Don't Let the Memory Fade

Thirty eight years ago on Saturday, August 21, the trajectory of Philippine history was altered unexpectedly and irrevocably when Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., the arch-nemesis of then-President Ferdinand Marcos, returned to Manila from a three-year exile and was summarily assassinated at the airport tarmac. Two  generations have been born since and the memory and impact of that cataclysmic tragedy have faded. To commemorate the death of this national icon or introduce him to those that may not know him, here are two heartwarming stories, chapters of the book The Aquino Legacy: An Enduring Narrative by Elfren Sicangco Cruz and Neni Sta. Romana Cruz. 

Did Ninoy Aquino die in vain? Our Manila-based political observer Ernesto Hilario provides an objective look at what his martyrdom had brought forth in contemporary Philippine history. 

Several waves of Filipino immigrants, intermarriage with the Tlingit indigenous people, previous Filipino food entrepreneurs and a rapidly expanding Filipino community have enabled Marivic and Arsenio Carbonel to set up Sizzling Chow, serving Filipino delicacies such as sisig and chicharon to residents and visitors in Sitka, Alaska. Itinerant food writer Jennifer Fergesen reports in "Sitka’s Sizzling Chow Cuisine: Filipino Presence on a Platter."

You'll want to check out part 25 of "Fil-Ams Among the Remarkable and Famous" which includes a "Barbie Doll" doctor, an outstanding pulmonologist in Las Vegas, authors, artists, a publicist, a professor, a fashion designer and a military officer.

Here's part 2 of my 2015 Road Trip stories, first posted when we were driving across America. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/gemma/random-notes-on-a-road-trip

Sizzling Chow's chicharon specialty had me looking for a recipe and what I found is "Pinakupsan" which is another Cebuano term for chicharon. Same deliciousness, same cholesterol risk but what a (occasional) treat!

For Video of the Week, we feature One Down’s Body Shaming in Filipino Culture.

In The Know

What to Stream: “Bontoc Eulogy,” a Filipino Filmmaker’s Docu-Fiction About His Grandfathers’ Disappearances
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/what-to-stream-bontoc-eulogy-a-filipino-filmmakers-docu-fiction-about-his-grandfathers-disappearances?fbclid=IwAR0GJoLO14mLugPjYxj3EaAt2FnGftFkQNhYjWkEau7lPHug6dVWN_njxJc

In Dubai, Filipina pulls no punches in jokes on Mideast life
https://news.yahoo.com/dubai-filipina-pulls-no-punches-062524410.html

Mindanao Pride: The Hometowns of the Philippines' Tokyo Olympic Medalists
https://www.esquiremag.ph/life/sports/mindanao-olympics-hometowns-a00304-20210806?fbclid=IwAR0ESiqECex47Pd-4MHqGDvUhWm2Xgqx8m7A0RY826lIKy0kYHCVwSfOweQ

Exclusive: How this diet coach helped the Philippines bring home four Olympic medals
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/drive/sports/08/12/21/exclusive-how-this-diet-coach-helped-the-philippines-bring-home-four-olympic-medals?fbclid=IwAR16jGSL7CKE9MlLT2dtdFNMTkAoivICEMWyLN_-TI4oPcqQJMgjiJaAKkU

Why Silicon Valley’s Many Asian Americans Still Feel Like a Minority
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-08-06/why-silicon-valley-s-asian-americans-still-feel-like-a-minority?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews


Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino