Undercovered

2024 is a milestones year for the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) - yes, milestones - as it marks 55-15-5: the 55th, 15th, and 5th anniversaries of landmark laws that have shaped its history - and unlocks the keys to its future. In this first of a series of episodes marking these milestones, find out about these three landmark laws; plus listen in on a conversation with IS Jung CEO, of FAB's long-time locator Dong-In Entech - as he reveals an aggressive expansion plan for their company's future at the Freeport.

Is the Philippines on its way to finally producing vaccines locally? This episode, Regional Roundup talks with Glovax Biotech Founder and CEO Giovanni Alingog about vaccine security and self-reliance, for both the Philippines and the ASEAN region - and about their plan to build a fully-integrated vaccine plant in the country.

Regional Roundup heads to Davao City, and discovers Cacao Liqueur at boutique heritage hotel The Big House. This episode, we're in a conversation with Lizabeth Robillo-Lu, the House-owner and chef behind this concoction that just could be the new drink to associate Davao with.

Have you heard of the Birhen Sang Barangay, a nearly 75-year old homegrown devotion to the Blessed Mother? This episode, Undercovered speaks with one of their spiritual directors, to find out more about their origin, their devotion, and their work to promote the praying of the Holy Rosary among groups. 

One of the Pillars on which the Brunei Darussalam - Indonesia - Malaysia - Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) stands is Transport Connectivity. In order for trade, tourism, and other exchanges within this ASEAN sub-region to flourish, air and sea linkages must be present. This episode, Regional Roundup is in a conversation with Felicismo Pangilinan, Director for Planning at the Department of Transportation, to find out where we now are vis a vis Transport Connectivity in BIMP-EAGA.

A number of Filipinos across our archipelago remain unserved; if not, underserved by the banking industry. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, 181 of our cities and municipalities do not have banks; instead, they have microfinance NGOs, pawnshops, e-money agents, and cash agents offering financial services. In other  places, people rely on their locally-present rural banks. This episode, we speak with UBX, a financial technology company that wants to improve access to banking services across the archipelago, tapping into the networks of rural banks and other financial services providers, and offering itself to them as a banking-as-a-service platform.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is open for investment. Find out what early investors to the Philippines’ newest region have been keen on, what the opportunities there are, and what makes BARMM a unique option to consider, in this Regional Roundup conversation with former Bangsamoro Board of Investments chair - and now Member of Parliament - Ishak Mastura.

The Philippine Space Agency recently tested using satellite-based connectivity for rural banks in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs). Find out more about that pilot deployment, in this episode of Regional Roundup.

This is the second episode of our mini-series on what Jagna, Bohol has to offer its tourists. Last episode we focused on its plans for Faith Tourism; in this continuation of the Regional Roundup conversation with Jagna Mayor Joseph Rañola, we talk about adventure tourism - and more.

Regional Roundup heads to Bohol, for a conversation with Jagna Mayor Joseph Rañola. In this first of a two-episode mini-series, we discuss their plans to establish the municipality as a center for Faith Tourism in the province.

In this episode of Regional Roundup, our focus is on BARMM, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Following the recent oath-taking of their interim governing body, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), we spoke about the road ahead for the region, with their Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. On the agenda: the BTA’s priorities until 2025, when its term ends; Islamic Finance; Halal Products and Services; the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA); transportation and telecommunications connectivity; Polloc Port; and plans for a Metro Cotabato.

In Episode 1, we began with an overview of the Philippine Textile Research Institute - and got introduced to some Philippine Tropical Fibers. In Episode 2, we found out which regions produce these fibers, what they are used for - and what we are doing, to take advantage of their availability. In Episode 3, we looked into the demand for Philippine Tropical Fibers - as well as the obstacles to addressing these opportunities. And we were also introduced to the TELA Pilipinas initiative. TELA is an acronym for Textile Empowering Lives Anew. This Episode, our fourth and final of the series, we’ll get introduced to the Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Centers or RYPICs. We’ll also talk about blending Philippine Topical Fibers with cotton, about how industry players can work with the Philippine Textile Research Institute, and about the road ahead for Philippine Tropical Fibers.

In Episode 1, we began with an overview of the Philippine Textile Research Institute - and got introduced to some Philippine Tropical Fibers.  In Episode 2, we found out which of our regions produce these fibers, what these fibers are used for - and what we are doing, to take advantage of their availability here in our country. In this Episode, we’ll discuss the demand for our Philippine Tropical Fibers.

In this second of 4 episodes on Philippine Fibers, Regional Roundup continues its conversation with Celia Elumba, Director of the Department of Science and Technology's Philippine Textile Research Institute: where in the country are these fibers abundant, and what can we make from and with them?

After an extended break, Regional Roundup is back - reconfigured, and ready to continue bringing stories of the developments and opportunities from across the archipelago. Our first feature on our return, is on Philippine Tropical Fibers. Here’s a Regional Roundup conversation with Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) Director Celia Elumba.

Just in time for Holy Week, this episode of Undercovered talks about some of the Pontifically-crowned Marian images in the Philippines, with Michael Delos Reyes, author of the book Coronadas. Watch or listen in, and you just might want to add to your Visita Iglesia list! Have a prayer-filled Holy Week ahead everyone.

#Pilgrimages. #FaithTourism. As we continue to celebrate Five Hundred Years of Christianity #500YOC in the Philippines, perhaps we should consider exploring our archipelago and visiting the churches and shrines that dot our islands - and maybe invite even those from other countries - on pilgrimages, and as faith tourists. Don't know where to start? A good place to begin is a recently published book, Simbahan. This episode, Undercovered speaks with architect Allan Jay Quesada, Simbahan's illustrator, about churches across the country that many of us may not even be aware of. A blessed new year ahead of us all.

Last month, the Catholic Church launched a two-year listening process, leading up to the Synod of Bishops on 2023. According to the Vatican, "Pope Francis wants it to be a truly bottom-up process starting from the local up to the national, regional and finally the universal level.  It starts with, and involves, all the faithful at the diocesan levels across the world, promising to listen to all, especially to laypeople." The Synod will take up Synodality itself, which the Pontiff says is the path which "God expects of the Church of the third millennium”. Undercovered spoke with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, for his views on the Synod, on Synodality - and what the Filipino faithful can look forward to, as the local process begins.

Earlier this month, a survey was released, revealing that many Filipino Catholics were calling for better sound systems in their churches. This episode tries to look into that - to offer a better understanding of sound, how it travels, and how it is experienced by people.

Comments and reflections following the National Consecration of the Philipppines to the Patronage of Saint Joseph.