Here's What Went Down During the First-Ever PODFEST Asia

PODFEST Asia authored quite the debut in early May At KMC, One Ayala, in Makati. Leading content creators, podcasters, and even beginners would gather to celebrate the diversity of the thriving podcasting industry in Asia.

PODFEST Chief Executive Officer Chris Krimitsos opened the conference by welcoming veterans and newbies alike. He would go on to discuss the relationship between listeners and content creators, as well as the greater landscape of podcasting around the world and the other ways the form can be elevated in Southeast Asia.

Senator Pia Cayetano, on the other hand, would speak to the crowd about the value of podcasting in an era of at-times disorienting discourse. A big podcast fan herself, she emphasized how podcasts have become such a celebrated mode of communication.

As of September 2023, about 2 million podcasts exist. In the Philippines, data from Spotify in 2022 notes that podcasts had a 60-percent growth in listenership during a one-year span. In fact, the year prior would rank the Philippines as one of the fastest-growing countries for podcasts with 31 million listeners recorded. Spotify Podcast Partner Manager Phil Disini, who discussed the evolution of podcasts in the Philippines, also noted that 2024 is seeing much of the same growth trajectory.

"It's such an exciting time for content at Spotify. We just broke 100 million active podcast listeners. That's how big the opportunity is for the people in this room to be part of this community," he says.

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The manager continues: "I've been with Spotify for almost five years now and I've been in meeting rooms with only five people and then those numbers grew to 10. Now, there are 150. It's a sign of the kind of opportunities we have in this space."

Disini mentioned the untapped potential of the podcast ecosystem on Spotify for different markets. "There's a podcast for everyone. There's one called Wrestling, Wrestling for wrestling fans. There are also podcasts for Gen Z kids. They want to listen to other people to help them understand what they're going through." He also highlighted how video has impacted podcasting, with more podcasters opting to film their content for general viewing.

As it stands, Filipinos are particularly interested in podcasts about love, horror, financial advice, comedy, and life lessons. Some of the most-listened programs include Barangay Love Stories, Sitio Bangungot, Skypod, the KoolPals, and Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast, among others.

Of course, Mikey Bustos would share some of his own insights about content curation. The Filipino-Canadian vlogger and podcaster specializes in an array of different mediums and has three YouTube channels. The first is his eponymous one for his skits and all while Mikey Bustos Vlogs looks at his daily life. AntsCanada, as some people may know, is dedicated to Bustos' own research about, well, ants and other interesting creatures.

Podcast Network Asia's own Ron Baetiong would moderate a series of talks on "winning" the local podcasting scene" and all the other ways podcasts can evolve from here. Among those who shared their own thoughts on the dilemmas were James Caraan, Fitz Villafuerte, Cara Eriguel, Alan Fontanilla, Ceej Tantengco, and Mel Alcaraze, who each have had a following of their own in their respective fields.

PODFEST Asia was done in collaboration with MGS Global Group. Esquire Philippines serves as one of its official media partners.