A Tireless Crusader and Enchanted Tales

Ambassador Howard Dee, 2018 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, is one of an increasingly rare breed of man whose life work is focused on seeking social justice and socio-political peace. Contributing writer M.H. Hizon profiles this outstanding Filipino in "The Many Crusades of Howard Dee."

A timely piece for this week of myths and superstitions is Sylvia Mayuga's review of Bicolano anthropologist Tito Valiente's newly released book, The Last Sacristan Mayor and The Most Expensive Mass for the Dead: Tales of Ticao. Ticao is in Masbate, the author's birthplace, where tales of enchantment abound.

In Fatima, the town of many Filipino pilgrimages, traveler Isabel Lovina got the surprise of her life when her group of pilgrims were billeted in Pinoy House Fatima, owned by Ritchiel from Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, and her Portuguese husband. Take note for when you do your own Marian pilgrimage.

The compleat actress Nora Aunor was once again bypassed for the National Artist award this year (the first time was during the term of President Noynoy Aquino), a move that has incensed her legions of fans worldwide. Read Again film critic Mauro Feria Tumbucon Jr.'s "The Timeless Nora Aunor" and you'll understand why. 

And in keeping with the season, here's another Read Again: Alex G. Paman's "The Vanishing Hitchhiker, the White Lady and Hauntings Across the Seas."

Our In The Know links this week:

'Only for white people': Filipino family endures racist rant in New Zealand
https://news.abs-cbn.com/trending/10/29/18/only-for-white-people-filipino-family-endures-racist-rant-in-new-zealand?fbclid=IwAR0Wz1JnXMUbyQ_mpY0QMvxohTJfAcQovOgGj8kTCTooG6CHizQw7lszL0s

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong facing more expenses as new law forces them to make social security contributions back home
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2169478/filipino-domestic-workers-hong-kong-facing-more-expenses-new?fbclid=IwAR2rPgZz74bQv6saW34zIib84vaq_Xe7Xx04JtScmUR3SkTf4ZRekuxt_ew

How Wealthy Was the Rizal Family?
https://www.townandcountry.ph/people/heritage/rizal-family-net-worth-a1957-20181020-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Siteshare&utm_campaign=20181023-rizal&fbclid=IwAR3zIVtafDi6Jxnay6i3WUIMMQVPkrRZQYQSpA0-YvROfrrFxFFE1kj-mdE

Jay Ledford’s Journey as a Filipino American Transgender Ballerina
http://www.manilamail.us/?p=6844&fbclid=IwAR0QuYZiwVWx_6oR2rMYmSaxqtcL57NWQapXZQMazxKqBR22GbbtTcnOUIM

15 Essential Filipino Restaurants in the Bay Area
https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-filipino-restaurants-food-san-francisco-bay-area-daly-city-east-bay-oakland

Our Happy Home Cook recipe, Pork Kilawin from our resident foodie Elizabeth Ann Quirino.

For our video of week, San Diego's ABC 10 News featured a story on the awarding of Congressional Gold Medals on Filipino World War II veterans at the Jacobs Center.

Three Commemorations and a Headache

Our Vancouver-based contributor Sandie Gilles writes a fitting Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Canada) tribute not just to our valiant fighting soldiers, but also to her mother, Dr. Alice Benitez, who is actively promoting the Filipino veterans' cause in speeches and during the recent awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, DC.

A commemoration of a century-old miracle is bringing thousands of Catholic pilgrims to Fatima, among them our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, who brings us her pictorial essay on her pilgrimage and the Filipinos she met along the way.

And another commemoration: on the 4th anniversary of the devastating super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, American film producer/director Nick Spark, who was there shortly after the disaster happened to shoot his award-winning documentary Right Footed, returns to Tacloban and finds a markedly different -- and inspiring -- scene.

Back to the present and immediate future: the proposed House Republican tax reform bill hits home for seniors like Evangeline Canonizado Buell, who has to contend with senior ailments, rising health care costs and, if the bill passes, possible penury. We're posting her testimony here that she delivered during a press conference in San Francisco on the real-life effects of the bill.

For those of you who wondered where you got your surname, here's a popular Read Again:
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-filipinos-got-their-surnames

And our In The Know links for this week:

Why should Trump care about thousands killed, when there are deals to be done?https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/14/trump-thousands-killed-us-philippine-presidents-duterte-drug-war?CMP=share_btn_fb

Thirty countries use 'armies of opinion shapers' to manipulate democracy – report
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/14/social-media-influence-election-countries-armies-of-opinion-shapers-manipulate-democracy-fake-news

Meet the Filipina supervising animator behind the upcoming Pixar film Coco
http://nolisoli.ph/27957/meet-filipina-supervising-animator-behind-upcoming-pixar-film-coco/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1510052894

Butterfly in the Spring's feature on Sunshine Puey
https://butterflyinthespring.com/2017/11/11/sunshine-puey/

Thanksgiving in the US is just a few sleeps away but before you indulge yourself in rich, fatty, cholesterol-laden dishes, how about enjoying a meal of Vegan Filipino Spaghetti? Vegan chef Richgail Enriquez lends us her recipe.

Our Video of the Week features a a little boy with a big achievement: Enzo Cox, a Filipino American, delivers a stirring TED talk.

Mother Mary's Call and Hope for Children

As we all know, the Catholic world is big on miracles, thus this entire year it celebrates the centenary of the miracle of Fatima, with thousands of pilgrims visiting Portugal to pay homage to the Virgin Mary. For Linda Nietes-Little, who owns the most established Filipino bookstore in southern California, her affirmation of faith is more personal and she shares with us her story, "When Mama Mary Called from Fatima."

Moving now to the secular world, Los Angeles-based fashion designer Oliver Tolentino headlines this year's fundraising event for Philippine International Aid (PIA), the foundation established more than 30 years by our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco. PIA provides educational funds for needy children in the Philippines. Tolentino, a stalwart in the Hollywood fashion scene, has prepared a collection of 60 new and original outfits for the November 19 extravaganza in San Francisco, as he tells PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia. Read the story for more details.

Every year, art-inclined staff of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center participate in the UCSF ARTshow, an event that combines treatment modalities and the creative arts in one of the country's most famous medical facility. Regular PF contributor Manzel Delacruz highlights the works of two Filipino Americans -- sculptor Rex Dacanay and painter/illustrator Nannette Nemenzo (a distant relation), both analysts in the Department of Pediatrics.

Everyone's gearing up for Christmas and for this week's Happy Home Cook, we feature the Macadamia-Jackfruit Cake of San Francisco foodie Voltaire Gungab -- a cake pretty and delicious enough for gift-giving or for enjoying with the clan.

Here's our In The Know links for this week:

The True Story of the Mindanaoan Slave Whose Skin Was Displayed at Oxford
http://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/the-true-story-of-the-mindanaoan-slave-whose-skin-was-displayed-at-oxford-a00029-20171102-lfrm2?ref=article_featured

The Fascinating History Behind Pinoy Slang

http://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/the-fascinating-history-behind-pinoy-slang--a1729-20171107-lfrm?ref=article_featured

Celebrating Fil-Am History Month without Fil-Am History
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/130383/celebrating-fil-am-history-month-without-fil-am-history

Dignified: A Filipina Taking Pride in Caregiving
https://www.facebook.com/AARPAAPI/videos/1153134021489302/

And our Video of the Week: AJ Plus' Sana Saeed looks into the history of Filipino American nurses.