Wander and Wonder

Today is the first day of summer in the Western hemisphere, and it's made more significant because 2023 is the first official post-pandemic year -- borders are open and travel restrictions have been lifted everywhere.

If you're still on the fence about joining the millions who have planned trips this year, know that there are different ways you can make that one journey you are considering meaningful.

You can do immersion travel, like social activist Pamela Tau Lee did when she visited Marawi in the aftermath of the 2017 war, a very moving experience that she will forever remember. 

There's also something to be said about returning to a city of beautiful memories, as PF Correspondent Criselda Yabes did when she revisited Barcelona to marvel once again of its bounties.

Whichever way you want to go, enjoy our forthcoming travel stories from our peripatetic contributing writers. 

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Stories This Week

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 48
by Mona Lisa Yuchengco

Return To Barcelona by Criselda Yabes

Philippines: Forever In My Heart by Pamela Tau Lee

Midway Between Working From Home And Returning To Office
by Ian Layugan

[Partner] Makilala TV Celebrates 10 Years As A Platform For The Filipino-American Voice

Read Agains: 

Exceptional Philippine Churches by John L. Silva

Random Acts Of Kindness, Pinoy-Style by Sonny Siasoco

[Cook It Again] The Happy Home Cook: Pinatisang Manok (Chicken Stewed In Fish Sauce)

[Video of the Week] The Story of the Filipino: Juan Luna

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In The Know

Teaching our national anthem
https://philstarlife.com/geeky/529969-teaching-national-anthem?fbclid=IwAR1vf2q6TMnWqnuLVRE7HNZEaAsbx6tpaMqxN0ZdN8_AqgyVfDn0dbkwa1M#

Agutaya archipelago doctor who cared for 13,000 people on her own
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64948453?at_link_origin=BBC_News&at_link_id=78283952-0791-11EE-81FD-20FA7E934D9D&at_format=link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_campaign_type=owned&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_medium=social&at_link_type=web_link&at_bbc_team=editorial&fbclid=IwAR33uQ31MPMI0YgUdaa5-09SMp6RYZoXTwU4RwOuOzvqAUbjhK-ZkZQXbfM

Filipinos in world chess meet: Hall of Famer Eugene Torre, US Chess Champion Wesley So
https://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/filipinos-in-world-chess-meet-hall-of-famer-eugene-torre-us-chess-champion-wesley-so/?fbclid=IwAR1nqHsjg6-XGJ49piOHlyNEoUhL6L7ZB8kOLWGgmKqJSpX58Qf2y1ZwhKM

The killings have not stopped
https://verafiles.org/articles/the-killings-have-not-stopped?fbclid=IwAR3j0n0rodwAJdnUPslaUUFgPev8K7jos2yjPC5yjOGwrmtmaVT5qXankbc

Warriors’ biggest hype man has a day job: Hype up everyone else
https://www.sfexaminer.com/sports/warriors/warriors-hype-man-franco-finn-carries-nba-role-into-day-job/article_04b1f18e-0705-11ee-9c61-3bc15b6df7d4.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_San_Francisco_Examiner&fbclid=IwAR1qvS9ARKGxsECTMZZknbH4dAUqOBqbq1AkYkc2gM8q3ssQHyUgp6m0cJA

From being a 'curious' foreigner to a naturalized Pinoy: A Canadian vlogger's journey to ‘Becoming Filipino’
https://philstarlife.com/celebrity/257250-kyle-jennermann-becoming-filipino-journey?page=2

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A Life in Film

Some of the best Filipino movies were created in the mid-1970s to the mid-80s when the likes of Lino Brocka, Ismael Bernal, Mike de Leon, Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Peque Gallaga, Eddie Romero and Lupita Kashiwahara  dominated the directorial scene. 

Not surprisingly, the period also brought about the elevation of production design as an award category, in recognition of its role in setting the overall look and feel of a movie. Setting the gold standard for production design was Fiel Zabat, who worked on some of that era's most critically acclaimed films and won many awards for her work. 

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino recently awarded Fiel with the Natatanging Gawad Urian, the lifetime achievement honor, for her body of work. Manunuri stalwart Butch Francisco writes an extensive feature on Fiel's filmography and dishes out some juicy behind-the-scenes stories of the making of a number of Filipino film classics. ["Fiel Zabat: A Film Production Designer’s Production Designer"]

Meanwhile, the world is hopefully in the homestretch of the war against the Covid-19 virus and contributing writer Susan Araneta sums up the large role of Filipino health workers in various countries who were the frontliners in this, the most severe public health challenge of the century. ["A Virus Among Us: Filipinos and COVID-19"]

In Hawaii where many Fil-Ams won elective positions in the state legislature, long-time Honolulu resident and professor Belinda Aquino writes about the distinguished career Senator Donna Mercado Kim. ["State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim: A Household Name in Hawaii"]

The Happy Home Cook: Beer-Braised Pork chop from Rene Astudillo

Video of the Week: U.P. Concert Chorus sings “Simbanggabi”

In The Know

Jollibee Crew Emerged as Civil Engineering Topnotcher
https://gineersnow.com/engineering/civil/jollibee-crew-civil-engineering-topnotcher?fbclid=IwAR1nfMVZ_HLD4dV24nWfJNnI6aeX3C8wsE4WlFP5aN3YYtIPsrpVIoL585M

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=IwAR2C17OlTCi_65wDBgUHDfu1Y_nmeHiW_l39KID5hFRXOFKjSfLjr2vGjw4

Exclusive: Wesley So in the eyes of Lotis Key
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/drive/sports/12/09/20/wesley-so-in-the-eyes-of-lotis-key?fbclid=IwAR13BiP-1-J-oZDAmC8yQVA15mHd6La_tkU2mrd9zVs_-pFH-aogSi8xjK8 

These Prehistoric Plants in the Philippines Are Older Than Dinosaurs
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/cycads-ancient-line-of-seed-plants-grow-in-masungi-georeserve-a833-sa00171-20200709-src-spot?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20201206-fbnp-long-reads-cycads-ancient-line-of-seed-plants-grow-in-masungi-georeserve-a833-sa00171-20200709-src-spot-fbold&fbclid=IwAR0gzMw2-ALO1DXEpslZ6PKXSAAmm4DvvEvlQAaeuPCuYfzmy_cWOwSAruY

Marawi Before the Siege: A photo essay by Bobby Timonera, Mindanews
http://marawi-narratives.ateneo.edu/marawi-before-the-siege/?fbclid=IwAR0bMZkJFNF8JqlR1E9cqUMdxp6G6RMcwWMpNfoIFDuawN2nItNv2WnqwA8

Everything You Need to Know about Filipino Food: The Next Great American Cuisine
https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/filipino-food-guide/?fbclid=IwAR3xaGNcIzmL7cmbSbZ2iHSCrReJB9OKRythCa7qiyQPn0dsWT0Sc363mcA 

Introducing Isabel Sandoval: The ‘Lingua Franca’ filmmaker on her indie drama
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-09-07/lingua-franca-director-star-isabel-sandoval?fbclid=IwAR2Ss4ZDR6LnBlTARyAdlCOtEUyLt9O-5QR41dBIOa7jUALJI6tldzjILjk

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Trauma and Survival

We commemorate once again Bataan Day, honoring those who survived and those who did not make it during the Bataan Death March of 1942. Here is an excerpt from a book entitled Cadet, Soldier, Guerrilla Fighter written by a Death March survivor and US Army Bronze Star awardee Antonio A. Nieva. "Death of An Army" tells the story of those days of extreme hardship and desperation. 

A fitting Read Again is Jon Melegrito's narrative on the first time he joined the re-enactment of the Bataan Death March in New Mexico to honor is late father, Gregorio, and other survivors. 
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/re-enacting-the-bataan-death-march-a-personal-journey

Surviving trauma of a different kind is the underlying theme of Fil-Am author Grace Talusan's memoir, The Body Papers, winner of the 2017 Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Patty Enrado, herself a novelist, reviews the book.

And, ICYMI, here are links to interesting stories from other publications:

Filipinos Are Beginning To See The Ugly Side Of Chinese Investments
https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2019/03/21/filipinos-are-beginning-to-see-the-ugly-side-of-chinese-investments/?fbclid=IwAR3IyFe5wkXR6PE-VmH8S24A5xC-ImtvZwezNv5oynvAUHoSIIn8eahJwOI#1bf8b57054f0

Marawi still a ghost town 2 years after siege ended
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1101741/marawi-still-a-ghost-town-2-years-after-siege-ended?fbclid=IwAR0gUm-dr2oxcsNbnRAe6B7mGiINeFyMXLGirbpqCY0WKHGM1HdJSiB9VWY

The gene doctor will see you now
https://www.up.edu.ph/index.php/the-gene-doctor-will-see-you-now/?fbclid=IwAR2z6d2BiJrQwTF3GNiwXmC57C2s9Dzxxj22tE5L3kpj_k6YsTlsm4zjf34

Why I Fight 
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/sunday-life/2019/03/24/1903779/why-i-fight?fbclid=IwAR0Q3h3u_cet6fTWf0eTJMLqudm4RE4MxUTSSa2vJ47AMernvgdhZfaoyWw

Enjoy Pork Humba, our Happy Home Cook recipe this week from regular contributor, Rene Astudillo.

And our Video of the Week is Janina Vela (who has about 600,000 followers) talking about the books that have changed her life or, at the very least, her thinking. A bit long but a fascinating episode from an impressive Filipino millennial.