Voyagers

As the calendar moves swiftly towards Holy Week, we thought it a good time to step back and revive some stories we had published that you may have missed or may want to read again. This week we focus on four Filipinos of various generations who left the Motherland and staked their future in another country. Brave adventurous folks all, and their personal narratives serve as both inspiration and cautionary tales.

In mid-20th century, a Filipina from Bulacan named Enya Gonzalez made it big in New York City as an opera singer and became the first Filipina to be on the cover of Newsweek. First-time contributor Gaby C. Gloria profiled this plucky Filipina who broke through barriers in "The Bold Soprano."

In 1971, student leader Jaime FlorCruz travelled to China along with other student leaders and activists from various schools. Little did he know that he (and a few others including the current Philippine ambassador to China, Chito Sta. Romana) would be living there for 40 years, and he would become the CNN bureau chief in China. FlorCruz, who had officially retired as an international journalist, wrote about his life as an exile in "40 Years In China: From Stranded Activist to International Journalist."

Regular PF contributor Agatha Verdadero, who runs a publishing house in Africa, told us the story of how she and her team established lasting friendships with Somalians -- not an easy feat -- in "Friendship Worth One's Life."

Her story is common among overseas Filipino workers (OFW) but is nonetheless remarkable. Edita Balane, working as a nanny in Dubai, tells Ana P. Santos of her dreams in "Everyone's Children But Her Own."

Meanwhile, we compiled an interesting bunch of stories from various publications this week for our In The Know section:

When a President says “I'll Kill You.”
https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/asia/100000004819836/duterte-philippines-when-a-president-says-ill-kill-you.html?emc=edit_ta_20170326&nl=top-stories&nlid=63804747&ref=cta

Jason Day withdraws from WGC-Match Play to be with mother as she battles lung cancer
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/day-withdraws-from-wgc-match-play-to-be-with-mother-as-she-battles-lung-cancer-212239016.html?hl=1&noRedirect=1

Security guard is still on duty hours before he graduates, cum laude, at Saint Theresa’s College in Cebu
http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/127331/security-guard-still-duty-hours-graduates-cum-laude-saint-saint-theresas-college-cebu#ixzz4cjl6qJd4 

Philippine Peso Is worst Asian currency in 2017
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-03-24/philippine-peso-is-worst-asian-currency-in-2017-video

And we continue our series of meatless recipes for Lent for the Happy Home Cook. This week, PF Correspondent and foodie Elizabeth Ann Quirino shares her recipe for Shrimps and Leeks Omelet.

For our Video of the Week, after being bashed by Filipino netizens for calling suman “boring food,” TastesLikeChicken's William revisits the Filipino sticky rice snack with suggestions on how to eat it.