Sisterhoods

For the Cold War generation, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are unfamiliar names. These countries fell within the expansive cloak of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), thus their separate identities weren't spoken about much. Now with the USSR gone, tourists are flocking to what constitutes Eastern Europe -- the exotic former Soviet states that hold astonishing sights and treasures of their own. One of these visitors was France-based Filipino artist Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi, who recently took a journey with her sorority sisters and their families to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and, with her artist's eye, describes the fascinating things to see in "Vilnius Mon Amour." If you're a devotee of the Divine Mercy, Lithuania should be on your bucket list.

Journalist/community activist and domestic abuse fighter Cherie Querol Moreno adds her voice to the rapidly expanding #MeToo and #TimesUp movements in "Sisterhood Shatters Silence on Sexual Harassment," as she talks to some Filipina women and California State Rep. Rob Bonta, who are in the forefront of the community's participation in changing the culture of harassment.

PF Correspondent Rey E. de la Cruz shares his encounters with kababayans across the pond in Pinoyspotting: England.

And from the Philippines, PF Correspondent Rene M. Astudillo documents "The Curious Case of the Disappearing Faces in Philippine Peso Bills," which has many Filipinos tsk-tsking about the supposed "computer glitch."

From Rene Astudillo's food blog (mybaykitchen.wordpress.com), we also picked up our Happy Home Cook recipe for this week, Adobo Pineapple Fried Rice, using rice left over from when you cooked too much.

Another collection of In The Know links to stories you may have not caught from other publications:

Trump Immigration Plans Hit Hawaii's Filipino Families Hard
http://usa.inquirer.net/9417/trump-immigration-plans-hit-hawaiis-filipino-families-hard

Recovering from Historical Amnesia
https://www.teachforamerica.org/one-day-magazine/recovering-historical-amnesia

The Filipino Guide to Staying Sane
https://www.ncronline.org/ news/opinion/young-voices/ filipino-guide-staying-sane

The Ominous Rumblings of Mount Mayon
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/01/the-ominous-rumblings-of-mount-mayon/551513/

For our Video of the week, the UP Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts presented a documentary of National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva. The video was written and directed by Katrina Ventura.