Filipino Freethinkers THE MEETUP Podcast Filipino Freethinkers

Nicole Curato talks about the the challenge of deliberative democracy, how it means more than just casting votes, and the difficult choices, compromises, and conversations that voters have to make.

Leloy Claudio talks about the importance of understanding history to prevent it repeating as well as the challenges, opportunities, and limits of liberalism and democracy in the time of populism and social media propaganda.

We talk to Richard Heydarian about his debate/dialogue with Sass Sasot. How did he come up with the idea for Politicon? What does he hope to achieve? Richard answers these questions, as well as his take on Duterte's dealings with China and how he copes with criticism from both pro- and anti-Duterte people online on this week's episode of The Meetup.

Senator Risa Hontiveros tells us how she continues to fight for human rights despite dirty politics and disinformation, the issues and laws she's been focusing on, and what we can continue to be hopeful for.

We talk to Teresa Herrera-Anthony about Every Brilliant Thing, an interactive play about mental health, and the role of theater as an intervention in talking about difficult topics such as suicide.

This year, Catriona Gray reigns as Miss Universe. We talk to Sharmila Parmanand about its implications and how/whether Miss Universe could be updated for a time when feminism is becoming more relevant.