Passion and Romance

Passion -- or the ability and persistence to pursue what your heart wants, no matter the odds -- separates genius from ordinary mortals. His passion for music made Ryan Cayabyab break his promise to his late mother, an opera singer, on her deathbed; it was also what drove him to drop out of business school and lie about his age in order to pursue his music. Of course, there's also talent -- and no doubt Ryan, now acknowledged as The Maestro -- has an inordinate share of that. But how did his music career begin? PF contributor and Ryan's sister-in-law Bella Bonner dug up family stories and shares them with us in "Music Man Ryan Cayabyab Came Up the Hard Way." Read it and be inspired.

Passion of the romantic variety enabled our Toronto-based contributor Corito Fiel to embrace all the good things and bad in a love affair with someone who made the earth move for her. In "Love and Magic in Baguio," she shares the story of her One Great Love, with whom she spent only two years before he passed on. 

And from our Seattle-based contributor Gia R. Mendoza, her curiosity and delight on her "First Glimpse of Cuba."

Let's not let up on romance this month, with our worthy Read Agains:

Manuel L. Quezon and his American fiancee: http://www. positivelyfilipino.com/ magazine/the-untold-story-of- nina-thomas?rq=Nina%20Thomas

Hilda Koronel and Becca Godinez and their new, happier lives: http://www. positivelyfilipino.com/ magazine/second-springs?rq= Hilda%20Koronel

Here are the links to the In The Know lineup this week:

In the Philippines, political trolling is an industry – this is how it works
https://www.opendemocracy.net/digitaliberties/jonathan-corpus-ong-jason-cabanes/in-philippines-political-trolling-is-industry-this

In an Anchorage professor’s letters to his family, the reality of racism is revealed
https://www.adn.com/arts/books/2018/02/17/in-an-anchorage-professors-letters-to-his-family-the-reality-of-racism-is-revealed/

Where heroes and kin used to tread
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/969562/where-heroes-and-kin-used-to-tread

Figure skating: Filipino skater got call to Olympics less than a month ago
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-figs-m-phl-martinez/figure-skating-filipino-skater-got-call-to-olympics-less-than-a-month-ago-idUSKCN1G00AQ

If you feasted on Valentine's Day, here's a recipe to bring you back to a sensible diet: Richgail Enriquez's Vegan Arroz ala Cubana.

For Video of Week, upcoming comedian Jeppy Paraiso recently posted his latest for Valentine's. Paraiso broke out last Thanksgiving with his Filipino Tita videos on social media.

Some More Amazing Filipinas

Two amazing Filipinas, a military doctor and a nun, are our headliners this week.

Vice Admiral Raquel Bono, a military surgeon who comes from a distinguished family of doctors and US Navy personnel, was recently appointed by the Obama administration as director of the Defense Health Agency, making her the highest ranking Filipino American woman in the US military. Read about this inspiring lady in "She Keeps the Defense Health Agency Shipshape" by Positively Filipino Contributing Writer Anthony Maddela.

Sister Lerma Serdone of the Religiosas Maria Immaculada rose from poverty, finished college while working as a domestic helper and took her perpetual vows in Rome last year. First-time contributor Candy L. Bandong writes about the uplifting experience of watching her friend's final vow in "Nun of Our Business."

Filipino visitors to London craving for the culinary delights of home will enjoy Mark Corbyn's insider guide, "Where to Get Good Filipino Food in London." Mark, himself a British Filipino restaurateur, also shares with us his restaurant, the Adobros' own version of pork belly adobo in the Happy Home Cook. 

Traveling to Ecuador and the Galapagos, Rey E. de la Cruz introduces Filipinos he met along the way in Pinoyspotting.

As our Video of the Week, we feature the Philippines' champion ice skater Michael Martinez at last weekend's World Championships in Boston. Michael finished 19th even with a seemingly flawless performance. 

Finally, as we remember Bataan this month, Read Again Alex S. Fabros Jr.'s "The Boogie Woogie Boys," about the all-Filipino fighting units in the US Armed Forces in WWII.