What is the Halo-Halo Show? In English, halo-halo literally translates to “mix-mix”, which is a dead giveaway to what the podcast is all about—it covers just about anything and everything under the sun. It’s hosted by people whose voices many Filipinos are already familiar with—DJs Rica Garcia and JC Tevez of Monster RX93.1.
Essentially, the podcast talks a lot about pop culture, news, trends, as well as various social issues both in the Philippines and abroad. Some issues include press freedom, gender insensitivity, and gun safety to name a few. It is also an avenue for listeners to anonymously seek help for problems they might have, or advice in general with some semblance of guidance that millennials are in need of today.
The Halo-Halo show is also appropriate for people who enjoy humor but don’t take everything too seriously and are not so easily offended or triggered by the simplest things. Garcia and Tevez incredibly navigate delicate subjects and find ways to sensibly get their point across—they tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow for some people, but it’s necessary for us to take the steps in the right direction together. Additionally, it’s vital, especially in the circumstances Filipinos find themselves in today, to be able to laugh at ourselves and make light of certain situations. The hosts help us do exactly that. A show with so much positivity can only be especially relevant this year, which has been filled with many unfortunate events so far.
Because of these things, the Halo-Halo Show opens the doors to a “new” form of entertainment.
The Halo-Halo Show also follows a very basic but also greatly inviting format. You can say that in this podcast, there is order in chaos. Each of their episodes consist of different segments, one of which is “week in update” where Garcia and Tevez would provide a recap of the things that they did over the week and everything else in between. This segment is usually done at the beginning of their show.
Another segment is TTs (trending topics), where the hosts would break down current events and relevant topics into short, detailed thoughts along with commentary and their personal responses. It makes it a lot easier for their listeners to understand different subject matters—such as the cancel culture, the ABS-CBN shutdown, and the Anti-Terror Law—even if they have never been fully aware about them.
Lastly, one of their fun segments is “gatas-a-question”, where Garcia and Tevez try to answer as many fan-sent questions as possible. This segment is particularly interesting because it drives the randomness factor of the show to the max. The hosts often cover questions about the daily struggles of their fans, as well as some juicy drama happening in their lives.
Aside from these staple segments, the Halo-Halo Show also does movie reviews, guest features (Tres Leches)—with the likes of Ceej Tantengco (Sportscaster) and Gab Loste (Professional Photographer)—holiday specials, and a multitude of other content you can dig into. It is incredibly enjoyable, relatable and relevant for millennials today.
But aside from the unique content, the show gets its charm from the dynamic between Garcia and Tevez; they are able to bounce off of one another thanks to their experience as radio personalities. While each episode of the Halo-Halo show runs for almost an hour, with some even extending up to more than 80 minutes, the hosts make it seem like the podcast isn’t that long. The show is very casual, making it a podcast that anyone can easily listen to. If you find it hard to listen to other podcasters or are easily put off and even annoyed by someone’s vibe on the mic, the Halo-Halo show is the right choice for you.
This show ticks so many boxes, even for people who have never even considered listening to a podcast and moreover, realize they would enjoy sitting through one.
The podcast is also held in very high regard by their fans and even new listeners who tune in. They find the show to be “very inspirational” and “sensible, honest, timely, fun, and informative”.
If you’re looking for a podcast that’ll wriggle your brain cells and tickle your funny bone, don’t hesitate to listen to this show. The spontaneity and the hosts’ ability to go off-the-cuff is something to behold and will surely only leave you smiling, laughing or realizing things you’ve never even thought about before. If you listen carefully, you’ll also get to take home some helpful and insightful things you can apply in your life. Everything that Garcia and Tevez talk about is shrouded cleverly in humor but can actually be applied in your personal or professional life.
What are you waiting for? Find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher!
Visual by: Chloe Gaw
Written by: Jassen Robert Padilla