Salt and Pepê Podcast

As they end their second season, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences with goodbyes. How have they been left by previous partners? How have they ended things in return? Most of all, how do they feel about closure, the concept of forever, and the transient nature of love? Our hosts send you off with valuable insights as they take a break between seasons.

Salt & Pepe Podcast celebrates its first anniversary with the same question. Our hosts revisit the complexities of love with a conversation about forgiveness, repair and rebuilding. Don't miss this Valentine's Day episode!

The feeling of belonging is considered a basic human need. Join our hosts as they navigate friendships in middle age, the lessons they've learned in managing their social circles, and how sometimes it's better to miss out than to fit in.

Happy New Year! The new year is all about new beginnings and making changes, and Lia and Shakira are here to share their experiences with changes, both planned and unexpected. What is the secret to keeping a steady ship in times of rough seas? Our hosts begin 2025 by sharing some tips.

Starting off with a listener-requested skin care reveal, and then moving on to the holiday season, Lia and Shakira discuss the difficulties of being queer or LQBTQIA+ during the time of family gatherings and reunions. They talk about how to respond to rude or inappropriate comments, and how being secure in oneself is key in facing awkward situations during this time of the year. Happy Holidays!

Hello, love, again! Our hosts share their thoughts on this latest hit movie before proceeding with their Thanksgiving conversation. After discussing the true origins of the Thanksgiving holiday, Lia and Shakira talk about the benefits of practicing gratitude, using gratefulness exercises, and how to avoid toxic gratitude. Your friendly neighborhood titas share their life experiences and how their journeys have made them thankful not only for their blessings, but for their challenges as well.

November is Self-promotion Month, and in this episode Lia and Shakira examine why Filipinos and Asians view self-confidence as a negative. They share their own experiences and the hurdles they've faced, the role of colonization in our self-depreciation, common attitudes against self-promotion, and how to battle our harshest critic (ourselves).

For National Nutrition Month, Lia and Shakira share their wellness journeys by talking about our relationship with food, poor eating habits, and how to approach food both as a source of pleasure as well as a source of fuel.

"Tumataba ka! (You're getting fat!)" seems to be the default greeting these days. Lia and Shakira go through the toxic traits they've encountered both in the Philippines as well as in their interactions as immigrants abroad. Where do these toxic traits come from and how do we address them? Let's learn how to be better Filipinos this Filipino-American Heritage Month.

As promised, our first deep dive into a much-awaited topic. Lia and Shakira tell stories from their dating days, giggling like schoolgirls at times, and taking a seriously sexy tone in others. This conversation focuses on how to tell if the moment is right, or how to know when it's safe to make the first move. Don't miss this exciting and educational episode!

Our Gen X titas talk about how social media has impacted their lives, and what changes they've made to curtail their social media habits. Lia and Shakira discuss the troubling stats of social media use, addiction, and its impact on mental health, as well as the current generation's only experience of an interconnected world of constant notifications and yearning for validation.

Season 2 begins today! In commemoration of Labor Day in the US and Canada, Lia and Shakira talk about the jobs they've had through the years, the expectation of linear education and career paths, their respective nonlinear journeys, and helpful tips on getting a job, keeping a job, and the right attitude when it comes to existing and succeeding in a workplace.

As our season ender, our hosts thought it best to discuss the pros and cons of taking a breather in relationships. Lia and Shakira discuss the concept of "cool off" or taking a hiatus in friendships, jobs, and romantic relationships as they also wrap up Salt & Pepe Podcast's successful first chapter. We'll be back in September!

For the last Pride episode of Salt & Pepe Podcast, our hosts created a crash course on how to be an inclusive LGBTQIA+ advocate or ally, specifically directed at the older Pinay whose terms and principles may be stuck in the past. Lia and Kia discuss intersectionality, the colors of the queer rainbow, trans visibility and protection, how not to be a TERF, and how to incorporate current events, correct pronouns, appropriate terms, and polite behavior into our daily lives. Happy Pride!

For Pride Month, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences as children and teenagers with developing bodies which might not have been a perfect fit for their personalities and budding sexual orientation. They also talk about gender dysphoria, the disadvantages of having a queer body in a straight society and health system, and how our attitudes about our bodies may harm us in the long run.

"Grief is a bill that has to be paid eventually," said Liz Gilbert."If you are grateful for life, you have to be grateful for all of it," said Stephen Colbert. Lia and Shakira take a deep and solemn dive into the people they've lost, hoping to impart some lessons and ideas when coping with grief.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. In celebration of Mother's Day, Lia and Shakira recount not only their experiences with their own mothers, but the women in their lives who have mothered them as well. Join us in celebrating mothers of all shapes, relations, and circumstances. Happy Mother's Day!

“If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere” it’s the Salt & Pepe NY episode! An unexpected episode because of the short but memorable New York trip Lia and Kia had recently. They will share the reason why NY is their favourite City. They both agree that NYC has this energy that keeps them wanting to go back. Make sure to listen until the end and join them as they show you their favourite thing to do when they are both in the city they love. 

Money is the second most common reason for divorce, so it's essential to discuss it. For Financial Literary Month, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences with money management, common financial issues and their causes, and how to have healthy conversations about money within relationships and households.

In line with Holy Week, Lia and Shakira explore the rabbit hole of faith, religion, and spirituality. Beginning with their religious upbringing and their personal experiences, they analyze how they came up with their current ideas and attitudes on their faith and how they use their spirituality as a guide in their lives.

In celebration of International Women's Month, Lia and Shakira talk about approaching their golden years and what that means for them. No, they are not old, but they are also no longer young! Enjoy another fascinating conversation about what their twenties, thirties, and now forties have taught them, life's hard lessons, and the great things that resulted from their biggest disappointments. What else are they looking forward to in their fifties and beyond?

The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have a problem. Lia and Shakira take a deep dive into their personal flaws and shortcomings in this tell-all episode. How important is accountability to our personal growth? How does our past carry over into our present? What are the advantages of knowing one's weaknesses? Our Salt & Pepe Podcast hosts bare it all.

For Valentine's Day, Lia and Shakira redefine love based on their experiences from the last thirty years. They take a deep dive into love's various stages, the phases of a long-term relationship, as well as lessons they learned about self-love, internalized homophobia, and manipulative codependence.

For Salt & Pepê’s maiden voyage, Shakira and Lia talk about Moving On and beyond. They begin with what brought them back to podcasting and how Salt & Pepe came about. Then they get to the topic. Do we need to enforce deadlines on moving on? What is the hardest part of moving on? Heartbreak is inevitable but we do have control of everything in between.

For Salt & Pepê’s maiden voyage, Kia and Lia talk about moving on and beyond. They begin by telling the story of their return to podcasting as well as how Salt & Pepe Podcast came about, before getting to the topic. Do we need to enforce deadlines on moving on? Do we need to have a grace period before dating again after a break up? Heartbreak is everywhere, but we do have control of everything in between.

From the creators of K Talk, a successful Filipino podcast, comes yet another creative project by lifelong friends Lia Roque and Shakira Sison

Join us as we say farewell to our first successful season of fun and laughter. We talked about our reflections on the show, our audience, and each other. BONUS: Funny clips from our lake house adventure. We'll miss you all! Thanks for the love and see you in 2022!

Preview of our Season Finale. Full episode out 10/22.

We gave our listeners the floor and answered questions about being hopeful after a breakup, financial insecurity, starting a new relationship, and many more. Thank you for all your questions!

Friends are not just the extension of our family. Friends are our chosen family. There are things we can only share and enjoy with friends, and this episode talks about the fun times, the difficult times, and tips on how to keep friendships healthy enough to last a lifetime.

Preview of "Usapang Kaibigan" where Khuda and Shakira share what they have learned about their fundamental relationships outside family and romantic partners. Full episode out Friday 9/24.

What happens when you fall in love with a fubu? Why is being a third party so exciting? Should you push your closeted partner to come out? How do you navigate family issues? How do you resolve relationship incompatibility? In this episode we talk about some of the most common complicated relationships, and what to do when you're troubled by yours.

"It's complicated" says it all, or what we can't define in our relationships. We talk about fuck buddies, being the third party, closeted partners, family issues, love language, and many more in this episode about complicated relationships. Full episode out 9/10.

The endless marathon of this pandemic has taken its toll on all of us. Khuda and Shakira share how they've coped, what they've lost and gained, and how to deal with helplessness and hopelessness during these times.

What we've lost. What we've gained. How we've coped during a time of uncertainty, helplessness, and hopelessness. You are not alone. Full episode out 8/27.

How did we end up hating how we look? In this episode we talk about unrealistic body standards, double standards, and how we are raised to value ourselves based on what other people think of us instead of how we feel about ourselves.

Without health, we have nothing. A sampler of our discussion about health and body image. We talk about unrealistic standards, double standards, and how we are raised to value ourselves based on the comments we receive about our bodies. Full episode out 8/13.

Have you ever felt devastated by love? How did you cope? Shakira and Khuda take us through their own pain and redemption and share ideas on how to process loss, grief, and how to eventually move on.

The Heartbreak Episode! The devastation and redemption from losing a loved one, how to grieve, process the pain, and eventually begin to move on. Full episode out Friday 7/30.

Long-distance relationships are challenging, but not impossible. In this episode we talk about bridging the gap, surviving the loneliness, and how to stay sane while living (and loving) apart.

A taste of our discussion about long-distance relationships. We talked about bridging the gap, surviving the loneliness, and how to build a strong relationship while living (and loving) apart. Full episode out Friday 7/16.

Shakira and Khuda tell their immigration stories: making the move, uprooting themselves, the transition, the loneliness, and finding their own version of success and happiness in countries far from home.

A sampler of Kuwentong Abroad (Our Stories as Filipinos Abroad): making the move, uprooting ourselves, the transition, the loneliness, and finding our own version of success and happiness in countries far from home. Full episode out July 3rd MNL.

We asked and we received! You sent us your words (and songs!) of support and love for our community. Happy Pride to all. Stand tall and proud. We are brave and powerful. This concludes our series for Pride Month 2021.

Perhaps the first and only podcast conversation between Filipina lesbians who are legally married to their wives. We talked about proposals, weddings, married life, marriage equality, and how to sustain a lifelong commitment within a marriage.

Snippets of our chat about marriage proposals, wedding ceremonies, married life, marriage equality, and the commitment needed to keep a marriage healthy.

Effortless and animated discussion about lesbian dating experiences, including first attractions, the high school "best friend" concept, butch love, relationships, heartbreak, the Alpombra story, and many more.

June is Pride Month and we're launching our podcast in time for this celebration. In our first episode we introduce ourselves and talk about coming out, reclaiming our identity, and celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride.

Listen to our kulitans as we create Episode 1 .

A sneak peak into what we're all about!