Pipol

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

Portrait of Cebuano Rubik’s cube champion Leo Borromeo holding a cube, radiating quiet focus and Filipino pride

This Cebuano Teen Solves 400 Cubes a Day—and He’s One of the Fastest in the World

By Tatung Sarthou

July 4, 2025

Before each competition, Cebuano Rubik’s cube champion Leo Borromeo holds the cube in both hands. He exhales slowly. Feels the warmth in his fingers. The…

Portrait of Tim alongside screenshots of his @Timdrinkscoffee Instagram feed, showcasing Philippine specialty coffee storytelling and origin-based content.

Timdrinkscoffee: How Tim Is Brewing Philippine Specialty Coffee Culture

By Simpol

July 4, 2025

In a world chasing viral trends and 10-second dopamine hits, one feed makes you stop scrolling—and start breathing. No flashy text overlays. No latte art…

“Chef Ronald Villavelez at the open kitchen of Sialo, his Cebu-based fine dining restaurant reimagining heritage cuisine in Cebu.”

The Art of Becoming: Chef Ronald Villavelez and the Poetry of Cebuano Cuisine

By Tatung Sarthou

July 2, 2025

Chef Ronald Villavelez didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a chef. He wasn’t the type to hover over the family stove or daydream about restaurant…

Same sex marriage Philippines couple Jacky and Bjay showing rings beside Rev. CJ Agbayani at LGBTS Christian Church, celebrating queer love and chosen commitment despite lack of legal recognition.

Same-Sex Marriage in the Philippines: A Wedding, A Blessing, and the Fight to Be Seen

By Simpol Editorial Team with Hanz Daniel Cortez

June 30, 2025

In a country where same sex marriage is not yet legally recognized, queer couples like Bjay and Jacky are creating their own sacred spaces—outside courtrooms,…

Filipino Tablea Chocolate: How One Woman in Iloilo Is Reviving a Heritage Tradition

By Natalie U. Lim

June 28, 2025

Before I fell in love with tablea, I avoided chocolate like it was medicine. Growing up Tsinoy, I favored dikiam, kiamoy, and peanuts over anything…

Ramon “Chin-Chin” Uy Jr., a pioneer of the Negros organic farming movement and a champion of regenerative agriculture.

How Chin-Chin Uy Reimagined Farming and Sparked a Movement in Negros

By Tatung Sarthou

June 27, 2025

In the heart of the Negros organic farming movement, Ramon “Chin-Chin” Uy Jr. is rewriting the story of how food is grown in the Philippines.…

The Interior Perspective of Ivy Almario

By Tatung Sarthou

June 27, 2025

The late morning light spills into her space—part sanctuary, part sketchpad of a beautifully composed life. It’s the kind of calm, refined atmosphere that defines…

Walking the Soul of the City: Ivan Man Dy and 20 Years of Manila Heritage Walks

By Tatung Sarthou

June 26, 2025

For two decades, Ivan Man Dy’s Manila walking tours have helped Filipinos reclaim their identity—one historic street at a time. In the early 2000s, Ivan…