Meet the Team

Team Members

	Elizabeth Takeda Elizabeth Takeda was born and raised in Manila and is fluent in both Tagalog and English, and has a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She likes reading, traveling and learning different languages, and is currently living and teaching English at an international school in Tokyo. Her passion for teaching Filipino led her to FilipinoPod101.com, where she has been applying both her Tagalog and English skills to teaching Filipino.
	Betsey Reyes was born and raised in Manila and is a fluent speaker of both Tagalog and English. Her love for learning about different cultures along with the desire to share her own has led her to join the Innovative Language team.
	Ice Elloso Ice was born and raised in Quezon City in the Philippines. She speaks Tagalog, English and Japanese or a combination of the three. After graduating from the University of the Philippines, obtaining a BA in Film, she received the MEXT scholarship for research, and then a master’s at Tokyo University of the Arts studying Art Direction in Film. As part of her studies, she was able to make lots of stuff like gallons of fake blood, a two-meter bowling pin, and a remote-controlled clock that tells the remaining time of your life to the last second, all within a student production budget. She currently works as part of the video team at Innovative Language, makes shelves, and plays bass guitar on the side.
	Erica Sioson Erica Sioson was born in Manila in the Philippines. She speaks Tagalog and English and is currently studying Japanese. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she worked as an economic researcher while studying for her master’s degree. She is passionate about learning and is currently doing her PhD at the University of Tokyo, Japan. She enjoys reading, writing and walking around Tokyo, which has been her home for almost a year now.
	Vera Reyes Vera Paola Reyes was born in Manila in the Philippines. Vera is a native speaker of Filipino and fluent in English and Japanese. She studied business administration at the University of the Philippines under a full scholarship. She was also an exchange student at the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University in Japan. Vera enjoys writing and watching movies. She also engages in socially responsible projects. She is happy to be a member of FilipinoPod101.com team, and hopes to share her passion for the Filipino language and culture with FilipinoPod101.com listeners.
	Jaylord Tan Tian Jaylord Tan Tian was born in Baguio, a city 4 hours by bus away due north from Metro Manila in the Philippines. He speaks Filipino, English, basic Japanese, and survival Chinese. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in engineering, he worked as an instructor at the University of the Philippines while studying for his master’s degree. However, he completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo and is currently continuing his PhD at the same university. His hobbies include reading, ten-pin bowling, and playing and watching basketball. He hopes that more people become interested in the Filipino language, which in his opinion, is not difficult to learn.
	Angelyn Navarra Angelyn Navarra was born and raised by her loving parents in Pasig City, Philippines. She is fluent in Tagalog and English and can understand basic Korean. She holds a degree in Engineering and worked in the corporate world before she decided to pursue her dream of traversing the globe with a backpack while working for an online travel magazine designed for Asian travelers. As a person who is always struggling to overcome language barriers in foreign lands, Angelyn hopes to help other travelers who wish to explore the Philippines to learn Tagalog through FilipinoPod101.com.
	Eric James Estante Eric hails from the “City of Love” in the Philippines — Iloilo. He was born in Batangas City, but his family moved several times when he was growing up, giving him the opportunity to live on all three major islands of the Philippines and learn to speak Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Karay-a, and a little bit of Cebuano. Eric has been in the internet marketing industry since 2010, starting out as a writer and eventually learning the ropes of SEO and digital marketing. Teaching is his passion, and he used to teach English grammar to foreign students in the past. He is also a pastor and is currently in his third year studying for his Bachelor of Theology at Central Philippine University. He’s happily married and is the father to an eight-year-old boy.