up.
10:11 Annette kept talking about that she's not a workaholic. She's really just a worker.
10:18 And then, one of the most surprising things is that she took to her role at GMA quite almost naturally
10:26 because her mom was a big Showbiz fan from the start.
10:29 Yes, who had magazines.
10:31 So they had all these entertainment magazines at home when magazines were still on paper.
10:36 And you'd have subscriptions and they'd be in her house. And so she was familiar with the artiste.
10:42 So she's not just a super achiever who worked at Harvard, UP, a lawyer, a corporate lawyer, and all of that.
10:49 She's also a bit of a showbiz fan.
10:51 And with her skills, she can think of original storylines.
10:57 She's the one who thought of the Kly character in Maria Clara at Ibarra.
11:01 Frankly, I don't really watch a lot of entertainment because much of our work is already on screen.
11:08 So I try to avoid watching more than I need to.
11:11 But I did watch Maria Clara at Ibarra because of course, I'm a Rizal fan.
11:15 Oh yeah, exactly. Right up your alley.
11:18 Exactly. And it was curious.
11:20 And then the twist, the Gen Z character, that's the hook.
11:23 And then she was the one who thought of it. She wasn't just the boss.
11:26 She's really a part of the creative team.
11:28 So thank you for bringing us into the lives of these people.
11:33 Hold on, Howie. Wait, I noticed something. You're the one asking me questions.
11:37 Yeah, well, I'm curious. And like I said, this is my job.
11:43 So are we going backwards now? Because now they're telling me that we're going backwards.
11:49 Well, you can ask me. I'm a naturally curious person. That's why I went into this kind of profession.
11:53 Same here.
11:54 Yeah, so I've always been wanting to ask you these things.
11:57 And what I like about some of your episodes is you really explore the humble beginnings of people who are famous.
12:05 So I find that inspiring because for a lot of ordinary people,
12:10 they're inspired that if I just look for the right breaks and I work hard and I develop my talents, I can do well in life.
12:17 For example, Arnold Clavio, you had a memorable conversation with him.
12:23 His story that he made public. I mean, he even remembers the exact rides he would take to get to his first job.
12:31 What was critical with him is he had a talent for humor in the way he was doing the news.
12:38 And he was theatrical because he has a theater background.
12:41 That's what made him very different and very special.
12:45 And I remember when I was starting, he was one of the first pillars that I got a chance to work with.
12:51 And of course, when you're new to GMA, it's a little intimidating to be working with the pillars
12:56 because these are people that I used to watch on TV, that I would see their work and I know how respected they are
13:02 and how many awards they each have.
13:04 But I remember Egan has this special gift that he can really make you super at ease because he uses humor.
13:11 And some of the stories that he mentioned during the podcast, those were stories that I would hear.
13:16 There are actually so many more stories that he would tell us off-cam but are not suitable for the podcast.
13:23 He's also good at mimicking.
13:26 His style is to translate the English news reports that are shown on TV.
13:33 Because TV news used to be in English language.
13:36 Correct me if I'm trying to remember all of this.
13:39 But there are quotes, right? He would have to read the text.
13:42 So he would mimic these politicians.
13:46 You said, okay, let's do a sample.
13:48 Off the top of his head, he mimicked Erap because he's still alive and he's still kind of in the news.
13:55 But someone like, he still remembers the voice of Neptali Gonzalez.
13:59 Many listeners now will probably not remember because he was one of those senators from 20+ years ago.
14:06 Senator Neptali. But he's really good.
14:09 I remember, this guy is really talented.
14:12 Off the top of his head, he remembers the voice of Neptali Gonzalez and he mimicked it.
14:16 Like on the spot. I'm sure you didn't rehearse that.
14:19 You just did a sample of Neptali Gonzalez.
14:24 You can really see that these people are really talented.
14:27 That was really the key. They were able to develop their talent.
14:32 And another one, Tim Yap.
14:34 Wow, how do you really listen to a lot of episodes?
14:39 I'm a podcast fan.
14:41 Because you know, I can listen while I'm podcasting while I'm gardening.
14:45 Oh, that's true.
14:47 It's different from what I do. I don't watch, to be honest, I don't do a lot of Netflix because you have to focus.
14:52 You can't do anything else. You can't read.
14:54 But when you're listening, you're listening to music or you're listening to podcasts.
14:57 I do a lot of gardening now.
15:00 So I'm able to listen to it. Anyway, Tim Yap has a theater background.
15:05 He's done everything, not just on stage.
15:07 He was a stagehand. He sold tickets, etc.
15:12 Again, he has a humble beginning to get to where he is.
15:17 I find that inspiring.
15:20 If I'm inspired, what else are those who are just starting out,
15:23 who don't know what they're going to do or are wondering where they'll find a break.
15:28 That's one of the great things about your podcast.
15:30 You're actually profiling rather than just talking about issues.
15:35 In my podcast, I talk about things like red tagging,
15:39 the evacuation of OSW in Gaza, etc.
15:44 Yes, I remember.
15:46 You even had an episode where you were talking to a Filipina who was in Ukraine during the height of the conflict.
15:53 Yes, the young backpacker.
15:58 Thank you for remembering that.
16:01 Are you ever tempted to ask really tough questions?
16:06 For example, Bilma Santos.
16:08 Of course, she's more than an artiste.
16:10 She kept mentioning that she's a public servant.
16:12 I noticed that she didn't really ask her anything about politics.
16:14 It was mostly about her friends in the entertainment business.
16:19 But I'm wondering, were you tempted to ask her about your priorities as a politician?
16:24 What kind of change do you want to see?
16:27 Yes, actually.
16:29 We also had Ayka Robredo on the show before.
16:33 We had some political questions, but mostly because we want to keep it.
16:37 The idea is that if you're in a coffee shop, you're not going to try and really pick their brains out.
16:44 It's not an interview.
16:46 You don't want to hold up your guests.
16:49 That's right.
16:50 Also, when they're briefed before the show, they're told that it's really a conversation.
16:55 It's up to them where this will go.
16:57 But sometimes, if there are topics that they're uncomfortable with, they'll tell us during the course of the interview.
17:03 We respect that because from the get-go, it's clear that it's not a hard-hitting one-on-one interview.
17:09 It's really just a conversation.
17:11 It's tempting, but you mentioned earlier that you're a naturally curious person.
17:15 It's the same for me.
17:16 I think this is also one of the ideas why I approached Eva and I asked her if we could have some…
17:21 I said, "It would be great to do a podcast. It's so interesting."
17:25 It was actually my husband who said, "During the height of the pandemic,"
17:28 Of course, you're together the whole time, right?
17:30 In quarantine.
17:31 He's like, "Wow, you have so many questions."
17:35 I said, "That's my work. I'm a journalist. I have questions all the time."
17:40 He said, "You know what would be a good outlet for you? You try doing a podcast."
17:44 He was actually just joking me and then I said, "You know what? That is a great idea."
17:48 I broached the topic and with the help of Eva, we were able to form this show.
17:53 Your audience is lucky.
17:55 Frankly, I probably could not do it your style because I can't overcome the compulsion to prepare.
18:01 I'll be afraid of saying something totally inaccurate or unfactual.
18:10 I take too long formulating the questions because I'll look for the date or year on my phone.
18:17 I guess that's the more conventional way of doing an interview.
18:21 I mean, I do it the conventional way.
18:23 I actually made a request after we guested Ma'am Annette.
18:26 I said, "Guys, next time, if our guest is a boss, maybe you can warn me a little."
18:32 Because you're early, you're there on time waiting.
18:37 But we're like, "Whoa, it's a boss."
18:40 But because Ma'am Annette is so game to answer all the questions, it really turned out to be such a fun episode.
18:46 Because like you mentioned, I learned so many things.
18:49 My favorite was when she was telling us a story about how her mom would bring lunch to school for the kids, for her siblings.
18:56 And they'd have their own table.
18:57 That was really fun.
18:58 I guess I can repeat it since it was aired on your podcast.
19:02 They all slept together in the same bedroom until they were adults.
19:05 I found that charming. I mean, it's cute.
19:07 Sometimes I wish my son, who's 21, would do that.
19:11 Because up to a certain age, he slept on our bed until he was 9 until he got too big.
19:18 And then I kind of pushed him away.
19:20 Now, I miss those times.
19:23 It was kind of charming to hear that.
19:25 Wow, that's how close they were.
19:27 And I guess that's the really fun part of doing any interview, right, Howie?
19:30 It's like finding out things about other people that you never would have thought or never would have guessed.
19:35 How many guests did you have?
19:37 The last one I listened to was Malu Mangahas.
19:41 So, that's a bit serious, right?
19:43 Yes. And she mentioned you several times, Howie.
19:46 She talked about your shared history.
19:51 PCIJ.
19:53 Yes. I mean, Malu is a stalwart.
19:57 She's a giant in investigative journalism.
20:00 We all know that.
20:02 She and Sheila Coronel are both from the same generation.
20:06 Can I go back to what you said earlier?
20:08 I mean, I know the surprise here is you're supposed to be asking me the questions.
20:11 But since we're both naturally curious people anyway.
20:14 You mentioned that you miss having your son around so much.
20:17 He's 21 years old. He's already 21.
20:19 But I see your posts now. Your bonding is really…
20:22 It amazes me because I was asking you about this, right?
20:25 You do the rock climbing, the wall climbing.
20:29 [upbeat music]
20:32 Interesting topics and insightful conversations
20:36 with one of the country's veteran and most award-winning journalists,
20:40 Howie Severino.
20:42 The Howie Severino Podcast was hailed as one of Spotify's best new podcasts
20:48 and has consistently been one of the top Philippine podcasts since its launch.
20:54 The Howie Severino Podcast's new episodes streams every Thursday
20:59 on major streaming platforms.
21:02 You mentioned that you miss having your son around so much.
21:07 21 years old. He's already 21.
21:09 But I see your posts now. Your bonding is really…
21:12 It amazes me because I was asking you about this, right?
21:15 You do the rock climbing, the wall climbing.
21:18 But he also does…
21:19 Yeah, we do climbing.
21:20 But he does parkour. Is that correct?
21:21 No, no.
21:22 Okay. What he does is called bouldering.
21:25 Okay.
21:26 Ah, okay.
21:27 Because in wall climbing, there are various kinds.
21:31 I mean, there are various categories or events
21:34 because it's considered a sport.
21:36 It's not an Olympic sport.
21:38 It's long been an extreme sport.
21:40 But there are two major kinds.
21:43 There's rope climbing.
21:45 You climb rocks, rock faces, and walls in gyms using a harness and rope.
21:51 And then there's also free climbing or bouldering
21:54 where you don't use ropes, you don't use harness,
21:56 but you don't go too high.
21:57 And then when you go outdoor, you bring a crash pad,
22:01 a thick cushion.
22:03 So if you fall on the rocks, hopefully, you won't break your head open.
22:08 And in the gym, the flooring is soft.
22:11 So what we both do is called bouldering.
22:13 Although my son also does top rope, lead rope,
22:16 the so-called lead rope where you have a partner.
22:20 But I only do bouldering because I can do that alone.
22:24 If you climb with ropes, you need a partner all the time.
22:27 So my son has a lot of friends who climb.
22:30 Because it's kind of a Gen Z thing.
22:33 Now, it's very trendy among Gen Z millennials.
22:35 For my age group, it's not trendy.
22:37 So I don't have any friends in my age group who do bouldering.
22:42 And I started bouldering, I started climbing because of my son.
22:45 Because we might not see each other if I don't do bouldering.
22:49 He was stuck with us for 2 years during the pandemic.
22:53 All of us were kids.
22:55 So you think, he needs a social life.
22:58 He's in a dorm in college.
23:00 My girlfriend has her own world and friends.
23:03 We let him have his own life.
23:06 Now he comes home when he needs to do his laundry or something like that.
23:10 Or he wants to be with us sometimes.
23:13 But he spends a lot of time climbing.
23:16 I had to check it out to make sure on my own.
23:19 I didn't restrict him.
23:21 I just wanted to check if it's safe.
23:24 I mean, what my son is doing.
23:26 So I realized that it's not only relatively safe.
23:31 It looked pretty safe.
23:32 But it looked like something I could try to do.
23:34 I tried it.
23:36 Of course, I had a hard time at first.
23:38 But my son encouraged me.
23:39 Of course, those who are in the gym, they're all as old as my son.
23:44 Or young enough to be my son.
23:46 Even some are young enough to be my grandson or granddaughter.
23:49 A lot of women climb.
23:52 They were so encouraging.
23:53 They were so happy to see someone my age try to climb.
23:57 It's a bonding thing for me between me and my son.
24:00 And now, between me and other people in the gym.
24:02 Now I go to the gym even when my son's not there.
24:05 Wow.
24:06 Because I like it.
24:07 It's a great workout.
24:08 It's a great community.
24:09 And you can feel your progress.
24:12 I also like to bike.
24:14 I feel like I'm not making progress on my bike.
24:17 Because I've been biking for 50 years or something.
24:20 So at least this is something new.
24:22 It's a new challenge for you.
24:24 It's something new.
24:25 And I can feel myself improving.
24:26 It's actually not easy.
24:27 Like you said, it's really not easy.
24:29 I remember before when my daughter was much, much younger.
24:32 Maybe she was 10 years old.
24:33 She and her cousins, they really enjoyed doing it.
24:36 But they were like, I don't know what the term is.
24:38 But it was like a baby wall.
24:39 For me, it's a baby wall.
24:41 I tried it with them.
24:42 And wow, it was so much harder than I thought.
24:45 They went much higher than I did.
24:47 It's just a habit.
24:48 And actually, in my gym, there are baby walls and child walls.
24:54 I already removed them.
24:55 Because after a couple of times, children want to do the adult walls already.
24:59 Because it's good.
25:00 So it's a very democratic sport.
25:04 Climbing is really mostly about technique.
25:06 It's not about pure power.
25:07 It's not about strength.
25:09 A big part of it is technique.
25:10 It's about how you swivel your hips.
25:12 It's about how you use your knees.
25:14 It's about how you position your feet.
25:16 A lot of it is cerebral.
25:19 That's a big part of the appeal.
25:21 It's not a sport about strength.
25:22 A big part of it is mental.
25:24 You said you've been biking for 50 years, Howie.
25:27 More, actually.
25:28 More.
25:29 I'm 62.
25:31 So I started at 7 years old.
25:33 Oh, wow.
25:34 Okay.
25:35 So definitely more.
25:36 Yeah, yeah.
25:37 But have you always been a physically active person?
25:40 Like you've always had a passion or love for the outdoors, for sports?
25:44 Yeah.
25:45 I can't claim to ever being a great athlete.
25:51 I know you interviewed Ivan Mayrina.
25:53 He was like varsity high school basketball.
25:55 He was tall.
25:56 I'm sure he had the skills.
25:58 I never really had the skills for organizing.
26:01 I played, but I was really mediocre or "banko".
26:04 But I really love sports.
26:07 I just never really had the talent.
26:09 But I kept it up because I really enjoy the outdoors.
26:12 I enjoy physical activity.
26:14 And that's partly what attracts me to television and doing our work.
26:18 Because I started in newspapers where, as a newspaper reporter,
26:22 it was a lot more efficient to get a lot of interviews done by telephone
26:26 rather than going around to different offices with traffic and everything.
26:30 You can do a little bit.
26:32 You can sit in your room or office and just produce stories and just work.
26:37 In television and in making documentaries,
26:40 you really have to go out.
26:41 You have to go to the field.
26:43 So it fits my own interest.
26:46 It fits my own inclination to want to be physically active.
26:51 I remember my brother and I, we were just kids.
26:54 We were already camping.
26:55 When I was 8 or 9 years old, I grew up in America.
26:59 A big part of my childhood was in the States because my father was a Foreign Service Officer.
27:03 So we were on the East Coast most of that time.
27:06 When we had family vacation, we would go camping.
27:09 We would set up tents.
27:11 We would cook outdoors on a barbecue grill, etc.
27:15 Roasting marshmallows.
27:17 Or real meals.
27:18 Real meals we would cook.
27:20 I realized later on that my parents were just saving.
27:24 Of course, it's cheaper to set up a tent.
27:29 When you go to a campsite, you'd pay maybe a couple of dollars at that time to have a campsite.
27:36 Whereas if you go to a hotel room, you'd pay a part.
27:39 Well, of course.
27:40 Then you'd have hotel meals.
27:42 It's expensive.
27:43 So rather than having a week-long vacation,
27:47 your vacation is maybe just 3 days.
27:49 My brother and I, we never complained because we just loved it.
27:53 We just loved camping.
27:54 We loved camping by rivers.
27:56 We loved hiking.
27:58 So we both grew up just loving the outdoors in college.
28:03 When I got an opportunity to work in journalism,
28:06 in particular to do documentaries,
28:08 I just felt, "Wow, this is the greatest job in the world."
28:11 I'm paid to do something like this?
28:14 Wow.
28:15 I get to climb mountains and go up river in the wilderness
28:20 and meet tribal people and visit places a lot of tourists aren't even able to go.
28:26 It was just almost an extension of my childhood.
28:30 So I never really grew up when I'm in the field.
28:33 Of course, we're not just doing wilderness.
28:36 I cover disasters.
28:38 I've done work in Baseco, in Smoky Mountain,
28:44 and there's also Smoky Mountain, dump sites.
28:46 I've kayaked in Esteros and all of that.
28:51 Again, it's all been part of this life of adventure that we've had.
28:57 But your love for the outdoors, it seems to be something really shared by your wife, Miss Ipat, right?
29:03 I mean, both of you.
29:05 Isn't that a big reason also why you have set up or moved home to Batangas,
29:11 where you're surrounded by nature?
29:14 Well, we live in a, you can see, it's a house-cubo.
29:18 It's kind of a stylized house-cubo.
29:21 It's larger than your typical house-cubo, but it has an anahaw roof.
29:26 It's mainly bamboo.
29:28 It's just ventilated.
29:30 We don't have an aircon.
29:31 We have a bamboo floor.
29:33 Yeah, my wife, she was into mountaineering.
29:36 I mean, maybe that's why we got married.
29:38 We have the same interests.
29:40 She's a lawyer, so I don't know if I could be married to a journalist.
29:43 Too many questions at dinner time.
29:47 Yeah, or we find each other a resource because she has her own expertise.
29:53 If we're both journalists, we'd just be asking each other questions.
29:55 We wouldn't have enough answers.
29:57 At least she has expertise.
29:59 She's an environmental lawyer.
30:00 Actually, that's how we met because I was next to her at a press conference.
30:04 Wow. I didn't know that.
30:06 I didn't know that that's how you met.
30:07 I thought maybe you were just in the same circle of friends.
30:10 Well, I first heard her name from Junie Calao.
30:12 I don't know if you remember that name.
30:14 He was kind of a legend in the environmental movement, one of the founders of Haribo.
30:18 I would be interviewing him on the phone, and he would mention, "Oh, we have this environmental lawyer working with us."
30:25 "Ipat Luna, maybe you should ask her this question," because Junie Calao was not a lawyer.
30:31 When he would mention her name, I thought it was this kind of an older lawyer who's been around and been in the movement for so long.
30:41 When I saw her, she looked fresh out of college.
30:43 I was doing a story, so I started calling her on landline.
30:50 This was a long time ago, by the way.
30:52 She gave me a condition before we got married.
30:56 You have to get your diving license first.
30:59 Not a driver's license.
31:01 You have to learn how to dive, and you have to be certified.
31:04 But she was really an avid diver.
31:06 I thought her condition might be, "Make sure you have something career-related," or something like that, but a diving license?
31:14 No, she's really an advocate.
31:17 She's not really a careerist in that sense.
31:19 So, in fact, I did.
31:22 That's what I did.
31:23 Before we got married, I made sure that I went through the course, a difficult one, with the instructors that she recommended.
31:30 Of course, that was her condition, and I wanted to marry her.
31:34 Then, when we graduated, because when you graduate in a diving course, there's a checkout dive.
31:40 You have to take a dive trip with your instructor.
31:43 Then, she went to make sure that I really graduated.
31:47 Not just that, she brought her parents.
31:50 Wow!
31:51 Her parents are also divers?
31:54 No, they were not.
31:55 Okay.
31:56 They were not.
31:57 She's the youngest of six.
31:58 So, her parents were a bit elderly then.
32:01 But she still brought them.
32:03 I guess maybe her parents were curious about this guy.
32:06 Who's this crazy guy who's going to marry our daughter and get a diving certificate first before getting married?
32:12 So, I had a witness.
32:15 They attended my diving graduation.
32:19 So, that's how we got started.
32:21 I love learning how you and Ms. Ipat met.
32:24 I never would have guessed.
32:26 Was it corny?
32:28 No, it wasn't how I imagined it to be.
32:31 Oh, we didn't meet in a club or anything like that.
32:35 It was serendipity in a way.
32:38 It's super sweet.
32:39 How many years ago was that?
32:40 The press con was 1993.
32:44 So, we started dating in 1994 and then we got married at the end of 1994.
32:50 So, 40 years?
32:51 Is my computation correct?
32:52 Yeah, 40 years.
32:53 I should remember.
32:55 Oh my God, it's my anniversary.
32:57 94 is 04.
32:58 Because it's 2024 next year.
33:01 So, 94 is 04.
33:02 So, 29.
33:03 14.
33:04 29.
33:05 29.
33:06 Yeah, so 30 years next year.
33:07 Wow!
33:08 Happy anniversary!
33:10 Thank you.
33:11 30 years.
33:12 Oh my gosh.
33:13 Yeah, 30.
33:14 That's your pearl.
33:15 That's your pearl anniversary.
33:16 I don't know about pearl.
33:17 Yeah, 30 years pearl.
33:19 So, now you know what your gift for Ms. Ipat will be.
33:22 Something pearl.
33:23 Yeah, maybe we have to plan something other than…
33:26 Yeah, because sometimes we'll just go on a long bike ride.
33:29 It's our anniversary event.
33:31 We don't throw big parties or anything.
33:33 There was one time we did a long kayak ride.
33:37 We did a long kayak trip on the lake.
33:40 And then we had a destination on a kayak.
33:45 It was a sacred cave.
33:48 We went to a sacred cave for one of our milestone anniversaries.
33:51 I think it was the 25th.
33:53 Yeah, and when we got there, we had a Filipino outfit.
33:59 We had a Filipino outfit in the sacred cave.
34:03 Historically, it was a place where revolutionaries, women, and those who were going to be exiled,
34:13 those traditions were happening in the sacred cave.
34:16 So, we were wearing Filipino outfits, we were wearing a traditional outfit, we were doing a pictorial there.
34:19 That was what we did on one anniversary.
34:21 But, I don't know, maybe the 30th, we should get some friends together.
34:24 When's your anniversary?
34:26 What month?
34:27 December 30, Rizal Day, of course.
34:29 Of course, you chose that, to get married on Rizal Day?
34:33 No, all we wanted was to make sure it's a holiday.
34:36 It's our anniversary.
34:38 So, you can always celebrate.
34:40 Yeah, yeah.
34:41 So, we'd always have the day off or a holiday.
34:45 And we realized, okay, it's Rizal Day.
34:49 We both love Rizal and we want to commemorate that as well.
34:53 Very forward thinking.
34:55 Yeah. My wife, actually. She's the one who came up with this.
35:00 I just go along.
35:02 As I said, in one of our anniversary posts, or maybe it was a birthday post or something,
35:09 I've just been very lucky because my wife has all these enterprising ideas.
35:12 I just have to say yes, you know, and I already lead an interesting life.
35:17 I don't have to think about a lot of things on my own.
35:20 She's the one who came up with that.
35:22 We'll paddle and go to the Philippines.
35:24 Okay, go.
35:25 Oh, let's do a long bike ride.
35:27 Okay, go.
35:28 And then, you know, let's build a big house in the province.
35:35 Okay, go.
35:36 That's it. I just go along.
35:38 That's the best advice.
35:39 Just say yes to what your wife says and you'll lead an interesting life already.
35:43 Exactly.
35:44 It starts with marrying the right person.
35:46 And then making sure that you're aligned in your values and main interests.
35:52 Just make sure you're aligned on most things.
35:56 If you have younger viewers or listeners who are wondering whether they've met the right person already,
36:03 you've got to make sure of those things because later on, once that extremely romantic time has passed,
36:11 of course, you always revisit that but it's not going to be 24/7 the rest of your marriage.
36:18 At the very least, your values have to be aligned.
36:21 You can't have major disagreements about child rearing, about smoking in the house.
36:28 Very practical, yes.
36:31 Yeah, yeah.
36:32 Because sometimes, that's the root of the fight and disagreement that can't be resolved.
36:39 Or the way you spend money or things like that.
36:42 We're not perfectly aligned.
36:43 That's why I told you, when we're not aligned, I just say, "Go."
36:48 I just go with the flow.
36:50 Usually, disagreements are very minor and we can deal with them.
36:53 I'm sure it's the same with you and Mico.
36:56 Yeah, he says yes to me.
36:59 Well, good.
37:00 We both married the right kind of women.
37:04 You don't have to worry too much about lousy decision-making.
37:09 We trust.
37:10 Basically, it really begins with trust.
37:12 It doesn't always work out, right?
37:14 It doesn't always work out.
37:15 Sometimes, decisions aren't the right ones but you just got to go with it and accept it.
37:21 Because you know that most of the time, the wife will get it right.
37:24 Yes.
37:25 And sometimes, the husband also has good advice.
37:27 Like in my case, when he said, "Go try to put up a podcast."
37:31 Okay.
37:32 Good call.
37:33 Good call.
37:34 Congratulate him for me.
37:35 But you know, that wasn't too hard a call actually on his part.
37:38 Right?
37:39 I mean, we're irranaturals.
37:40 I'm lucky because actually, building this house, for example, was really her idea.
37:45 I love living in the province.
37:47 I love living in this kind of house.
37:49 I'm used to living in a condo or the city.
37:52 This is really the lifestyle I want.
37:54 But I would not have the patience to build something like this.
37:58 It's really hard. You have to find a lot of wood.
38:03 Our builder, at first, my wife told me, "Okay, you're going to make a bamboo floor but I don't want you to use a mortar.
38:13 Don't buy hardware parts."
38:16 So at first, we were really confused.
38:19 I was looking for a way to make a bamboo floor without a mortar.
38:24 But he found a way.
38:26 He made lots and lots of bamboo pegs.
38:29 Ah, okay.
38:31 And the reason is, if you have any experience with bamboo floors, if you go to a beach resort with a bamboo hut with nails,
38:38 because typical bamboo floors have nails.
38:41 So after a while, when the floor is old, the head of the bamboo will come out.
38:48 Ah, it's already bent.
38:50 Exactly. And you will get hurt or your shorts will be torn when you sit.
38:59 But that doesn't happen with bamboo pegs.
39:02 And of course, even if the bamboo pegs come out, you can't have tetanus.
39:11 The old bamboo has a hole.
39:14 If the old bamboo is injured, yes, of course.
39:17 So we wanted our house to be safe, child-friendly.
39:20 Because when we made this, our child was still pretty young.
39:22 And he had cousins who were young.
39:24 And we had guests who were young children.
39:28 And for us also, for adults, we wanted it to be safe.
39:31 I mean, that was just one of her…
39:34 It's something that takes a lot of diligence.
39:36 And maybe it's just me. I'm not that patient with those details.
39:41 I would never have been able to build a house like this.
39:43 But my wife was able to do it.
39:45 And I'm the one mostly enjoying it.
39:47 Because she's the one…
39:49 Because she still works in the city.
39:52 I still work in the city, but every chance I get, I'm here.
39:57 So you're there more often.
39:59 Yeah, if my job is mostly like this, doing podcasts or doing writing, writing a script, I'm here.
40:07 But I go to the office, too. I have some work as a consultant in GMA News.
40:14 Talking to people at GMA News online, SOCMED team, just checking in with them,
40:19 and chit-chatting with them, offering informal advice,
40:22 and gathering information about what I need to know about what's going on in the office.
40:27 But you're used to commutes, right?
40:29 Because I remember when GMA, the Thanksgiving gala, which was held at Marriott, right? In Pasay.
40:35 That was in the evening.
40:37 You said that you were going to go home all the way to Batangas.
40:40 And we were all like, "Wow!"
40:41 So even if it's already nighttime, past 10 in the evening, you still make the trip home to Batangas.
40:48 Yes, and you know what? I regretted it at that time.
40:52 Because it was raining that night.
40:56 Ah, that's right.
40:57 Remember? It was raining.
40:59 And then, to be honest, the invitation said that the gala starts at 6 p.m. sharp, right?
41:06 So I didn't want to be late.
41:08 I'm used to traveling to Manila, so I thought, "Okay, an hour and a half."
41:13 So I left at a particular hour, thinking it would be a typical drive to Manila.
41:21 But on the way, it started to rain.
41:25 And then, there was traffic. Even on the skyway, there was traffic.
41:29 It was so far. You could see the red lights of the taillights.
41:33 The line was so long.
41:35 And I kept looking at the clock in the car.
41:38 I felt like I was going to be late.
41:40 So I had these visions in my head that all the people were sitting.
41:44 And then, I was the only one who was late.
41:47 Everyone was looking at me.
41:50 Because in previous years, I would be out shooting.
41:53 So I wasn't able to attend gala.
41:55 This would be my first gala in years.
41:58 So I didn't know what to expect.
41:59 When I got there, I couldn't find a parking space.
42:01 So I kept going around.
42:04 When I got there, I was late.
42:06 But there were a lot of other people who were late.
42:08 So I'm used to that drive.
42:11 And I don't need to make it that often.
42:13 So I'm here most of the time.
42:15 That's nice.
42:16 And I was curious.
42:17 I was going to ask you.
42:18 You said that you don't have an aircon there.
42:22 Do you have an electric fan?
42:24 Are there times that you still need an electric fan?
42:26 During summer, when it's too hot.
42:28 Yes, we have electricity.
42:30 We have electric fans.
42:32 I'm sure you have electricity.
42:33 Yes, I have electricity.
42:35 I have a desk lamp.
42:39 Of course, we're not off the grid.
42:43 Although we have a windmill that pumps our water using the wind.
42:47 And then, on our roof, we have some solar panels.
42:50 We're saving on electricity.
42:52 But we're still close enough to the city that we're connected to the grid.
42:57 We have electricity.
42:58 But our structures are made with tropical design.
43:03 So tropical materials, local materials.
43:07 So it's mostly bamboo and also repurposed wood.
43:11 We have an old house that was demolished.
43:15 Because the lot for the other structure was used.
43:19 So we demolished the house and we inherited the old wood.
43:24 So we used the old post of the yacal.
43:28 And then the hard plywood.
43:32 So our wood here is very solid.
43:34 It's already broken.
43:35 So we won't use it because it's been in the old house for decades.
43:40 It's a combination of repurposed wood and bamboo.
43:44 And then our roof is broken.
43:46 So it's classic tropical design in that sense.
43:49 Tropical design is really the cooling.
43:52 Of course, Rizal's time didn't have air conditioning.
43:54 They did it through design, through physics, through wind flows and ventilation.
44:00 So the builders know where the wind flows, where the wind is, where the sun is, where the sun rises, where the sun sets.
44:10 You make sure you've got shady trees.
44:12 So you can control your environment the natural way, which we do.
44:17 Because air conditioning is an artificial way already.
44:21 It's an unnatural way of controlling your environment.
44:23 So if you plan on an air-conditioned space, you don't have to think about air flows or where the sun is or what time it's the hottest.
44:33 You don't have to think about all those things because you can make it freezing temperature anytime of the day.
44:40 But if you don't have air-conditioning, it's impossible to air-condition this house because it's open.
44:47 So our ventilation here is 360.
44:50 So that's our windows.
44:53 So our windows are open.
44:55 Wow, so much natural light.
44:57 And then if you notice, our sides are open.
45:01 If you come here with Mico and your daughter, I'll give you a little.
45:05 So how is it? It's so open. What if it's raining or the wind is too strong?
45:10 We close the windows.
45:12 Have you experienced that when it's raining or windy, the windows are ruttering?
45:17 Actually, we're passing through a storm here.
45:20 And we also have a tree house that's also made out of bamboo.
45:23 That's a direct hit because the wind's not even blocked by trees.
45:27 Because in front of our house, we have a few trees.
45:30 So we have baotrees to the side, we have a talisay tree here, we have molave, we've got white lawaan, we have katmon, we've got naratrees.
45:39 So we're surrounded by trees.
45:41 So we're protected by trees and wind.
45:44 But of course, we're still exposed to the wind.
45:46 But the bamboo is a naturally flexible material.
45:50 So it's not just going to break.
45:52 That's why they make bow and arrow.
45:55 You can bend it and turn it into all kinds of furniture and other objects.
46:02 It's a very flexible and very sturdy material.
46:07 We've been hit by earthquakes, powerful typhoons, even volcanic eruptions.
46:13 Our house has been left standing the whole time.
46:16 I mean, all of our structures have survived.
46:19 It's proof of concept.
46:21 Tropical design is meant for a tropical environment.
46:24 I'm not saying it won't fall if there's a strong typhoon or a super typhoon like Yolanda or Lindol.
46:34 But so far, it's served us well.
46:37 It has provided shelter to us even in the worst conditions.
46:42 And we're pretty happy with what we've done here.
46:45 Do you have a neighbor?
46:47 I mean, a nearby neighbor.
46:48 Yes, actually next door is a barangay center, like a satellite office.
46:56 So they call it the tourism center.
46:59 We're on the outskirts of a town in Batangas, in a high tree.
47:03 So this population is on top of a hill.
47:07 We're right next to Taal Lake.
47:09 So Taal Lake is on a big caldera like this.
47:15 And then on one side, you have Tagaytay.
47:19 That's why the view of Taal Volcano is spectacular from Tagaytay.
47:24 You see the crater and all that.
47:26 But you think it's downwards because Tagaytay is elevated.
47:28 On the other side, it's the same.
47:30 On the other side, you have tall trees, you've got a cliff, you've got a basin, and all of these towns that are elevated.
47:41 So the shoreline is just a piece of land that's low in elevation.
47:46 We're with them.
47:47 We are almost at sea level here.
47:50 We're slightly above sea level.
47:51 But the population where the mayor's office is, is about, I would say, about 15 to 20 minutes away, going uphill.
48:00 So we're on the margins of the town.
48:04 And next to us is the satellite office.
48:07 If the mayor wants to give assistance to the fishing communities here in Lailayan, or if he wants to hold a meeting, or if he wants to socialize, he's next to us.
48:19 We have fairly good security here.
48:21 Yes, because they're next to you.
48:23 Yeah, yeah.
48:24 Our municipal facility is next to us.
48:27 On the other side of us is a river.
48:30 And then on the other side of the river is already Balete Town.
48:34 And then we have the home of a police officer next to the river.
48:40 So again, we're talking about security.
48:42 Your neighbors are okay.
48:43 Yeah, our neighbors are very nice.
48:46 You know, it's still very provincial here.
48:49 People here are very modest.
48:51 Patanggay ng Tagalog is kind of famous for its, in a way, its loudness, its roughness in a way.
48:59 But a lot of it is affectionate.
49:02 But it's kind of the opposite of Ilonggo.
49:05 Even if you're talking, it's still affectionate.
49:08 Even if the Batangueños are affectionate to you, it's not like that.
49:13 But they're kind.
49:16 People are very kind.
49:17 It's still very traditional and rural in that sense.
49:20 Many people who are here were born and raised here.
49:23 We live in a traditional fishing community.
49:26 That's why there aren't many tourists here.
49:29 That's why, you see, early in the morning, I'm out on the lake shore.
49:33 I'm observing the fishermen.
49:35 They're fishing.
49:37 They're fishing for fish.
49:42 And they're hooking line.
49:45 They're fishing.
49:46 There's no fish pen here.
49:47 It's on the other side.
49:48 The fish pens are on the Tagaytay side.
49:51 Wait, you weren't evacuated when the flood hit, right?
49:55 Yes.
49:56 On February 12, 2020, a couple of months before the pandemic started or was declared,
50:02 we were in a ghost town.
50:04 We're just 10 kilometers away from the volcano.
50:06 So, can you imagine?
50:07 The volcano is huge.
50:09 We have a very clear view of it.
50:10 It's unobstructed most days, unless it's a bit noisy or smoky.
50:16 Because the volcano is still gassy.
50:19 It's active.
50:20 It's one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.
50:23 We're just 10 kilometers away.
50:24 We're inside a danger zone.
50:26 So, that's what makes living here exciting and interesting.
50:31 We're free here.
50:32 Anytime, we can evacuate.
50:36 But the way I explain it to people is…
50:38 Because, of course, there are people who ask, "Aren't you afraid because the volcano is just there?
50:43 It's always active."
50:44 I told them, "I'm more afraid if I go to Manila."
50:46 There are so many things that can happen to you.
50:48 Are there other elements?
50:49 Well, there are many elements in Manila.
50:52 Aside from crime, you can get hit by a tricycle, a car, a truck, and there are many bullies on the streets.
50:59 There's a lot of road rage.
51:00 I mean, all kinds of things can happen to you in the city.
51:04 Here, our only danger is the volcano.
51:07 It's a big danger, but it's the only thing we're really concerned about.
51:11 We feel safe.
51:12 We feel secure.
51:13 We're comfortable here.
51:14 As long as you get fair warning, right?
51:16 Yeah.
51:17 And usually, there are.
51:18 There are alert levels before it erupts.
51:22 There's seismic warning.
51:24 There's tremors, right?
51:26 There's earthquake.
51:27 But let's put it this way.
51:30 The volcano has a history.
51:32 The last time that there were casualties on this side of the lake due to volcanic eruption was at least more than a century ago.
51:42 So, it's not something that happens often.
51:45 Earthquakes can happen in Manila, Quezon City.
51:49 For example, I used to live in Quezon City, right?
51:51 Very near the earthquake fault.
51:53 When you're in the Philippines, danger is never far away.
51:56 So, we live with it.
51:57 We adjust to it.
51:58 We've adapted to it.
52:00 But we should adapt to it even more.
52:03 I've adapted to it by moving away from it.
52:07 Moving to another source of danger, the volcano.
52:11 But to me, it's more manageable.
52:13 Of course, you cannot control the volcano.
52:15 But at least, we're alert here.
52:18 Hi!
52:19 Seeing you and listening to your stories about living in Batangas and all that,
52:24 it seems like you're really enjoying the lifestyle that you have now.
52:29 Thank you so much again for being with us today.
52:31 I hope you didn't mind the flow of this conversation.
52:34 Because like you said, it's not what you're used to.
52:37 No, no.
52:38 The reason why I started asking you all those questions is because I was afraid you'd ask me hard ones.
52:44 Nothing's that bad here.
52:47 Yeah, yeah.
52:48 I know.
52:49 But I've seen you in action in the news when you're not smiling and you're not laughing.
52:54 You're quite serious.
52:55 You can ask pretty tough questions but make it seem that they're not tough.
53:00 So that I'll get an answer.
53:02 Yeah, yeah.
53:03 So, you're not that intimidated and you'll get good answers.
53:07 So, that's part of your skill as well.
53:10 Anyway, I'm happy about this conversation and glad that we were able to meet up this way.
53:14 So, thank you.
53:15 And thanks for asking about the way I live now.
53:19 Only because I'm hoping other people will learn about alternative ways of living.
53:25 Not everyone has the privilege of being able to move part-time to the province.
53:32 Of course, I need a car to go to the office and all of that.
53:36 But still, sometimes we have default choices.
53:40 A lot of people feel that because the planet is getting hotter, we need to stay in the air-conditioned.
53:46 But even in the city, I never really used air-conditioning.
53:51 I've learned how to deal with electric fans and use ventilation to cool my spaces.
53:57 So, that's it.
53:58 It's also a way of controlling your carbon footprint.
54:03 We should all be together these days about how we're living.
54:08 So, thank you for asking about lifestyles and alternative ways of living.
54:13 Because it's part of our goal here of sharing that.
54:17 Thanks for sharing it also with us.
54:19 Thanks again so much, Howie.
54:21 Thank you.
54:22 Thank you.
54:24 This surprise was planned by the team of Justin Kenneth Karandang and Orbe Delis Reyes.
54:29 Edited by Shirley Paghiligan with the amazing people of GMA Integrated News.
54:34 Don't forget to like and subscribe.
54:35 Till the next surprise!
54:38 [Music]
54:41 you
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