Poultry in Motion

What happens when twelve inebriated teenage boys get exceedingly hungry at 10 o'clock on a hot and humid night? They get into mischief, of course. In this lengthy but laugh-out-loud funny piece "Which Comes First, the Chicken, or the Scruples?", first-time contributor Albert J. Lesaca provides the lurid details of a prank that exploded out of control and eventually entered the annals of UP (University of the Philippines) campus lore in the '60s. He was one of them so he knows whereof he speaks.

A powerful book by E.J.R. David titled "We Have Not Stopped Trembling Yet: Letters to My Filipino-Athabascan Family" is reviewed by Jen Soriano, writing it as a letter to her four-year-old son. The book is one of the very few that focuses on the life of an "Eskipino" (a mix of Eskimo and Filipino) family and the historical trauma and oppressive colonization that accompany a minority community in America. 

And speaking of colonization, here's a fitting Read Again from poet/author/academic Oscar Penaranda who writes about how he was reconciled with an authentic flag from the Philippine-American War, a long-lost flag that had his grandfather's name literally on it. Florentino Peñaranda, the grandfather, was one of the last combatants of the war for Philippine Independence to surrender to the Americans at the turn of the 20th century. 

Some stories you may have missed from other publications:

Filipino natives forced out of their ancestral lands by Chinese capital
https://www.efe.com/efe/english/destacada/filipino-natives-forced-out-of-their-ancestral-lands-by-chinese-capital/50000261-3984140?fbclid=IwAR0o_NRKD1RHynuH8SsMkAcVn5ij1FbVu6yCDVmlc2B5MsWVeLX7l3e8dkY

Duterte Opposes Gay Marriage in the Philippines, Reversing Campaign Pledge
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/world/asia/duterte-same-sex-marriage-philippines.html?fbclid=IwAR0OXHwoB7f19Cqk0MB5oRKjqW36yGCKlTZ8QiXsWSJRi3uWukGKRu3yBvA

The 19th Century African-American Soldier Who Fought For Filipino Liberation
https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2019/04/16/19th-century-african-american-solider-fought-filipino-liberation/ideas/essay/?fbclid=IwAR0o_NRKD1RHynuH8SsMkAcVn5ij1FbVu6yCDVmlc2B5MsWVeLX7l3e8dkY

Fil-Am screenwriter Michael Golamco on new Netflix film ‘Always Be My Maybe,’ and on seeing ourselves on screen
https://www.asianjournal.com/entertainment/showbiz/fil-am-screenwriter-michael-golamco-on-new-netflix-film-always-be-my-maybe-and-on-seeing-ourselves-on-screen/?fbclid=IwAR0om-j8qKYXO8QWgZVOKfUgfP-3XicSbaKrW2nb6co7H8cRVUMlnTiY8N0

A Letter to My Daughter: The Things in Life You Shouldn't Forget
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/notes-and-essays/a-letter-to-my-daughter-the-things-in-life-you-shouldn-t-forget-a1515-20170614-lfrm?fbclid=IwAR3EqLhL2RBeVpzpx7awljtUv3HEHhnUTELEZIeTiYXp3lZDPAuuv_VeteM

To prepare for Father's Day, here's a recipe you can make ahead from writer/author Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard, Leche Flan Vietnamese Style.

And for another touch of levity, a funny and clever Video of the Week from Canadian Filipino singer/comedian Mickey Bustos: If Freddie Mercury was Filipino...

Baguio, What the Hell?

If you've been to Baguio recently and can remember the Baguio of yesteryears (peaceful, romantic, the air replete with the aroma of pine trees), you know that the Philippines' summer capital has some big, big-city problems (traffic, crime, congestion, pollution). But banning cussing in public? Baguio-based PF correspondent Rene M. Astudillo reports on the recent city government ordinance -- questionable, unenforceable -- that  makes one wonder if taxpayers' money is truly wasted on legislators. (Read "Baguio City Goes Cuss-Free, or Will It?”)

Speaking of nostalgia, PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia shares his memories of a trip to a London suburb he won't forget, and how he racked up mileage miles on the late, lamented Trans World Airlines (TWA). ("The Night I Drove to Bexleyheath")

We missed out on commemorating the 145th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio last week so here's a fitting Read Again from cultural historian Penelope V. Flores on the Philippines' other National Hero.

Our In The Know links this week:

Filipino-American Vet Says Starbucks Barista Wrote Racial Slur On His Cup
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/12/01/filipino-american-starbucks-racial-slur-cup/?fbclid=IwAR0GRRm8tyIa8RyLBb3p3RRVVuEA3wNc0b79bMl1zTBufLT0dSL6y0Ye7T8

The hardest job in Silicon Valley is a living nightmare
https://www.fastcompany.com/90263921/the-hardest-job-in-silicon-valley-is-a-living-nightmare 

This year’s buffet of Fil-Am and Fil-Canadian cookbooks
https://usa.inquirer.net/17026/this-years-buffet-of-fil-am-and-fil-canadian-cookbooks#ixzz5YoRgHV2l 

Meet a history-making White House executive chef
https://share.america.gov/meet-history-making-white-house-executive-chef/?fbclid=IwAR3tPVAMoMiUnxRmFLrrXhd0QqHq1e07y2LwJalIQSEpNAWZh9PsAz0AsAU 

If you're starting to stress out with your planned Christmas menu, here's something to ease the tension somewhat: our Happy Home Cook recipe for Instapot Leche Flan, another of Elizabeth Ann Quirino's time-saving shares. 

In our video of the week, the story behind the well-loved Filipino Christmas carol “Pasko na, Sinta ko.”

Independence, Ramadan, and Father's Day

As we celebrate 120 years of Philippine Independence, let's take a look back to how it all began. Read Again "Why June 12 Is Different From Other Days" by contributor John Silva.

In San Francisco, this year's celebration featured, among other highlights, an Independence Day cake created by Bettina Santos-Yap, a marketing person who recently embarked on her second career, this time in the culinary world. PF Correspondent Cherie Querol-Moreno reports.

We wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a meaningful celebration of the Eid ul Fitr on June 15, marking the end of this year's month-long Ramadan. How is Marawi City faring after the horrific fighting and bombing there? Our PF Correspondent Criselda Yabes updates us on the remnants of what used to be a glorious showcase of Muslim life in Mindanao.

And for our Father's Day feature, a touching story on how a son found his father and how the father accepted his previously unknown son. Derrick Reyes, the son, tells us his story in "May I Call You Dad?" while Ricardo "Dick" Taylor reveals what he felt when he found out that he had a son he never knew.

In our In The Know links this week, we pay tribute to Anthony Bourdain, the chef/media celebrity/adventurer/sage who, in two episodes of this highly rated series, publicly declared a lot of affection for Filipinos and Filipino food. 

A tribute to Anthony Bourdain, one of the OG champions of Filipino cuisine
https://coconuts.co/manila/lifestyle/tribute-anthony-bourdain-one-og-champions-filipino-cuisine/

This valedictorian began to talk about sexual misconduct at her graduation. Then her mic was cut.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2018/06/09/this-valedictorian-began-to-talk-about-sexual-misconduct-at-her-graduation-then-her-mic-was-cut/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f331545d609f

The Price of ‘Machismo Populism’ in the Philippines
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/06/duterte-kiss-philippines/562265/

Filipina Equestrian Spreads The Olympism Message
https://www.olympic.org/news/filipino-equestrian-spreads-the-olympism-message?esi=true

For your Father's Day celebration, here's a simplified version of our favorite Filipino dessert, Leche Flan from contributor Melanie Q. Suzara.

And for our Video of the Week, enjoy Anthony Bourdain's tribute to our people.