Pipol

Profiles, interviews and human-interest stories focused on individuals. Columnists and their stories.

Nicole Laurel Asensio seated in Café Carlyle, dressed in performance attire, poised and contemplative before her residency debut in Hong Kong, June 2025.

Nicole Laurel Asensio’s Café Carlyle Residency: A Jazz Dream, 18 Years in the Making

By Gilbert Kim Sancha

June 16, 2025

After nearly two decades on stage, Nicole Laurel Asensio is stepping into a global spotlight. From June 18 to July 12, she will perform a…

With fists up and a grin to match, Filipino chef Francés Tariga strikes a confident pose—bringing the same bold energy she’s known for at Tadhana, where dishes like adobo tell her story, one plate at a time.

From Manila to MICHELIN: How Filipina Chef Francés Tariga is Changing the Game in New York

By Tatung Sarthou

June 16, 2025

She’s got game. Francés Tariga is a Filipino chef in New York redefining what it means to cook with soul, grit, and ambition. From Sampaloc,…

Just Being Jo: Why Jo Koy’s Return to Manila Hits Deeper Than You Think

By Simpol

June 12, 2025

When Jo Koy says “maaa!” on stage, the whole crowd knows what’s coming next. It’s not just a punchline—it’s a memory. One packed with balikbayan…

Chef Theodore “Day” Salonga (1977–2025) He didn’t just cook—he lit up every kitchen, every table, every soul he fed. This is how we’ll remember him: joyful, generous, and always full of flavor.

“I’m Too Busy Cooking to Die” A Tribute to Chef Theodore Day Salonga

By Tatung Sarthou

June 11, 2025

This tribute to Theodore Day Salonga is more than a farewell. It’s a celebration of a life lived with heart, humor and deep passion for…

Lorlie Paguntalan Noblezada overlooking sandbeds along the Barangay De Paul shoreline in Miag-ao, preparing for the next harvest of Miag-ao artisanal sea salt, symbolizing hope and tradition.

Meet the Woman Behind Miag-ao Artisanal Sea Salt

By Natalie U. Lim

June 7, 2025

On a quiet stretch of shoreline in Miag-ao, known for its signature Miag-ao artisanal sea salt, salt crystals glint on bamboo slats, catching the morning…

Rich Watanabe surveys ripening coffee cherries in the lush Philippine highlands—each berry a promise of flavor, each plant a testament to sustainable craft.

How Rich Watanabe and SGD Coffee Brought Sagada’s Specialty Coffee to the World

By Tatung Sarthou

June 6, 2025

By the time Rich Watanabe took his first sip of freshly brewed Sagada coffee, the Cordillera’s fog-draped ridges had already worked their quiet magic. The…

7 Lessons from Charlemagne Lim: The Restaurateur Behind Bistro Charlemagne

By Tatung Sarthou

June 4, 2025

Charlemagne Lim knows. He’s not a chef. He’s a restaurateur with vision, grit, and the business sense to turn passion into staying power. From launching…

Where voices are discovered, not just trained—Jade Riccio coaches a student inside RMA Studio Academy, where technique meets heart.

Redefining Possible: Jade Riccio on Voice, Vision and the Power of the Stage

By Simpol

June 3, 2025

Jade Riccio didn’t start with formal training. In fact, she simply sang because it made her feel alive. “I started at a very young age,…

Kawa Pilipinas: Inside the Radical Motherhood of Mae Paner

By Tatung Sarthou

June 1, 2025

Mae Paner has always known how to command a stage. With wigs, wit, and sharp-edged satire, she became Juana Change—the woman who stared power in…

Filipina R&B artist Kiana V steps into her power with “Falling Out”—a soulful anthem of self-love, healing, and reclaiming identity.

Kiana V Reclaims Her Power in Soulful New Single “Falling Out”

By Simpol

May 31, 2025

When love turns into a quiet unraveling, what’s left is often not heartbreak, but the echo of yourself trying to return home. In her latest…

David Licauco, Pambansang Ginoo, Talks About Sobra Café, Coffee and Comfort Food On 50 Simpol Questions

By Simpol

May 29, 2025

David Licauco Pambansang Ginoo — it’s a title fans have lovingly given him, thanks to his breakout roles in Maria Clara at Ibarra and Pulang…

Freddie Aguilar’s Legacy: From Anak to Bayan Ko

By Simpol

May 27, 2025

Freddie Aguilar didn’t stop at Anak. He used music to confront injustice, amplify the struggles of ordinary Filipinos, and inspire collective action. His rendition of…

Content creator Euleen Castro (@euleencastro) during her now-viral critique of a café in Iloilo — a post that sparked city-wide backlash and a national conversation on the ethics of food reviews. honest review lang

When “Honest Review Lang” Becomes Harmful: The Real Cost of Viral Food Criticism

By Tatung Sarthou

May 30, 2025

There is a shadow hanging over the social media food…

Now on Simpol TV

Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli | Easy Chinese-Inspired Recipe

Recipe of the week

MAGGI Magic Sarap: Repolyo con Hipon Recipe

By Simpol

June 17, 2026

Some of the best recipes come from the most ordinary…

Pipol

Nicole Laurel Asensio’s Café Carlyle Residency: A Jazz Dream, 18 Years in the Making

From Manila to MICHELIN: How Filipina Chef Francés Tariga is Changing the Game in New York

Just Being Jo: Why Jo Koy’s Return to Manila Hits Deeper Than You Think

“I’m Too Busy Cooking to Die” A Tribute to Chef Theodore Day Salonga

Meet the Woman Behind Miag-ao Artisanal Sea Salt

7 Lessons from Charlemagne Lim: The Restaurateur Behind Bistro Charlemagne

Redefining Possible: Jade Riccio on Voice, Vision and the Power of the Stage

Kiana V Reclaims Her Power in Soulful New Single “Falling Out”

David Licauco, Pambansang Ginoo, Talks About Sobra Café, Coffee and Comfort Food On 50 Simpol Questions

Freddie Aguilar’s Legacy: From Anak to Bayan Ko

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Now on Simpol TV

Recipe of the week

MAGGI Magic Sarap: Repolyo con Hipon Recipe

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