The Halo Halo Podcast

Episode 617.5 - A Question in three parts Warmup (Part 1) with Filipino Public Servants Network

On this warm up, Jezzie and SIgi welcome Diyyinah and Carlo from the Filipino Public Servants Network (FSPN) into the Halo Halo Podcast virtual studios to get their get voices ready for their full two-part episode. They play “A Question in 3 Parts” and the co-hosts and guests reflect on what makes them Filipino, and Canadian. Listen in as they dive into this ice breaker and find their commonalities and discover their personal thoughts behind these questions.
If you’re a current federal public servant of Filipino descent, and want to know more about the FPSN send an email at fpsn.rfp@gmail.com for a monthly newsletter and regularly scheduled events. You can find FPSN on GCxchange and GCpedia, as well as on their Facebook group.

Episode 617 - Filipino Public Servants Network (Part 1)

Since it is June and Filipino Heritage Month, The Halo Halo Podcast elevates and celebrates the Filipino Public Servants Network (FPSN) in a special  TWO PART full episodes dropping this month!  In Part One: Jezzie and Sigi welcome Diyyinah Jamora and Carlo Carandang to the virtual studios to create the “Canada sandwich” with all four of them podcasting from Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax. The co-hosts dive into Diyyinah’s and Carlo’s immigration stories and follow their paths beginning in Vancouver (Diyyinah) and Texas (Carlo) to the Public Service.  From reveling in the fact that both of our guests worked in stores where their families sold Filipino snacks, Diyyinah shares how the FSPN came into fruition.  Download Part One of this episode now! Stay tuned for Part Two in 2 weeks!
If you’re a current federal public servant of Filipino descent, and want to know more about the FPSN send an email at fpsn.rfp@gmail.com for a monthly newsletter and regularly scheduled events. You can find FPSN on GCxchange and GCpedia, as well as on our Facebook group.

Episode 616.5 - Gossip folk warmup

On this warm up, Jezzie and Sigi hold their cups of tea and rhyme out their top 3 gossip folks in pop culture. Find out who cites Alec Mapa and Jacob Ben Israel in their top 3. They dedicate this warm up to their two real life gossip folk in their friend group–you know who you are because your hair is so big because it is filled with secrets. XOXO.

Episode 616 - Mean Girls 2004 vs. 2024 & the Value of Tsismis

On this episode Jezzie and Sigi dive into a compare and contrast of Mean Girls 2004 and the Mean Girls Musical 2024, but before they jump into all things fetch and the allure of Regina George, they discuss Jezzie’s Monorail Bar Crawl in Vegas, Rachel Zegler in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Filipino Lords in Bridgerton Season 3. As they share notes on Tina Fey’s classic 20 year old staple and the newly released movie based on the musical, they revel in an amazing cast, cameos and debate elaborate shownumbers. Later the co-hosts discuss gossip and that in Filipino culture scholars suggest there is gossip and tsismis. Jezzie shares the two-fold value of this concept and observes how it sometimes begs for information and resources to be shared so someone can benefit.

Episode 615.5 - Who's Your Mother Warmup

This warm up has both co-hosts share their top 3 pop culture moms. Jezzie also gives Sigi a vocabulary lesson about the ballroom origin of the term “mother.” Find out who tops their lists of sitcom, musical and reality tv moms.

Episode 615 - Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again and Filipina Matriarchy

For this month, The Halo Halo Podcast tailored the set of upcoming eps to a Maternal May. Jezzie and Sigi go into the pop culture vault to revisit Mamma Mia the musical, movie and the sequel. Listen in as Jezzie suspends his disbelief and revels in the jukebox musical while Sigi litters the convo with consistent “WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” After much discussion on the Meryl Streep of it all, Amanda Seyfried’s dewy face, the classiness of Christine Baranski and Cher wandering into the movie, the convo shifts to mothers and motherhood. Jezzie references Wilfred Galila’s essay on the “Power of Pinays” where he discusses how pre-colonial and before the arrival of the Spanish, Philippine Society was seen as Matriarchal. Further, Jezzie discusses the power shared by Filipina Women in the diaspora is a quiet power. 
The fixing of the week encourages Halo Halo Listeners to celebrate the Filipina Women in our lives and happy mothers’ day to our mothers!

Taste Test of "Lessons in Fusion" (Episode 614.625)

On this Taste Test and to close out our Filipino Food Themed episodes, Sigi samples the novel, Lessons In Fusion by Primrose Madayag Knazan. This novel set in Winnipeg during the pandemic focuses on Sarah who applies to compete in a reality show called Cyber Chef Next Gen. Her participation in the competition puts her on a journey on finding out more about her identity and her family. Pair this novel with the many recipes especially the matzo ball sopas because it is a warm nourishing read.  This book is a love letter on how recipes when passed on through generations tells a tale about connections and love in families. This isn’t just a young adult novel, it is a cookbook that fuses together different cultures and encourages the reader to embrace all facets of their identity. Listen in on this ep and go get your copy of Lessons in Fusion!

Episode 614.5 - But Make It Filipino... Warmup

On this warm up Sigi and Jezzie take some ideas and make it Filipino. Sigi ventures down the fast food lanes to makes them more pinoy and Jezzie finds ways to nourish not only our stomachs but our minds and style. Listen in and find out what condiment Sigi wants to be available for his Costco hot dog and what Jezzie would add to the Canadian staple Timmie’s!

Episode 614 - Revisiting Meryenda San Miguel Beer

During this month of April and in honour of Filipino Food Month, we at the Halo Halo Podcast will be re-releasing some of our favourite Meryenda episodes, but first in their pop culture catch up Sigi talks about the Hallmark movie based in his hometown Niagara Falls and the recent limited series Apples Never Fall. Jezzie share his thoughts on the latest Rebel Moon and newly crowned Drag Superstar. Further, Jezzie discusses his rediscovered love and ventures back into Lobby Bars in his neighbourhood and revelling in Happy Hour---the perfect segue into revisting Mereyenda Epsiode 406.75 San Miguel Beer from Season Four! Cheers!

Taste Test of Jollibee (Episode 613.5)

On this taste test, Sigi takes his daughter Delaney to Jollibee in Toronto right before the Olivia Rodrigo concert. As Sigi revels in CHICKENJOY with his daughter, he and Jezzie dive deep into the pairing of crispy salty chicken skin paired with warm white rice. Is it possible that it is buried deep in the Filipino DNA? And to even add more to his CHICKENJOY, the presence of ube pie served as the piece de resistance on this adventure. Listen in and this ep will have you craving for fast food giant from the Philippines.