Mothers and Passings

Shortly after National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva passed in February this year, Fr. Jason Dy, a Jesuit and an artist himself, paid tribute to the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture" by dedicating his homily to Abueva's religious works. We share this homily with you to honor this great Filipino artist whose body of work is immense and timeless.

The past week saw the demise of three outstanding Filipinos and we join the Filipino nation in mourning their passing and celebrating their legacies:

National Artist for Literature Cirilo F. Bautista, 76, poet/essayist/author/critic/
columnist/literature professor and Palanca Awards Hall of Famer, died on May 6.

Architect and world-famous heritage conservationist Augusto "Toti" Villalon, 73, the first Filipino member and past president of the International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), died on May 5.

Read Again our recent feature on him: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/nation-building-with-suman-and-stone

Ed Maranan, the most awarded Filipino writer (33 Palanca Awards in multiple categories both in English and Filipino) and PF contributor, passed away on May 7 at age 72.

Read Again two of Ed's pieces: 
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/postscript-my-life-before-and-after-the-first-quarter-storm

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/in-search-of-the-cupang-i-used-to-know

Amidst the sadness, it's also Mother's Day week and we're not going to let it pass without paying tribute to mothers:

PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia recalls the most memorable family trip of his life, courtesy of his mother in "Of Mom and Maritime Memories."

Millennial poet Janice Sapigao shares her heartfelt essay about her mother and their struggles together in "Me and the Little Girl Inside Me."

We compiled a variety of links for you in our In The Know section this week:

Humans were in Philippines 700,000 years ago
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/02/world/early-humans-philippine-islands/index.html

A Transgender Paradox, and Platform, in the Philippines
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/29/world/asia/transgender-philippines-discrimination.html

Back to Batanes—where there’s still no garbage on the roads
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/293094/back-batanes-theres-still-no-garbage-roads/

Christian Louboutin's Latest Bags Feature Philippine Textiles
https://www.preview.ph/ fashion/christian-louboutin- has-released-a-line-of-manila- themed-tote-bags-a00192- 20180503

And our Happy Home Cook recipe is for Krispy Pata and Liver Pate Sauce from Chef Angelo Lubiano of E + O Food and Drink Restaurant in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Our Video of the Week is fitting for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: honoring Minerva Tantoco as one of the outstanding Asian American women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Happy Reading & Eating to All

From the Positively Filipino staff -- Mona Lisa Yuchengco, Rene Ciria Cruz, Raymond Virata and myself -- we'd like to wish all our readers a joyous holiday season. Another year is almost over and, already, this is our second to the last issue for 2015. How quickly time flies, really. We hope that in some small way, we have enhanced your lives with our carefully curated stories.

Did you know that Pope Francis so loved the Pope Mobile that he rode in during this Manila visit in January that he actually ordered another one for Rome? Nitz Almazora, whose family built that particular custom-made vehicle, tells us about how her family of seven flew to Rome for an audience with the beloved head of the Catholic Church and to deliver the ordered Pope Mobile. Surely an experience to be told to every generation of the Almazora clan.

From London, meanwhile, Sarri Tapales writes about her transformative experience "Dancing with Ligaya." That's Ligaya Amilbangsa, a recent recipient of the much-coveted Ramon Magsaysay Award for culture and dance, who teaches Pangalay, the traditional dance of our ethnic brothers and sisters in Mindanao. Sarri is a ballet dancer herself and she knows whereof she speaks when she describes how learning the Pangalay brought her home to her Asian roots.

A Christmas issue isn't complete without a Christmas story so we have a poignant one, "They're All We Shall Ever Want for Christmas" by esteemed Filipino writer Ed Maranan.

And we're not ignoring the Miss Universe brouhaha: our Art Director Raymond Virata has compiled some of the funniest tweets and reaction videos on that tragicomedy.

Our Happy Home Cook feature: Churros with Tsokolate from our resident foodie Elizabeth Ann Quirino. Perfect as a post-Noche Buena treat.