The Halo Halo Podcast

Taste Test of ”Turning Red” (Episode 413.625)

On this Taste Test of The Halo Halo Podcast, Sigi samples "Turning Red" now streaming on Disney+. Domee Shi’s Toronto based  movie tells the tale of 13 year old Mei Lin, an overachieving 8th grader who is trying to balance her interests in boy bands and anime; maintaining her relationship with her parents by doing them proud and calming her new found inner, or rather outer panda. This coming of age story tackles not only the physical changes, but the emotional changes that a first generation immigrant teenager experiences.  Grab a box of Pocky Sticks, feed that Tamagotchi, and pop and lock to the tunes of 4-Town in this funny and touching romp.

Episode 413.5 - Show me that you’re Filipino Warmup

On this Halo Halo Podcast warm up Jezzie and Sigi play a game of “Show Me that You Live in a Filipino Household without telling me you live in a Filipino household.” So listeners, get out the walis and tsinelas and tell/show us that you live in a Filipino household and play along. Sige na! 

Episode 413 - The Fabulous Filipino Brothers and the Barong Tagalog

On this episode of The Halo Halo Podcast,  Jezzie and Sigi feature the movie "The Fabulous Filipino Brothers", directed by Dante Basco and written by Dante and his brothers and sister. This comedy focuses on a Filipino American family in Southern California gathering for a family wedding. The movie highlights snippets of everyday Filipino life like silog in the morning; a loud boisterous multigenerational home; vicks vapo serving as a solution in a pinch and a sumptious wedding food spread. The four linked vignettes put a spotlight on each brother: Dayo, Duke, David and Danny Boy leading up to the wedding. From SoCal to the streets of Manila, this ambitious movie lets you step into this family united by their love for their culture and each other.
 
Later, Jezzie and Sigi shift their discussion onto Filipino formal wear seen at traditional Filipino weddings–the Barong Tagalog. They discuss the origin and significance of this piece of formal wear and retell stories of wearing the barong for special occasions. Jezzie reminds us wearing a Barong Tagalog is not only about having and wearing your pride in your culture, it’s also a dedication to the survival of our culture–a message that’s echoed in the Abasta matriarch in “The Fabulous Filipino Brothers.” Filipino culture outside of the Philippines is indeed alive and well, what can you do to continue this dedication?

Taste Test of ”Lagim: A Filipino True Crime Podcast” (Episode 412.625)

On this Taste Test, Jezzie keeps with this month’s theme of Crime and Punishment and samples "Lagim: A Filipino True Crime Podcast". Find out why Jezzie devoured this heaping helping of diniguan in listening to this well-written, well-thought through, pensive and yet critical podcast. 

Episode 412.5 - Getting a Clue Warmup

On this Warm Up, Jezzie and Sigi stroll down pop culture memory lane and discuss "Unsolved Mysteries", "America’s Most Wanted" and some crime procedural shows. Most importantly the hosts highlight their fave whodunit from the 80s–CLUE!

Episode 412 - Homicide & Halo-Halo and the Filipino Underdog

To continue with the theme of Crime and Punishment for this month of March, The Halo Halo Podcast focuses on the newest novel from Mia P Manansala, Homicide and Halo Halo. Jezzie and Sigi recount this novel, the second in the series of cozy mysteries written by a Fil-Am author. This frothy whodunit is set in the sleepy town of Shady Palms, and is filled with Filipino culture and tantalizing descriptors of Filipino Food for a dash of a good measure. Influenced by the lead character Lila, your co-hosts  later delve into a discussion on favoured Filipino narratives and the appeal of rooting for the underdog.

Taste Test of ”The Unusual Suspects” (Episode 411.625)

On this Taste Test, Sigi and Jezzie sample the limited series- "The Unusual Suspects" currently streaming on HBO Max/Crave. Find out why these two would pair this scrumptious viewing with decadent desserts including 13 layer chocolate cake and red velvet ube cupcake. This miniseries set in Eastern Sydney focuses on the burglary of a multi-million dollar necklace with several suspects connected in this comedy-drama caper. Find out how six women including a lifestyle brandmaker; three Filipino domestic workers, spa owner and a retired lawyer are linked in this jewel heist as they each try to find a way out of their respective money issues and life crumbling predicaments. Who ends up being the mastermind behind the shady deals and escaping with the goods?

Episode 411.5 - Doing Time Warmup

On this warm up Jezzie and Sigi talk about Doing Time from getting grounded, detention in school and getting tickets for speeding and traffic violations. Find out who got caught speeding to Western and who’s French teacher had a box placed on her head.

Episode 411 - Happy Jail Docuseries & Filipino Rehabilitative Justice

The Halo Halo Podcast will be releasing their Crime and Punishment episodes for the Month of March. On this episode Jezzie and Sigi puts a spotlight on Emmy award winning director Michele Josue’s five part documentary "Happy Jail" currently streaming on Netflix. The doc focuses on the Cebu Prison Detention and Rehabilitation Centre (CPDRC) which became an international sensation when its dancing inmates uploaded their choreographed performance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on YouTube in 2008. The series digs a little deeper and tells the tale from various points of view from inmates, prison guards, the prison consultant, Marco Toral–giving voices to those who want to tell their stories that are often ignored and silenced.
Later Jezzie does a deep dive in generally understanding of the criminal justice system in the Philippines and its views on offender rehabilitation. He reminds us for the fixing of the week hat appeasing others or overly accommodating is not the path to rehabilitation.
 

Episode 410.5 - Organizing as Community Care

On this final part of our four-part collection on Social Justice, Sigi and Jezzie unpack how organizing, where you add your voice and presence to others who have common cause with you, is a form of community care that results in political action.  Jezzie runs through, in this compact episode, various ways of how you can lend your voice to a collective choir and create change.  From voting in an election to sharing and retweeting credible and reliable information about important social justice issues (e.g., ON Canada Project Blog), Sigi and Jezzie urge you to find a cause that matters to you and the community that you've chosen to support, and then to add your voice and presence to that cause.