About That with Marga Ortigas

Catch up with Gen-Xers Marga (the journalist), Karla (the chef), & Tanya (the film producer), a year after they were first "community quarantined" in pandemic-stricken Manila. The city has been under the longest and most militarised 'lockdown' in the world. Our hosts talk coping, keeping busy, and staying hopeful - as they say farewell to Karla who is off on a new adventure.

How do we move past an increasingly polarised world to create a common identity? Or are we doomed to always draw lines between US...and THEM? Back on the podcast is special guest Nik de Ynchausti. Music: Homestead, by Kai Engel

Boomers, Gen-Xers, Gen Y, Millennials, Gen Z...each generation had its share of challenges, but it can be argued that none more so than today's children. Health crises, wars, violence, environmental catastrophes, and above all global warming - they're in line to inherit a world with an expiry date. On this episode, we speak to Bhanu Bhatnagar from Save the Children International. Why aren't the Grown-Ups doing more for the world's children?

It's the 21st century and women in positions of power are still a rarity in many places. Even the country feted as the most powerful in the world has yet to see a female president. We talk gender and politics with a female (minority) senator from an Asian country overrun with macho, populist leaders and strongmen. SPECIAL GUEST: Philippine senator Risa Hontiveros News clips from : Euronews, ABS-CBN, Vice Music by Scott Holmes

The ins and outs of the Southeast Asian meth trade. Who are the key players? What's politics got to do with it? And how successful is the so-called "war on drugs"? We speak with journalist Patrick Winn, author of "Hello Shadowlands: Inside the Meth Fiefdoms, Rebel Hideouts and Bomb-Scarred Party Towns of Southeast Asia." Visit us on: www.patreon.com/aboutthatthepodcast Twitter: @margaortigas

A former journalist from a country that no longer exists talks to us about oppressive regimes, freedom of the press, and the changing face of democracy. . Neven Andjelic left his native Sarajevo when the communist republic of Yugoslavia was splintering. He sought asylum in the UK and is now a leading lecturer on International Relations and Human Rights. I catch him in Croatia. Newsclip from Radio Free Europe Music: "Paper Lanterns in the Dusk" by springtide

With special guest, Nik de Ynchausti. Why are autocrats & the far right rewriting the past? How powerful a tool is social media in this exercise? In the democratized world of information, are we seeing the demise of "objective facts"? And yes, we talk about the Marcoses and their creative view of Philippine history. EPISODE MUSIC: "Over Midnight" by Lobo Loco.

A brief look at life in Manila, one of the longest lockdowned cities in the world. We talk staying sane, Viber ecosystems, cloud kitchens, social participation during distancing - and the glaring social divide. With special guests, media executive Tanya Yuson and chef Karla Mendoza. Please do pardon the audio quality. Recorded over the internet. Music is courtesy of Purple Planet.

So who else is glad to see the back of 2018? It wasn't the easiest of times... but the beginning of a new year is always the perfect reason for a fresh slate. (Phew!) Last December, we took a trip to the Yukon. To say it was inspirational would be an understatement. There's something about the starkness of frost that is invigorating. I felt the same rejuvenation a few years prior on a visit to Mongolia in the dead of winter. It was like rediscovering magic. Nature holds all the universe's secrets - after snow, comes the Spring. The cycle of life and all that. This is the story of our trip to the Yukon in Northern Canada, the people we met... the choices they made... the way they live. I revisit it often because it has a way of uplifting my spirits. Hopefully, this recording - in some small way - can do the same for you. Find a comfy spot, shut your eyes, and let a cup of hot cocoa cool beside you as you listen... :) Here's to the wonder of a new year. Here's to new beginnings. With all my best wishes. P.S. - if you'd like to read the full article from the Yukon, you can find it on this link: https://www.i-migrant.com/stories/stargazing/

If there's anything that many of our guests have echoed it's that legacies are built one small step at a time. In this final episode, a leading personality on Philippine English-language radio talks us through her pioneering journey: how a summer job that wasn't going too well became the career of a lifetime. Plus - the sorrows and surprises along the way. How DELAMAR unintentionally managed to speak for a generation... and take it all in stride.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the world and struggling to keep up with everything you need to do? Or do you sometimes find yourself feeling "blah" about things? Maybe you're in the middle of a big life change and aren't sure how to get everything sorted just so...? It has been said that change is the only constant in life -- and yet it is the one thing that many of us fear the most. In this episode, we speak to professional life strategist Randi Levin who wants us all to live our best moments every day. She also shares with our listeners a 52-week self-guided challenge from her website: How to Balance Your Life: https://randilevincoaching.com/balance/

We're always searching for next big health kick...the latest cure-all and magic remedy. But what if that "new" health fix is really an old one? Centuries old, in fact. Business executive Nena Wuthrich joins us to share her latest passion outside of the office: it's all-natural, chemical-free, can help a wide vareity of ailments -- and ancient. Let's talk - Essential Oils.

Are you battling depression? Maybe you're dissatisfied with your life - or know someone who is. Do you think people are unhappier now than they have been before? Does the nonstop buzz of the digital world make things worse for you? Why is that as humanity has reached technological heights, many say they feel trapped in the black night of their soul? There are ways to cope - without medication. Psychoneurologist Lia Bernardo speaks to us about finding peace and living a joyful life.

Fashion designer. Artist. Entrepreneur. Son. Brother. Partner. Empire builder. Just a few of the hats worn by Philippine style icon Rajo Laurel. Hear this unfiltered conversation about living honestly, finding contentment, and defining identity through clothing.

This episode is dedicated to the dreamers. To those who are still in pursuit of dreams, and those who have had them come true. Are you an aspiring writer? Or maybe you don't know what it is you want to do yet. How do you find your passion? Meet British author Matt Killeen. He's done it all. Advertising, store managing, graphics designing, music playing. He's even dabbled in stand-up comedy. Now in his mid-40s, his 1st book is out this March on a topic that has critics raving - not just about the ingenuity of the plot - but also its timeliness. Matt speaks to us about his highly anticipated "Orphan, Monster, Spy", and taking the creative journey to self discovery.

Turning the tables on a veteran journalist: Gaby Tabuñar, Chairman Emeritus of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, speaks about the things he's seen, the choices he's made, the world as he's seen it change, and what matters most... Can you imagine yourself at a hundred? We're doing things a little differently this episode - we hope you take the journey with us!

We all know Jagger, Ozzie, and even Gene Simmons... but ever wonder about a rockstar's life in the East? Spanish-Filipino musician Tirso Ripoll burst onto the Asian music scene in the early 1990s with the iconic rock group Razorback. 27 years later - Tirso is a businessman, a father, and still rocking with his band. He says there is a way to do it all. Hear more in this super animated conversation.

2017 was a year of change and transition for many people - among them, our host veteran journalist Marga Ortigas. In this podcast EXTRA, Marga starts us off on a new season of ABOUT THAT by looking back at the top things she's learned from our podcast guests so far. What are your top take-aways? Write us! aboutthat.thepodcast@gmail.com

Midlife crisis? Not quite, for Gen-X guys. At least that's the experience of Spanish videographer Miguel Castro. Listen in as he candidly talks about fatherhood in his 40s, walking away from a long-time job, and facing fears - and the unknown - with confidence.

She's a world-renowned designer from Turkey who expresses herself through fashion and design - within a very special context. An artist with leather, lace, lights and 3D printing, Arzu Kaprol has been called both "futuristic" and "architectural". Her work is not just a magical reflection of her rich heritage, but also her spirituality. Listen in as we catch up with Arzu...and you won't see clothing in quite the same way again.

More people are travelling alone these days. And they're not just young men with backpacks, or veteran travellers. A growing number of these SOLO TRAVELLERS are women. Many are executives from Asia, and in their 40s. So - what's the appeal of leaving home and exploring on your own? Marga, Tanya, and Karla are reunited to discuss the pitfalls and pleasures of travelling alone.

So...maybe the pressures of the world are getting to you? Too much work? Or not enough? Freaking out about the things you can’t control? Maybe you’re older than you ever imagined…and feel too tired to keep moving forward. Sound familiar? How do you stay afloat? Mental health professional (& fellow Gen-Xer) Darby Latshaw returns to give us a few survival tips.

Ever wonder what your skin ‘tells’ people about you?  Do you have a tattoo? Are you part of a gang? Is that all that you think ‘marks’ you?  For over 20 years, Marianne Diaz has been helping gang members, like herself, in Los Angeles make a fresh start. Hear her story of transformation, and maybe see the world a little differently. Sometimes, one person can change your life.

It's a fact that more people are having kids later in life. In the UK, birth rates of women in their 40s have risen to a higher level than that of women aged under 20 for the first time since 1947. (Source: ONS) In this episode, we have an honest discussion with international TV journalist Divya Gopalan about the joys and pains of being a first-time mom in her 40s, while maintaining a high-pressure job.

How many hours do you spend online and how does it affect you? In this episode, we speak to Los Angeles-based musician-turned-therapist Darby Latshaw about issues of identity, stress, and anxiety in the age of social media.

What's it like to be an independently-employed woman who is also raising a family? Inky Nakpil, a veteran freelance fixer for foreign media companies, shares her secret to being a mom while hopping from one Philippine island to another managing numerous TV crews.

In this episode, Marga, Karla, & Tanya -- our gang of Gen-Xers -- talk about the importance of food on memory and identity. With guest appearances by adobo, pancit - and muscles! Yes - not the shellfish. Listen in to learn about the Filipino culture of food sharing, and the expat eater's longing for home.

Ever find yourself wondering why you’re doing what you’re doing?  Maybe your career doesn’t suit you anymore, and you’re looking to do something else. Anything else.  How do you transition from one thing to the next?  After 30 years as a journalist and media professional, former TV executive Charie Villa speaks to us about following one’s bliss as she embarks on a new adventure that couldn’t be more different than pursuing the news.

Perennials take on Tinder, dating in their 40s, and letting go of things they cannot control.

It's said that life begins at 40. In this episode, Asian broadcasting legend Cheche Lazaro tells us how she did just that, and more, by starting a news production company in her 40s - at a time when women were struggling to make a mark in the media industry. An inspirational convesation with a pioneering woman.

Meet our host, veteran international journalist Marga Ortigas, and her friends – chef Karla Mendoza and media producer Tanya Yuson. After travelling the world and charting their own courses, this mid-life trio find themselves back in their home country, pondering their next steps.