Remember, With Care

What an incredibly stressful and exhilarating week! Not one you want to happen often yet one you want to re-live, if only in your mind, every once in a while as a reminder that bad things (people, events, policies) have an expiration date. 

For Filipinos who were in Manila pre- and post-EDSA People Power Revolt in 1986, the sense of deja vu was unmistakable. But, from that historic experience also comes a tale of caution. The reach and tenaciousness of the tentacles of authoritarianism can last for generations, as ace journalist and Columbia U journalism professor Sheila Coronel warns in her op-ed piece in the Washington Post yesterday.

Rocky days ahead notwithstanding, let's claim this moment to celebrate the Fil-Ams, both Democrats and Republicans, who won their races.

And a historical correction, as the city of Watsonville, California issues a long-delayed apology to the FilAm community for the 1930 anti-Filipino Watsonville race riot that resulted in the death of Fermin Tobera. The resolution states: 

"The City Council, now after ninety years, formally apologize for the actions taken by the City's residents against the Filipinos in Watsonville, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s in Watsonville and commending these Filipino Nationals and their children, the Filipino Americans for their notable accomplishments and contributions to the Pájaro Valley." 

Read Again the story of what happened then: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/in-the-heat-of-the-night-the-exeter-and-watsonville-riots-1929-1930

Our Stories This Week

Jose Abad Santos: Hero And Front-Liner By Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr.

Vince Nantes Knows When Filipinos Collaborate, Big Hits Happen By Anthony Maddela

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 11 By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

A Pandemic Restart For Sarap In London By Jennifer Fergesen

The Happy Home Cook: Cassava Cheesecake By Chef Ferdinand “Budgie” Montoya

VOTW: Disney UK featured a Filipino-themed Christmas commercial for its tie-up with Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In The Know 

A warning from the Philippines on how a demagogue can haunt politics for decades
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/09/trump-ferdinand-marcos-philippines-lessons-democracy/?utm_campaign=wp_opinions&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&fbclid=IwAR2s9uQaGo9vJV8QWcBbCriiUH_o3hZq1L2UjSwMFeudy7v83HDPQeQFPsY

Traveling to the PH in the time of COVID
https://usa.inquirer.net/60100/traveling-to-ph-in-the-time-of-covid

'Mini economies': Pandemic tests the Philippines' mighty malls
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Spotlight/Mini-economies-Pandemic-tests-the-Philippines-mighty-malls?fbclid=IwAR0_A40FRorkY9ulSqnvJANkXyuiSQY7UjSjJMicUeq4iYb5RqEoy2KwjSM

The Ayala Center Story: Part 1 – the Makati Commercial Center
https://www.theurbanroamer.com/ayala-center-story-part-1-makati-commercial-center/?fbclid=IwAR0rkKwOa0CQX7Y-_b26s-vc8na2g9QpGPln4hBmLBBqTdDoSluQdmUJ30A

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We're Proud and Inspired

We stand proudly with the Positively Filipino writers who won seven   out of the 10 "best writing" awards in the 2020 Plaridel Awards held recently. See the links to their award-winning stories. 

Best International Story: Jennifer Fergesen, "Filipino Restaurateurs in Europe Grapple with Pandemic" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/filipino-restaurateurs-in-europe-grapple-with-pandemic

Best Profile Writing: Lisa Suguitan Melnick, "The Scholar Unplugged" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-scholar-unplugged

Best Personal Essay: Elizabeth Ann Quirino, "Last Christmas" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/last-christmas  

Best Feature Story: Lisa Suguitan Melnick, "Utom Unfolds T’boli Myths Through Music”
 http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/utom-unfolds-tboli-myths-through-music

Best Food Story: Jennifer Fergesen, "Surprise! A Filipino Table in Tblisi" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/surprise-a-filipino-table-in-tbilisi

Best Tourism Feature: Elizabeth Ann Quirino, "Food Historian Ige Ramos Serves Cavite's Unsung Cuisine"   http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/food-historian-ige-ramos-serves-cavites-unsung-cuisine

Best Investigative Story: Myles Garcia, "Discovering a Long Lost 19th Century Filipino Master Painter" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/discovering-a-long-lost-19th-century-filipino-master-painter 

Merit Awards

Lisa Suguitan Melnick, Merit Award in Best News Story, "The Al Robles Express is on the Right Track" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-al-robles-express-is-on-the-right-track

Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Merit Award in Best Food Story, "Stop and Smell the Power of Filipino Cooking" http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/stop-and-smell-the-power-of-filipino-cooking

Another feather in our proverbial cap: our webinar last Monday on Filipino Trailblazers featuring California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Major General Antonio Taguba (Ret.) was without doubt one of the most interesting, inspiring and pride-stirring hour-and-a-half that one can spend. If you missed it or want to listen to it again (suggestion: get your children to listen with you), here's the link to the recording. [Filipino American Trailblazers]

Our stories for this week are not too shabby either, both in terms of topic coverage and the hopefulness they engender:

‘Filgrimage’: From San Diego To Manila Bay By Miguel Carrion

The Manilatown Heritage Foundation Rises By Manzel Delacruz

Is Texas Finally Turning Blue In 2020? By Gus Mercado

10 Things The 1940 Census Reveals About Carlos Bulosan By M.T. Ojeda 

Recipe of the Week [Read It Again] The Happy Home Cook: Instant Pot Beef Caldereta By Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Video of the Week - Bill de Blasio tribute to the Fil-Am Community

In The Know

Why It Is Important to Know the Story of Filipino-American Larry Itliong
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-it-is-important-know-story-filipino-american-larry-itliong-180972696/?fbclid=IwAR2hQz-Zs1ABojxLMAiaML2K8pLr6_Q0TP3YYbyZpv9aDuTgcX-8Y6MTN2Y

The Philippines Has A Policy Against Home Births. It's Not Playing Well In A Pandemic
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/10/25/925442135/the-philippines-has-a-policy-against-home-births-its-not-playing-well-in-a-pande?fbclid=IwAR1tZ2zWchCcJDbFoH5fvc7ydDv6oBAGkMVnbKvj4GsxzNzutMdC_siJGa0

On a Philippine island, Indigenous women get their say on marine conservation
https://news.mongabay.com/2020/10/on-a-philippine-island-indigenous-women-get-their-say-on-marine-conservation/?fbclid=IwAR1hEI_u0ZQFgPFYGEJ_aRcTFm055dRCV7LKfzCsCJnVMIau7VGrTlt6Wj0

Outcry in Philippines Over General’s ‘Warning’ to Female Celebrities
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/world/asia/philippines-liza-soberano-parlade.html

ICYMI: You Can Watch More than 60 Classic Films on Mike De Leon’s Vimeo Account
https://cinemacentenario.com/features/news-and-features/icymi-you-can-watch-more-than-60-classic-films-on-mike-de-leons-vimeo-account/?fbclid=IwAR0YHKOtT91gGkPv-1NkIkevuG7458_39E0QRFGD-tGoVpYxd2l4bn4IPoM 

1763: A historical fiction: Revisiting Early Filipino presence in Louisiana and Examining the Sources
https://filipinoamericancenter.blogspot.com/2014/11/1763-historical-fiction-revisiting.html?fbclid=IwAR169yeXlbU31SPGzY9BihvmYJE3JD_TVrH7oaxPbt46Yf2Rd1on0v7px-0

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Anti-Terrorism Law and You

Two heavyweights in the civil liberties arena in the Philippines will weigh in on the impact of the Anti-Terrorism Law recently passed by Congress. Senator Risa Hontiveros and Attorney Theodore Te will discuss the nuances of the law and how it will impact overseas Filipinos in Positively Filipino's webinar tomorrow at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern (in the Philippines, 9 am Friday). If you haven't registered yet, please click on the link below for details.

Meanwhile, this week we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, pay tribute to a woman of substance, humorously expose a crackpot clan in Mindanao that claims ownership of the entire archipelago and includes Rizal and Hitler in its lineage, and introduce the new cookbook (and a recipe) of one of the leading lights of Philippine cuisine. We hope you enjoy them.

Our Stories This Week:

World War II In The Philippines - 75 Years After By Cecilia I. Gaerlan 

Gilda Cordero Fernando: Forever Groovy By Paulynn Paredes Sicam

Philippine Hoaxes: Of Cabbages And Kings, Grifters And Trolls By Myles A. Garcia

Sandy’s Handy Cookbook By Bella Bonner

[PARTNER] Byaheng Pag-Asa

The Happy Home Cook: Chili Coconut Squid By Chef Sandy Daza

Video of the Week: As the US prepares for an eventful presidential election, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, including the Filipino American community, underscore our wholehearted participation in the charting of this country's future.

In the Know

From malls to banks: The pandemic’s domino effect
https://rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/coronavirus-pandemic-domino-effect-malls-banks

My Neighbor, The Roosevelt Statue
https://aaww.org/my-neighbor-the-roosevelt-statue-rene-g-ontal/?fbclid=IwAR0jokipkMGf65jn0XqEaIw2JaxQiNPpDZM6HRPyMBjhV45o8GNDyiNztcc

A father-daughter relationship blooms amid Philippine flora
https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/01/03/a-father-daughter-relationship-blooms-amid-philippine-flora/?fbclid=IwAR0BRoB9MX0ek1dEiC8FF4Wepa03rgvqRXfIoqwV-RLwf-UVhwSvnMaxCgg

Catholic poet, artist put spotlight on COVID
https://www.catholicregister.org/features/arts/item/32027-catholic-poet-artist-put-spotlight-on-covid

This Former Student Activist Now Owns the Largest Pawnshop Network in the Country
https://www.esquiremag.ph/money/industry/palawan-pawnshop-owner-profile-a00289-20200902-lfrm?ref=article_aside_money

Sometimes, It Takes Time': Erina Alejo, the Third-Generation Renter
https://www.kqed.org/arts/13885733/sometimes-it-takes-time-erina-alejo-the-third-generation-rente?fbclid=IwAR0RQxecWk1hFn-FW9D65UIVuZGg-Dnl-KLZGnAKs9DiL-96H87rVWSveSU