Intense

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The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the bible of the living, breathing English language, adds words from various languages annually. Last week, it added the Filipino word gigil to its more than 600,000 recognized words, listing it as one of the "untranslatable" words, meaning those that do not have equivalents in the English language. Indeed how do you explain gigil to a non-Filipino without using many words? The OED lists gigil as a noun and an adjective. 

Gigil (noun) is "An intense feeling caused by anger, eagerness, or the pleasure of seeing someone or something cute or adorable, typically physically manifested by the tight clenching of hands, gritting of the teeth, trembling of the body, or the pinching or squeezing of the person or thing causing this emotion." As an adjective, "Of a person: overwhelmed by an intense feeling caused by anger, eagerness, or the pleasure of seeing someone or something cute or adorable." The OED cites some awkward examples of the use of the term. Most writeups in media announcing the addition of the word focus on the cuteness aspect, which is understandable. But we Filipinos know that there is more to the word than that. 

We know that we are nanggigigil on something so outrageous that it triggers intense ire, like the vloggers who invent stories without any truthful bases, post fake news and cyberbully those who dare call them out on their lies. Philippine-based PF Correspondent Rene Astudillo writes this week about how his name was cited by a Duterte-biased fake news peddler as one of the cyberbullies that should be investigated by Congress, triggering an avalanche of hate messages on him. Read all about it and be informed about relevant laws in "The 'Bully' That I Am."

Another form of panggigigil: when we're overwhelmed by intense admiration of a person or a creative work, much like what we can anticipate when the Filipino movie "Sisa" comes out with the consummate actress Hilda Koronel in the title role. PF contributing writer Cathy Sanchez Babao talked to her friend Hilda (aka Susan Reid) after the latter wrapped up production of director Jun Robles Lana's historical thriller. 

And now that we're on the subject of history, there's a new book on the objects of plunder -- a vast collection of paintings and objets d'art -- owned by a certain Jane Ryan and William Saunders (ultimately exposed as Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos). Authored by UK-based artist Pio Abad, the book Fear of Freedom Makes Us See Ghosts has a canary yellow cover, a political statement in itself, and is described by PF contributing writer, Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. as "handsome." That makes it worth buying.

World War II stories take center stage when April comes around because of the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9. This national holiday remembers the Fall of Bataan, a significant turning point in the Pacific theater on April 9, 1942. 

Here's a first-person WWII story that chronicles the bombing and its aftermath in Iloilo, from the eyes of a young girl, Maja Teresa Concepcion-Guerrero. She wrote about the events upon the prodding of her younger brother, Rogie Concepcion (a PF contributing writer), who shares the excerpts with us, following Maja Teresa's recent passing at the age of 91. How her recollections were triggered by a random picture of a staircase is a story in itself.  

Read Again:

Death of an Army by Antonio A. Nieva

The Spies Who Came in from the Sea by Virgil N. de la Victoria

Re-enacting the Bataan Death March: A Personal Journey by Jon Melegrito

[Video of the Week] Mambo Magsaysay — The first viral campaign jingle
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Remember Bataan!

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On April 9, 1942, from the depths of Corregidor island, this beautifully crafted but heartbreaking message written by then-Captain Salvador P. Lopez (much later ambassador and UP president) was read over "The Voice of Freedom" by Lieutenant Norman Reyes:

Bataan has fallen. The Philippine-American troops on this war-ravaged and blood-stained peninsula have laid down their arms. With heads bloody but unbowed, they have yielded to the superior force and numbers of the enemy.

The world will long remember the epic struggle that the Filipino and American soldiers put up in the jungle fastness and along the rugged coasts of Bataan. They have stood up uncomplaining under the constant and grueling fire of the enemy for more than three months. Besieged on land, and blockaded by sea, cut off from all sources of help in the Philippines and America, these intrepid fighters have done all that human endurance should bear.

For what sustained them through these months of incessant battle was a force more than physical. It was the force of unconquerable faith -- something in the heart and soul that physical adversity and hardship could not destroy. It was the thought of native land and all that it holds most dear, the thought of freedom and dignity and pride in those most priceless of all our human prerogatives.

Our men fought a brave and bitterly contested struggle. All the world will testify to the almost superhuman endurance with which they stood up until the last, in the face of overwhelming odds.

The decision had to come. Men fighting under the banner of an unshakable faith are made of something more than flesh, but they are not impervious to steel. The flesh must yield at last, endurance melts away, and the end of the battle must come.

BATAAN HAS FALLEN! But the spirit that made it stand -- a beacon to all the liberty-loving people of the world -- cannot fall!

Today, 76 years hence, we continue to pay tribute to the veterans of World War II. Read Again:

http://www.positivelyfilipino. com/magazine/remember-bataan? rq=bataan

http://www.positivelyfilipino. com/magazine/re-enacting-the- bataan-death-march-a-personal- journey?rq=bataan

Our new stories this week:

Anting-anting (amulet) as artwork is the focus of Dr. Michael Gonzalez's review of Michael Arcega's ongoing exhibit at the University of San Francisco's Thacher Gallery.

PF Correspondent Rene M. Astudillo got the surprise of his life when his tongue-in-cheek piece on "selfitis" in his satirical blog, The Adobo Chronicles, was picked up by an academic journal and actually became the subject of an academic paper. Indeed, life can imitate satire.

From Chicagoland, PF Correspondent Rey de la Cruz writes about the upscale E + O Food and Drink Restaurant, highly rated by Zagat, that offers Filipino dishes. No surprise because it's owned by a Filipino. The restaurant shares with us its own recipe of Pork Belly Adobo, our Happy Home Cook feature of the week.

We hope our links to a variety of stories will keep you In The Know:

6 Filipino female scientists who are improving the way we live
http://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2018/04/02/filipino-female-scientists.html#.WsMZL1v5nFE.facebook

How to Transfer a Land Title from a Deceased Parent in Philippines?http://www.affordablecebu.com/load/real_estate/how_to_transfer_a_land_title_from_a_deceased_parents_in_philippines/43-1-0-30273

'America Is Not the Heart': Elaine Castillo's debut novel offers a tender portrait of Filipino-American culture
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/sc-books-america-is-not-the-heart-elaine-castillo-0404-story.html

Reflecting on the Legacy of Doreen Gamboa Fernandez
http://fnbreport.ph/features/reflecting-on-the-legacy-of-doreen-gamboa-fernandez-mickyf-20170401/

For Video of the Week, Rappler's correspondents share the dangers they face while on the job.

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino