The Wildcast

Dr. Gideon Lasco: Pinoy Mountaineer, Access to Nature, and the Cost of the Outdoors In Episode 51 of The Wildcast, I sit down with Dr. Gideon Lasco — physician, medical anthropologist, award-winning writer, and the founder of Pinoy Mountaineer — to talk about how our relationship with the mountains has changed, and what we may be losing along the way. When Pinoy Mountaineer started in 2007, hiking in the Philippines was still a small, intimate world. Getting to places like Mt. Pulag meant long travel days, rough roads, and a deep sense of commitment. It was slower, harder, and more personal. Today, paved roads, social media, day hikes, and trail running have opened the mountains to thousands more people — a good thing in many ways — but also a shift that comes with real consequences. Gideon makes the case that access to nature is one of the most powerful and affordable public health tools we have, especially in a country where green spaces are scarce and cities are increasingly dense. Yet the outdoors is becoming more expensive and more restricted: rising registration fees, mandatory guides, medical certificate requirements, and layers of bureaucracy are quietly turning public mountains into controlled, pay-to-enter experiences. We talk about how hiking has moved from a grassroots culture to a heavily regulated system, how mandatory guiding can limit learning, freedom, and self-reliance, and how many climbs today feel less like journeys and more like conveyor belts. We also explore alternative ways local communities can benefit — through homestays, food, transport, and longer value chains — without restricting access to the land itself. Drawing from examples in Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe, Gideon argues that hiking should be normal, not exceptional — a basic life skill, not a luxury reserved for those who can afford it. Because if we want people to care for the mountains, we have to let them experience them first. This episode is a conversation about access, equity, and freedom — and a reminder that our mountains are not products to be consumed, but public spaces that shape who we are.

Kilian Jornet Quite possibly the best mountain athlete we have seen in this generation with a versatility unrivaled by most in the field he has chosen to compete in. Kilian is in a class of his own winning some of the toughest mountain ultra races on earth from the UTMB to Western States and Hardrock his record is unparalleled but the amazing part of his performance is his versatility moving from long distance mountain ultras to short trail races like Zegama, Sierra Zinal, and even Vertical KMs is unparalleled in this field. Not to mention being an accomplished Skimo racer and mountaineer summiting Mt. Everest in record fashion twice among a list of other fast ascents around the globe. Kilian does literally everything in the mountains and he does them well! It would be a disservice to Kilian if we only talked about his Athletic achievements because a lot of what makes him a truly special athlete and member of this planet is his connection to nature and the mountains. It feels deeply personal when you talk to him about his work on climate change, preserving the wild spaces in which he derives so much joy as well as a source of his livelihood and turning his fame into activism and advocacy something a lot of athletes shirk from for fear of losing sponsorship or being bashed online. Kilian has used his position and fame to push for a better planet for everyone and that is clearly shown in his goals each season minimizing air travel to lower his carbon footprint and choosing to live a life which is much lower impact on the land and the planet. This advocacy filters into every aspect of Kilian's life and family from his racing schedule all the way to the new shoe and outdoor brand he has set up Nnormal which at its core has some very unique values -longevity -he raced in one shoe all season in 2022, designing for emotional product sustainability a unique term we discuss in this conversation and value. This is Kilian Jornet -lifelong athlete, lover of the mountains, warrior for the earth on episode 50 of the Wildcast Podcast. Support the Wildcast by buying us a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama Portrait image of Kilian provided by Alexis Berg

Kris Van de Velde -The Asia Trailmaster Kris is a former competitive cyclist from Belgium who found a home in Asia among some of the most remote mountains and valleys in the region. Kris moved away from Europe to pursue a cycling career in China in the early 2010s then finding a career putting together cycling races in the burgeoning sports market in China. In 2014 he started the Asia Trailmaster Series -a competitive running series that features some of the best trail races in Asia and now includes up to 15 countries in some of the most beautiful and remote locations around Asia. Some of the major races in the series include the Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival, The Cordillera Mountain Ultra, Ultra Trail Chang Rai, Izu Trail Journey and a lot more. Over the years Kris has built the Asia Trailmaster Series to be one of the most competitive series of races in Asia and creating a new breed of Asian trail running stars like Manolito Divina, Arief Wismiyono, Tahira Aliya, John Rey Onifa, Elias Tabac and more and has served as a launch pad for these trail elites to go on further in their athletic careers. Kris's passion for the development of Trail Running in Asia is also matched by his own athletic prowess with a sub 3:20 Marathon time and a heritage in Belgian cycling. You can find more information on the Asia Trailmaster Series here: http://www.asiatrailmaster.com/ Support the Wildcast via: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Aldean Lim -Legal Adventurer There are a few Filipinos that have the adventure credentials as Aldean Lim has among his palmares are running the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc and the equally difficult TDS, a 170km and 140km footrace around the Alps with over 10,000 meters of elevation each or the Epic MTB Series in South Africa, New Zealand, and Switzerland some of the toughest mountain biking races on earth. Yet those are just the mini adventures compared to things like running the PTL a 300km race in the European alps or the Silk Road Mountain Bike Race covering 1880kms in Krygztan it seems escalation is the order of the day. His next adventure is even more audacious this coming June and that's completely continental in scope! All this while busy managing a successful law practice and being a part owner of Ahon the adventure brand he and Ronald Declerador started 8 years ago. Aldean is probably one of the few with a work to adventure balance skewed on adventure and he's successful at both. Listen to this conversation with my good friend Aldean Lim where we chat about adventure, aging, life, and love. Support the Wildcast via: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Ricky Carandang Ricky is a Filipino Journalist that has worked as a correspondent and anchor for ABS-CBN and ANC. He co-hosted the evening news show The Rundown, hosted the national affairs talk show The Big Picture, and was a field reporter for ABS-CBN's Filipino-language free-television news programs TV Patrol and Bandila. In 2010 he entered public service as Secretary of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO)under President Benigno Aquino as the chief message crafting body of the then government. This conversation with Ricky touches on the new role of media in our changing society looking at the impact of social media and the power of the internet to affect change both for good and bad. We also discussed the recent 2022 Philippine Presidential elections and how we as a nation can move forward in this new age with the return of the Marcoses and the new era of post EDSA Philippine politics. Ricky brings to the table a wealth of experience not only in journalism but also in public service and Philippine politics his insights offer us a view of the nation that is both hopeful for the future but also with renewed vigor to work for a better country together. This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Aaron Palabyab: In a world of social media content creators, influencers, and a shifting media landscape is there still room for real professionals that have studied and honed their craft in the creative industry? That is one of the questions we set out to tackle with this episode of the Wildcast with Aaron Palabyab. Aaron is an award winning film maker that has cut his teeth in the commercial TVC industry as a director in the 2000s working on numerous commercial projects for the likes of Sulit.com(OLX), Honda, Rockwell land, San Miguel Corp, Coca-Cola, J&J and so much more till he found himself searching for something more than the commercial life embarking on a year's long exploration of his more artistic and creative self which led to him pursuing an international art practice, mostly as part of the Kometa duo with Polish artist Agnieszka Rowińska. Their first collaboration, produced at the Nes Artist Residency in Skagaströnd, Iceland, received the special award for Creative Filmmaking at the 2017 Syrp Everyday Humans Short Film Competition. These days he focuses on his content creation work as the man behind the camera and edits for Chef JP Anglo's 'My Favorite Kitchen' series on Youtube and of course his own Youtube Channel 'Aaron Palabyab' which is a mix of moto vlogs and other life and travel experiences. He is also one of the top teachers on Skillshare sharing his knowledge on content creation as a film maker. You can find Aaron online via: Website: https://www.aaronpalabyab.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/aaronpalabyabchannel Instagram: @aaronpalabyab Twitter: @aaronpalabyab Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/user/aaronpalabyab

Jilson Tiu Jilson Tiu is a Philippine based photographer whose work encompasses some of the most iconic scenes of Philippine life. If you have been on social media in the last 3 years in the Philippines there is a good chance you have come across some of Jilson's work shooting daily life of Filipinos on the streets of Manila or on other islands of the country. His work is a peek into life as it happens on the streets and alleyways often taken as he cycles around the city. Growing up in the heart of Binondo, Jilson has a unique view of the world we inhabit as influenced by the chaos and color of the oldest Chinatown on the planet. He has done work for some of the top corporations in the Philippines such as Globe Telecom and Maynilad as well as NGOs like Greenpeace but it is in his personal passion work that his talent truly shines -each day he takes a photo on the streets of Manila wherever his bicycle takes him, a vignette into life on streets of a very unforgiving gray city and gives it color and hope for the Filipino despite the poverty and desperation that is quite often seen around the streets of the Metro. You can find Jilson's work through his website: https://jilsontiu.co/ On Instagram: @jilson.tiu The Wildcast is also supported by Atlas: @atlascommune you can use WILDCAST on checkout to get a discount on your orders. This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Pandemic Cyclists: The COVID19 pandemic changed a lot of the way our lives worked but for cycling the pandemic has been nothing short of transformational. Not just for cyclists but for the entire bike industry as well as the movement for sustainable mobility. Lester Babiera aka First Bike Ride, Marlowe Apeles aka BudolBuddy, and Marti Salva aka Higad Pating are at the center of the new bike culture that has arisen from this pandemic. It is a scene quite divorced from what pre-pandemic bike culture has been in the Philippines which has been dominated more by the sports cycling communities these three purveyors of the new cycling culturati are part of the movement bringing bikes back to common people not for sport but for daily life. The 3 of them form a potent partnership in spreading the bikes for fun and not just bikes for sport message with Lester's First Bike Ride featuring cyclists of every possible persuasion riding bikes to work, Marlowe has built a reputation of building boutique bikes that you can show off at your regular post office coffee shop hangouts that have become a standout feature of the new ride culture and Marti puts together the content in not serious fun videos that they put out through their new Youtube show "Hi Guys". They are decidedly experts in not taking themselves seriously and yet being able to spread such a serious message about cycling in the Philippines. You can find them on Instagram: @Budolbuddyph, @Higadpating, and @Firstbikeride Support the Wildcast by buying us a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Aklay Can you imagine just leaving everything behind and just moving forward with whatever life throws at you? That is exactly what Aklay did more than 30 years ago as he set off from his home in France on his bicycle and headed east. Just east no solid plans just the flexibility to go anywhere the faiths would take him. Now settled finding a new home in Sagada in the Cordillera Mountains of the Philippines, for the last 22 years and with a new name 'Aklay' -Philippe of France truly and finally faded away. If you have been to Sagada sometime in the last 20 years his weekend buffet in Log Cabin has been a must try on your journey as he weaves the tastes of Sagada with the skills honed over years of being a french chef who at some point cooked for the royal family of Brunei and one of the Kings of Malaysia. Saying that Aklay has lived an interesting life is an understatement as someone who cycled from France and headed east leaving the faiths to chart his course where wars pushed him in one direction or another to avoid them there have been many mishaps along the way. He's been cheated out of paychecks, crossed the Himalayas twice on his bicycle, had to push a broken bike loaded with 30kgs of gear across the mud and rain of the Bornean rainforest and so much more than this one episode of the podcast can contain. In the end of all his adventures he has found a home in the community and mountains of Sagada, finding contentment in the simple ebbs and flows of life in this small mountain town. Over the last 20 years he has explored the mountains and has one of the most extensive notes of the flora and fauna found here, he has identified over a hundred species of birds, dozens of orchids, and knows the mushrooms of the mountains as well as most locals. It took him a long way to get here, but today -Aklay once known as Philippe has found his own freedom. You can find Aklay on Facebook via: https://www.facebook.com/koyatkimkimbitan Support the Wildcast by buying us a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Paco Guerrero and Kiddo Cosio: How we travel How do we travel? This is a question we often ask ourselves especially in this time when the pandemic has changed so much of how we experience the world. In this episode of the Wildcast myself, Photographer Paco Guerrero and Mom and Pop Entrepreneur Kiddo Cosio talk about traveling in this new age. What are we looking for? How should destinations be designed in this new age? How are they built? Some intriguing and interesting questions that need to be asked not just for travel during the new pandemic age but for travel in general to make it both sustainable and also an experience that is something that profoundly changes you and the way you view the world. You can find Paco Guerrero on Instagram and Twitter via: @Stuidioguerrero You can find Kiddo Cosio on Instagram and Twitter via: @kiddocosio Support the Wildcast by buying us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast The Wildcast is also supported by Atlas: @atlascommune This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Teddy Baguilat - A Life in Public Service Teddy Baguilat is one of those rare individuals that found his calling very early in life. He traces his first inkling of serving his community back to his elementary days in Kiangan, Ifugao watching his classmates who went to school barefoot or in slippers while he had the privilege of walking to school in shoes -from that point, at 13 years old, he decided to dedicate his life to serving his people. Teddy Baguilat is a member of both the Tuwali and Gaddang Indigenous groups from Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya he has been a leader in his community in Ifugao for the last 30 years. He was elected as the youngest councilor in the Philippines at the age of 25 in 1992 and served as the Mayor of Kiangan, his hometown, from 1995-2001. From 2001 to 2019 Baguilat served intermittently as Governor and Congressman of the Province of Ifugao. Today he is running to be one of the first Indigenous Senators of the Philippines and the first Igorot to be elected to the Senate. As someone who comes from a cultural minority in the country he seeks to bring the struggles of Indigenous communities from north to south to the forefront of national interest and discussion. More importantly he wants to share the Indigenous values of caring for the land and caring for community to a country whose values for nature and community are fast being eroded. This is Teddy Baguilat, Indigenous leader, Ifugao, Cordilleran, and a proud Filipino servant to this nation. https://www.teddybaguilat.com/ IG: @baguilatteddy_ (https://www.instagram.com/baguilatteddy_/) Twitter: @TeddyBaguilatJr FB: https://web.facebook.com/teddybaguilat2022 This episode was produced by JP Alipio and Tomonari Nakayama, Sound design and editing by Tomonari Nakayama

Conrad Anker -Exploring the boundaries of human experience "the danger of climbing mountains is part of what makes it a powerful and enriching experience." He writes in an article for National Geographic. Throughout his life he has pushed the boundaries of enriching this human experience by doing some of the most arduous and often almost impossible expeditions to the big mountains of this planet. Among his many accolades are establishing new routes and first ascents in Pakistan, Alaska, Antarctica, and Patagonia he is most well known for finding the body of George Mallory (who famously said 'Because its there')and more recently as the main protagonist in the Oscar winning documentary Meru which chronicles the mountain that became his obsession taking 2 expeditions in 2008 and 2011 to finally climb what was considered then an unclimbable 1,500-foot blade of granite in India’s Garhwal Himalaya range. As a young mountaineer, some of my first memories of the outdoor world were picking up issues of National Geographic and reading about the expeditions he and Alex Lowe were doing in Antarctica and Patagonia, feats which at the time already seemed superhuman. Watching his life from afar from behind the pages of Outside Magazine or National Geographic he was a legend in my circles but then getting to meet him you are reminded of the humanity of our heroes that at the end of the day the things they treasure are the same as you -family, friends, and the shared human experience. These days while slowing down from big expeditions Conrad lends his platform for advocacies and people close to his heart. Bringing diversity and racial justice to the outdoors and most importantly working to reverse global climate change. During the interview I asked him how he wanted to be remembered and he said: Conrad Anker -A good man. It is my great pleasure and honor to share this conversation with Conrad Anker with all you listeners of the Wildcast Podcast. You can find Conrad Anker on the following: Instagram: @Conrad_anker Web: https://www.conradanker.com/ This episode of the Wildcast is presented by Atlas: Web: atlascommune.com/discount/WILDCAST IG: www.instagram.com/atlascommune/ A company that makes transitioning to a sustainable lifestyle easy for anyone. The Wildcast is produced by JP Alipio Co Produced and Sound Design: Tomonari Nakayama SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast Conrad's Portrait was shot by Jan Vincent Kleine

Boboy Francisco Philippine Mountain Man If you have climbed pretty much any mountain in the Philippines you can be sure Boboy and the UP Mountaineers, the org he co-founded has had some hand in it. Whether it was a first ascent or training the first guides to these mountains or even simply putting these areas on the outdoor adventure map he and those who have followed his footsteps have had an enormous influence on how the outdoor scene in the Philippines has developed. Starting his outdoor journey at a very early age in what was then the wild backyards of Krus na Ligas in UP Diliman he and a group of close friends went on micro adventures often using rudimentary equipment from their parent's closets and whatever food they could scrounge up. They would point their fingers to the mountains of Montalban and Rizal and go exploring and that was how Boboy's wonderlust for the mountains and adventure started. It is a great privilege for me to share this conversation with Boboy who is such a treasure throve of Philippine mountain memories. I can only imagine the world that he grew up exploring and am extremely grateful for the path they broke for people like myself that followed them into the outdoors. You can find Boboy on Instagram: @themountainmanph to read his stories and see images from his era of mountaineering -they are quite riveting! This episode of the Wildcast is presented by Atlas: Web: https://atlascommune.com/discount/WILDCAST IG: www.instagram.com/atlascommune/ a company that makes transitioning to a sustainable lifestyle easy for anyone. They provide sustainable alternatives to everyday items like notebooks, lamps, and pens that will make purchasing and using these items a vital gesture on your path to sustainability and helping the planet move towards a circular economy. The Wildcast is produced by JP Alipio Co Producer and Sound Designer: Tomonari Nakayama SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

EP38 Andro Umali -Two Wheeled Doctor When most Filipinos think about doctors one of the first expectations is that they drive a nice car. The fact that hospitals put a premium on parking spaces for doctors is testament to this expectation and quite often the dream for many children and parents of being a doctor is attached to the dream of driving that fancy SUV. Andro Umali is an emergency medicine doctor that bucks that trend. Since 2018 he has used his bicycle to go to and from the hospital he works in, one of the biggest hospitals in Metro Manila. A mere 5kms away from where he lived it was the perfect distance for bike commuting often taking him a mere 20-30 minutes to get to and from work -faster and more consistent than when he used to take his car through the traffic of the city. Today bike commuting covers 99% of all the trips he does in the city. This was such an insightful conversation on the rise of bicycles as a major form of mobility during the pandemic and the challenges as well as small wins we have had on the road to making mobility more inclusive and equitable for all Filipinos. Realising that roads are not merely for private cars or motorised vehicles but for pedestrians, cyclists, and other forms of transport that move people and create better healthier communities. This episode of the Wildcast is presented by Atlas Web: https://atlascommune.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/atlascommune/ a company that makes transitioning to a sustainable lifestyle easy for anyone. They provide sustainable alternatives to everyday items like notebooks, lamps, and pens that will make purchasing and using these items a vital gesture on your path to sustainability and helping the planet move towards a circular economy. The Wildcast is produced by JP Alipio Co Producer and Sound Designer: Tomonari Nakayama SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

EP37 Dong Abay -Rockstar of Freedom (Cover Image by Bolichie Suzara) Dong Abay is a Rockstar, a poet, an activist, a scholar but most of all he is a Filipino. I've known Dong as one of my frat brods from the Pi Sigma Fraternity sometime in 2004 although we met as activists during the time I worked on the campaign for reparations for the damages from the Marcopper Mining Spill in Marinduque many years ago. His music was the anthem of a generation during the 90s and early 2000s with such hits as 'Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo', Naroon, Kamusta na?, Trapo, and many others that fueled my and others of my generation's college drinking sessions, activism, and captured the vibe of our generation. Today those songs from his first band Yano are classics of Filipino OPM and even if you don't know the band you can be sure you've heard his songs over the radio or even over the eskinita videoke sessions. This conversation is about life as a musician in this covid19 era- a vocation he aptly describes as one of the most dangerous in a pandemic but we also chat about his passions for cycling, Jose Rizal, and so many others. I've always admired Dong as one of those Rockstar poet academics -he is a voracious reader and wonders why more Filipinos do not read more and this poet academic genius bleeds this knowledge into his songs through his current band D.A.M.O (Dong Abay Music Organization). I am releasing this episode on Philippine Independence day weekend because I feel this conversation with Dong transcends so much of how the Filipino feels and experiences the freedom which we have that is constantly evolving. And Dong Abay puts it so apt in one of his old songs: Liparin mo sa ulap, Sisirin mo sa dagat, Hukayin mo sa lupa, Baka naroon ang Kalayaan. ------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

EP36 Alfonso Calero -Seeing the Beauty in the Ordinary Alfonso is a photographer that imparts his love of photography with his clients through his photo tours in Australia and around the world. I first met Alfonso when I brought him and his clients around the mountains of the Cordillera and found his inquisitiveness and constant love of finding beauty in the ordinary day to day a refreshing company for the early mornings we spent each day shooting sunrises in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Philippines. Born and raised in the Philippines, Alfonso Calero moved to Australia at the age of 15. He graduated from the Sydney Institute of Technology with an Associate Diploma in Photography in 2001 and have been professionally photographing food, portraits, landscapes and travel subjects ever since. I started a travel education and tours company in 2008 delivering workshops every Saturday morning in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle. I also take small groups to Japan, The Philippines, Spain and Tasmania once a year for 5-10 day photography workshops. For more information about his tours and workshops go to www.alfonso.com.au ------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

The Wildcast EP35 Tomas Leonor -Walking Across the Philippines Tomas Leonor is an Artist Activist and Outdoorsman in 2011 he was awarded as one of the Pitong Pinoy's by Yahoo Philippines an award that recognises Filipinos that have touched the lives of many, made and impact on society, and spread hope to the country. I've known Tomas since our days volunteering as member of the Greenpeace Boat Team and he is someone that definitely ticks all those boxes. It all started with a single step a step that would change so many people's lives. On January 11, 2010 he took that tentative first step in Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte and after 58 days found himself at the southern tip of Luzon in Matnog, Sorsogon walking 1300km entirely on foot and raising 1.5 Million pesos for Children with Cancer. In April 2011 he started walking again this time through the Visayan Islands of the Philippines crossing 7 of the Philippine Islands walking 1241.5kms in 54 days. His walk not only inspired the children in the cancer wards to fight for their lives it inspired hundreds of other individuals to start their own walks that would echo across the globe for different advocacies -most famous of which was the climate walk of Environmental Activist brothers Yeb and AG Saño after typhoon Yolanda. Walking has brought not only new life to many children, it brought new meaning to Tomas' life -and he has never been the same since. ------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

Solana Perez -The Pony Girl She grew up riding horses, now it is becoming her life's work. My very first in person interview during this pandemic is with Sol, someone who lives in the same city as i do and is as passionate about Baguio as a Baguio person can get. Sol is an artist, an advocate, but most importantly to her she is a Pony Girl. Her entire life has been spent around the Pony Boys of Baguio who not only taught her to ride but also so many life lessons as well. They were her mentors, her fathers, her brothers, and friends importantly for her they thought her how to be a part of a world she did not belong in. Her love of horses led her to join the Mongol Derby, a 1000km horse race across the Mongolian Steppe if and when she does this she will be the very first Filipino to achieve this amazing feat of endurance and horse riding prowess. We discuss how her life has lead her to this point, how her upbringing and a faithful expedition to Mt. Pulag on the back of a horse from Baguio when she was 4 years old served as the fuel for the dreams she has today. ------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

Nella Lomotan -Eco Warrior Nella is a Philippine Parks Champion. She has developed a deep love and passion for the remaining wild spaces of the Philippines and has dedicated her life to preserving these remaining wild areas for all of humanity. I talked to her last year while she was holed up in paradise island El Nido in the middle of a forest. If you listen hard enough you will hear the background noise of the forest as she speaks. Nella Lomotan is the Founder of Eco Explorations, a social and environmental enterprise focused on biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic impact for grassroots communities through sustainable tourism, science-based education, and citizen engagement. She is also a co-founder and the Managing Director of Philippine Parks & Biodiversity, the NGO partner of Eco Explorations, focused on the sustainable development of parks and protected areas, and the restoration of ecosystems in the Philippines. In 2020, she was one of the 25 global finalists for the Landscape Heroes Award by the Global Landscapes Forum. Currently, she is also a consultant for the Biodiversity Finance Initiative project of the United Nations Development Programme and Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Philippines. She is also one of the 2021 Climate Ambassadors by the Global Climate Youth Network devised by World Bank young professionals, and is part of World Urban Parks Asia Pacific Committe. She holds a certificate in Sustainable Tourism from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and is currently undertaking the world’s first Climate Friendly Travel Diploma from the Institute of Tourism Studies in Europe under the SunX program to supplement studies. ----------------------------------------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast

The Wildcast EP 32: Ampy Corpus The BTS Shepherd Do not get on the bad side of the Army, no not that army the BTS Army. The recent Grammy awards and the KPOP fans trolling Donald Trump's campaign rally's are evidence of this community's power and cohesiveness but more than that this global phenomenon has brought a sense of togetherness and peace to millions worldwide. Ampy is a pop culture junkie. She is a cinephile, musichead, bookworm and an advocate of mindfulness and mental health. But among her many interests, it is BTS - the seven member Korean boyband - who truly energizes her. She is a proud ARMY (as the BTS fans are called) and sees the septet as a force for good, a cross-cultural phenomenon, an economic force, and a perfect case study for brand marketing and communications (she works in Singapore as an Associate Director in a strategic communciations firm hence the interest). Like many ARMY, she is inspired by BTS both as artists and human beings - their resilience, grit, passion for learning and becoming better, and kindness are unparalled. Ampy was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorder, and throughout her mental health struggles, BTS served as her happy pill and formed a huge part of her self-care routine. If you wish to connect with Ampy and talk to her about BTS (or pop culture!), you can find her on Twitter (@dnaysuss) and Instagram (@ampytheater). One of the central points of our discussion revolves around how the BTS has been good for her mental and emotional well being during the pandemic and how they have helped so many individuals get through some tough times through their positive message and camaraderie. 'They are good for the soul' she says over and over and i think for many they have been that salvation, that positive message that has gotten them through each day during this covid19 era we now all live in. ----------------------------------------- As part of our evolution in this second season we are working towards making the Wildcast more sustainable by creating avenues where listeners can help us continue to provide you all with these amazing conversations so you can show your support for the Wildcast by buying us a coffee through www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast. This helps us invest in better equipment, allow us to host the podcast online, and create better content for all of you listeners. SUPPORT THE WILDCAST BY BUYING US A COFFEE: www.buymeacoffee.com/Wildcast