Commemorate and Celebrate

We're racing towards the busiest month of all -- October -- for Filipino Americans, but before that we pause to commemorate and celebrate.

Forty five years since the proclamation of martial law on September 23, 1972, a day and an era we can never forget. Read Again Patricio Abinales' personal essay, "Note from the Underground" to get an idea why the current rumbles of history redux are not to be taken lightly. 

There are of course reasons to celebrate: Philippine dance and culture take a front seat in San Francisco this weekend, as LIKHA Folk Ensemble, the most called upon Filipino folk dance troupe in the Bay Area, celebrates 25 years with KARANGALAN, a one-of-a-kind event. Manzel Delacruz features this amazing ensemble.

Filipino cuisine likewise gets the headline as the five-city North American tour of Chef Romy Dorotan and culinary historian Amy Besa takes place in Seattle this Friday. We are honored to feature as our Happy Home Cook recipe this week, Dorotan's signature dish for their tastings and lectures - Beef Shortribs Adobo.

As always, a touch of nostalgia, this time for the Manila of our memories. Veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. writes about Arsenio Lacson, the late, unforgettable mayor of the Philippines' premier city, whom he calls "the best president the country never had."

Our Toronto-based contributor Maripi Leynes recalls how it was to grow up in Santa Cruz, Manila before it became a crazy metropolitan district with lumpen sensibilities.

I haven't posted on my blog for a while now so here's my way of atoning for my negligence (aka laziness): The Fine Points of Aging (or things you won't know about being a senior until you're actually one). 

Our links for In The Know this week

The Philippines’ greatest female philosopher has died
https://qz.com/725370/emerita-quito-the-greatest-forgotten-filipino-philosopher-has-died/

Special Report: Police describe kill rewards, staged crime scenes in Duterte's drug war
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-duterte-police-specialrep/special-report-police-describe-kill-rewards-staged-crime-scenes-in-dutertes-drug-war-idUSKBN17K1F4

Caloocan Bishop Pablo David: Shepherd of his slaughtered sheep
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/182373-caloocan-bishop-pablo-david-profile-war-drugs-killings

ISIS Recruits Fighters for the Philippines Instead of Syria
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-uncovered/isis-recruits-fighters-philippines-instead-syria-n796741

For our Video of the Week, Filipinos have been sharing a tagalog version of the “Les Miserables” song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” on the 45th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines.