In a largely Catholic country like the Philippines, the papal designation of a new Filipino cardinal is cause for celebration. A total of ten Filipino bishops have been elevated to the cardinalship, the latest being Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.

Apung Ambo (as he prefers to be addressed, instead of the traditional His Eminence), 65, is a standout among the nine other Filipino cardinals. Born in Betis, Pampanga, the 10th of 13 children, exposed to and appreciative of folk traditions, radicalized by martial law, honed by advanced theological studies in Belgium, tempered by his assignments to marginalized communities, the new Cardinal lives true to Pope Francis' call to "go to the periphery."

Even if the going means putting his life in danger, as Bishop Ambo soon found out when he was assigned to Kalookan, virtually ground zero for former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. For his active and vocal resistance to the extrajudicial killings, Bishop Ambo got a direct and top-level warning, "isang bala ka lang" (you're just one bullet's worth).

To know more about the very interesting Apung Ambo, PF contributor Paulynn Paredes Sicam spoke to the cardinal-designate's oldest brother, UP professor and Inquirer columnist Randy David, and their youngest sister, Marivic. Read her story here.

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Part of the fun of Fil-Am History Month involves unearthing little known Fil-Ams who are nonetheless notable in their fields. Here we feature the artist Wayne Lacson Forte, who bills himself a "religious painter" whose reconnection to his Filipino heritage was a long but fruitful struggle. PF contributing writer Virgilio Reyes Jr. sent in this feature on Forte.

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Last week we wrote about the Filipino food truck, Master BBQ AVL, in Asheville, North Carolina which was destroyed by Typhoon Helene. The owner/chef Paul Pike writes this week about how his small business came to be and why he is asking for help.

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Two permitted reposts from two very different publications: From KQED, a delightful story on "How a Buffalo Soldier Changed the Life of Latin Jazz Master John Calloway" by Andrew Gilbert.

From the PREDA newsletter, PREDA founder Fr. Shay Cullen presents a disturbing picture of child abuse in the Philippines and issues a call for justice for the victims.

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Our Video of the Week gives us a preview of the 3-part Emmy-nominated series by MG Montemayor, a broadcast journalist in Waco, Texas. The series honors the Filipino fighters of WWII.

In The Know

Biden Honors Fil-Am History Month
https://asamnews.com/2024/10/23/pinoys-filipino-americans-pride-culture-celebration/

America and the Philippines Should Call China’s Bluff
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/america-and-philippines-should-call-chinas-bluff?

Armed group abducts American in Zamboanga del Norte
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/mindanao/armed-group-abducts-american-elliot-eastman-zamboanga-del-norte-october-17-2024/

Dream to reality: Kapwa Kultural Center uplifts Filipino Americans
https://asamnews.com/2024/10/19/filipino-american-cultural-wellness-youth-center-opens-in-daly-city/

Pro-China propaganda pivots, targets civil society as tensions mount
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/investigative/pro-china-propaganda-pivots-targets-philippines-civil-society-tensions-mount/

No plastics: Recalling the early Filipino kitchen
https://verafiles.org/articles/no-plastics-recalling-the-early-filipino-kitchen

Nicole Scherzinger Gets 6-Minute Standing Ovation for Triumphant Performance at Opening of Broadway's Sunset Blvd.
https://people.com/nicole-scherzinger-broadway-sunset-blvd-standing-ovation-opening-8731178

October is not only Fil-Am History Month, it's also Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic violence or abuse is a crime so common, so egalitarian (it can happen to anyone) and often so insidious that it may not always be obvious to people other than the abuser and abused. It need not involve physical violence but always involves control and manipulation. Take this heart-rending personal story by Giovannie Espiritu of the abuse she had to escape from. Be warned that it isn't an easy read.

The artist and cultural activist France Viana has taken on a new cause that is in tune with the current movement towards gender-neutral pronouns. She's starting a campaign to have the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) add the Filipino pronoun "siya" to its already existing list of Filipino words. In recent years, the OED officially added "bongga", "halo-halo", "kilig", "bagoong" and "sorbetes" to its lexicon.

A bright star that emerged from the grimness of the Covid pandemic in the Philippines was the community pantries, an open food exchange where people gave and took what they needed, for free. The unique humanitarian project started by a young woman named Ana Patricia "Patreng" Non tapped into Filipinos' innate bayanihan spirit and spread like wildfire to other places in the country. Tokyo-based PF contributor Ian Layugan writes about Patreng.

Hurricane Helene is long gone but its devastation in North Carolina continues. Here's a story about a Filipino food truck in Asheville. They would appreciate a donation (click on link to its GoFundMe page).

Help rebuild a Filipino food truck

The owners of the Master BBQ truck, a Filipino food truck in Ashville, North Carolina, are raising money to help rebuild their truck as well as support their workers.

“Cooking has always been my passion. For more than 20 years, both in the Philippines and here in the US, I have poured my heart into it,” Paul Pike, co-owner of the Master BBQ truck, wrote on the GoFundMe page. “I started Master BBQ with my wife, Julia, and together we turned our dream into reality through pop-ups at different breweries in Asheville. The support we received from these breweries, along with the incredible community, made this journey possible.”

“Our team, who depends on the truck for their livelihood, is now left without income, and our truck requires significant repairs. After only being in business for 7 months, this setback feels indescribable,” he added.

So, far the page has raised $10,000 of its $50,000 goal. You can donate here.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-master-bbq-after-hurricane-helene