Good News and Bad News

First the sad news: Typhoon Kammuri aka Tisoy has wreaked havoc in the Philippines, particularly the Bicol region, with 175kph winds close to its center and gusts of up to 240kph.

And the good news: Filipino athletes are gifting the country with a deluge of medals in the ongoing SEA Games. As I'm writing this, the medal haul for the Philippines is 47 golds, 30 silver and 16 bronze, and still counting. Here are some of the gold medal-winning performances: 

Carlos Yulo in men's gymnastics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3CoBaPhn7Q

Agatha Wong in Wushu Taijiquan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJYoAS76gag

Hidilyn Diaz in Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_jxiQLJQRI

The euphoria and pride for our athletes have allowed us to put the ugliness of the pre-games embarrassment in the back burner, albeit temporarily. For now, let's savor the excitement and lament nature's wrath -- the constant yin and yang of our homeland's fate.

On December 8, another Ms. Universe extravaganza will take place, a beauty contest that is dear to the hearts of Filipinos. And of course there's both a bright and dark history to this pageant as far as Philippine participation is concerned. PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia ferrets out the details in "How to Stage a Billion Peso-Plus Beauty Pageant." 

Still thinking of what to give this holiday season? Books always make the best gift. Check out Walter Ang's "2019 Holiday Gift Guide: Books by Filipino Americans."

And if you're in Southern California or planning to go there, a new Filipino restaurant called Bebot - Filipino Soul Food (emphasis on "soul") in Long Beach will cater to your Motherland longing, as Los Angeles-based PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela reports in "A Filipino Restaurant for Filipinos." 

Bebot's chef/owner AC Boral shares his recipe for Mushroom & Kale Laing.

Some links for your reading pleasure:

The Lonely and Dangerous Life of the Filipino Seafarer
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/30/world/asia/philippines-mariners-cargo-ships.html?fbclid=IwAR1UsPcpG46wy2r3L_AoWPXQN-_GKNuspEqxl9skKGmy2p_1z8IDjBA-IpI

Jones Bridge
http://www.lougopal.com/manila/?p=472&fbclid=IwAR19gyYCR9XnnJ2wzadQdHRXz-a6NtSxBjXoUNI0xIH4gbR8YNhfxYIKK_I 

The first Filipino movie star in Hollywood is a woman
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/25/19/the-first-filipino-movie-star-in-hollywood-is-a-woman?fbclid=IwAR13QxyeetTsXobolZIRlHVpr0CGlZfxaHs9lndXyR2e3KF7NB408f-tRvo

Beloved Serg’s stages a comeback
https://business.inquirer.net/284034/beloved-sergs-stages-a-comeback?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR11I6QuS8EOnPhUdS8O7J9GELExmR5kceuOkUdnoWQ96SnpUQww-D_7eb0#Echobox=1574551044

For Video of the Week, Wunderman Thompson Philippines delivers a heartwarming Star Wars-themed ad for Globe Telecom.