April 20, 2022

Not All Doom and Gloom

April 20, 2022/ Gemma Nemenzo

We start our Easter Week with mourning. An exemplary Filipino public servant, Jose Santiago "Chito" Sta. Romana, the current Philippine ambassador to China (previously a well-known student activist, exile and ABC News Bureau Chief in China), passed away unexpectedly in an island off Shanghai, leaving family, friends and colleagues shocked and in deep grief. [Here's Rappler's obit: https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippine-diplomat-chito-sta-romana-dies/?fbclid=IwAR0WcPcqhoA8bM3T8BqG6OgWKyOfVYDGxDWLCosxbB8ga6AMZ7nHWxB07AM]

But it's not all doom and gloom. If you want comedy, ridiculousness and incredulousness all at once, check out our Election News links below to get a full taste of the Grand Philippine Circus, aka Elections 2022. You gotta read it to believe it!

There's also reason for amazement. In the current election climate, a new, never-before-seen-in-such-scale organizing strategy is sweeping many areas of the country: murals -- giant artworks painted on public walls and fences, proclaiming support for a specific candidate. Mural creation is a large-group activity, thus a great tool for motivating, inspiring and consolidating the troops (of supporters). Contributor Bella Bonner takes us behind the scenes to one such project in West Fairview, Quezon City.

And always, a reason to stand up and be counted. Regular contributing writer and former COMELEC head honcho Andres D. Bautista exhorts overseas Filipino voters, all 1.7 million of us, to VOTE. Philippine embassies and consulates have mailed out the ballots but if you haven't received yours, contact them. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, make sure your name is here: https://pcgsanfrancisco.org/certified-list-of-overseas-voters-clov-2022/

If you haven't received your ballot, check your name here: List of Voters with No or Incomplete Address. If you'd had a change of address and haven't informed the Consulate, check here: List of Returned Postal Voting Packets. Email the Consulate immediately if your name is on the two lists above: ovs@pcgsanfrancisco.org. You can also go personally to Consulate on May 9 to vote.

Our lineup this week also includes a sentimental journey to the sites that forged Filipino American connections in WWII by Carol Esguerra Colborn [Read: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/war-and-remembrance-in-the-philippines]

And the interesting story of Johnny Valdes, the man who built Johnny Air Cargo, written by first-time PF contributor Glenna Aquino. [Read: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-johnny-became-johnny-air-cargo]

Enjoy the wild ride towards a new Philippine future.

[Recipe of the Week] The Happy Home Cook: Airfried Vegetarian Crispy Pork Belly

[Video of the Week] Awit ng Pagasa

Philippine Elections 2022

Youtube Channels ‘Hijacking’ News Genre to Influence Philippine Polls
https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/youtube-channels-hijacking-news-genre-disinformation-influence-2022-philippine-elections/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3mWaOvTWtVY2FfEx1z6Lpw5dRM73Dqe5tJg98d4JaTvPeQaLMc0f7k5Z8#Echobox=1649996525-4

[ANALYSIS] Ping Lacson’s premature endgame
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/newsstand-ping-lacson-premature-endgame-2022-elections/?fbclid=IwAR0RMtZxW-FVjdBYWA0KwopzoWIQtOYYsc22TRgqwUEOZIdUjVCgTIF869o

[OPINION] What have these guys been sniffing?
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-lacson-moreno-gonzales-press-conference-what-have-these-guys-been-sniffing/?fbclid=IwAR0nrP4MBE0nT8vrQ8uz4qoSqx6VgdU5qYzkhwGNVecQ93MRuKT1JB7hg78

Filipinos flood Twitter with ‘Leni Withdraw’ memes after lagging candidates gang up on Robredo
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/filipinos-flood-twitter-leni-withdraw-051106771.html

How the Philippines’ brutal history is being whitewashed for voters
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/12/philippines-marcos-memory-election/

The Philippines Toppled One Marcos. Now His Son May Become President.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/13/world/asia/philippines-marcos-president-election.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DJDm8ZiPsSGYyMvE7WZKMkf9sy2zWDXN5HPaRqQfVoxehEelR3RhKprpaChNEIJyg-tYO0WCU2w5fJF_gewAPdU1OYeq151aHt-FWPKiSxCvmIzyV3Jw5uppBmaVmv3CEXwqzAQfp_joMtwf0rDph4TDgFYCKA7OL6SEkrYKXwZRne6QM8UuxbWyiC3oLPruJdL3gBTA7OX3h94m0j6d5DON5xPK73LxYoe8qWkqxGQyUzb9_vX8ttMtCSw7Z6srfNqgiOzN61wpg1FKZXvLDEugWqJW7Fvj6yEs9r8CKZOCGjNSo&smid=em-share

Ties that bind: 17 years ago, Leni trudged Masbate to help rural folk
https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/17-years-ago-leni-robredo-trudged-masbate-help-rural-folk-elections-2022/?fbclid=IwAR3BJkVPvoH8RDuwTGgZuXOdWt2rjrk7x5PSi8MlHSOJqrbCJHq9e9dl09E#l1yqz8l40abgor9vn9mf

Networked propaganda: How the Marcoses are using social media to reclaim Malacañang
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/investigative/245290-marcos-networked-propaganda-social-media/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwAR3W6LGxu0zS8ZlRGNWmdSs_zPSaLTz30EZI52FdFEArdxCLXLyLQ_mui18

Networked Propaganda: How the Marcoses are rewriting history
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/investigative/245402-networked-propaganda-marcoses-rewriting-history/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwAR3wGgA-dkNfl4Zhezg_EuuRU8NGVBGLvnolcXcxNn1tm9HDckuwSRkS5WE

Networked propaganda: False narratives from the Marcos arsenal
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/investigative/245540-networked-propaganda-false-narratives-from-the-marcos-arsenal/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwAR244VmzBQ8adan_AvWqa4NNSXzUxoSwlu7FnV2eYnzgvkl3AILpKpT6D5Y

Citizen engagement against the surveys
https://opinion.inquirer.net/152120/citizen-engagement-against-the-surveys?fbclid=IwAR0vaTxCjCW0CtlBv05x2k5F6tsQWuCHl3DfcUibnQ2w12y6m0jcnQEEPi8#ixzz7Qfmzcryi

The twists and turns of the presidential election
https://opinion.inquirer.net/152085/the-twists-and-turns-of-the-presidential-election

[OPINION] Thoughts on the saying ‘The best man for the job is a woman’
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-best-man-for-job-is-woman/?fbclid=IwAR2VzjfMC31Xci7fFUZEa5yfmu7V4wF2O3Gh1RSLcH5ayM6wEFiyWOiAG50

In The Know

Lost History: How Czech Fighters Defended Bataan During World War 2
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/czech-fighters-defended-bataan-world-war-2-a00289-20200903-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220419-fbnp-long-reads-czech-fighters-defended-bataan-world-war-2-a00289-20200903-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR38Z5ZNrSzZvIC8wxs_0qDSbUnUP4V-eTYnpdrsfPYw61QCEuuI7f4EbY0

Read the Philippines' Most Banned Books in This 'Secret' Digital Archive
https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/books-and-art/read-the-world-s-most-banned-books-in-this-secret-digital-archive-a2746-20220418?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220418-fbnp-culture-read-the-world-s-most-banned-books-in-this-secret-digital-archive-a2746-20220418-fbold&fbclid=IwAR36eZa4LFLW3jJ5SODo2QWumF2eduIdJyXi-DpGuXSoE0QONQibvf8oA0Y

The "Women of Impact" 2022 List: Filipinas Who Have Made Their Mark
https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/others/the-women-of-impact-2022-list-filipinas-who-have-made-their-mark

What brought about the Filipino’s love affair with rice, according to a food historian
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/food-drink/features/04/07/22/a-filipino-food-historian-on-why-we-eat-what-we-eat?fbclid=IwAR1tof19EE2A1EVqHb7chtUN-fxhHHjkZoxyoJRXez5TinxNNxwUpfo8uhQ

Slater Young set the record straight on who really built this PHP30-billion Cebu bridge, and people are loving it
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/slater-young-set-record-straight-073758169.html

This Filipino Circumnavigated the World for P240,000 and No Visas

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/filipino-circumnavigated-world-regin-reyno-a00293-20200312-lfrm2?utm_source=Facebook-EsquireMoney&utm_medium=Siteshare&utm_campaign=20220406-fbnp-long-reads-filipino-circumnavigated-world-regin-reyno-a00293-20200312-lfrm2-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2BJ8w8ivt0NS-giydnnEbckKUn2pn1vc9YP18yc9QSwkdGTGu5FkPOFbQ

Pioneering Filipina Filmmakers
https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/pioneering-filipina-filmmakers?fbclid=iwar3mjp4zu8tjymaehvodklul4o3ezq8_gqyj6ef1pe_tljjndait31bzun8

Artworks by PH children with autism showcased in NY | TFC News New York, USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3R07fgMVCM

April 13, 2022

Tensions in the Tenses

April 13, 2022/ Gemma Nemenzo

Amidst the calm of Holy Week in the Christian world, let’s do some reflection on how the past informs the present and how we want the future to look like. The personal may not always be political but there's no ignoring politics this time. Our story lineup this week represents past, present and future in our Motherland's storied evolution.

The present: As the Duterte administration plods through its end run, it is a good time to look at the big picture and assess its mixed legacy objectively. As political observer and professor Patricio N. Abinales writes, while the poor got the brunt of its drug war, Duterte "also leaves the presidency with a remarkable record of serving the poor even as his police officers and hired assassins continue to kill their fathers, mothers, and children." This contradiction will be scrutinized and argued in the years to come so Abinales fires the first volley to "let the debates begin."

The past: Senatorial hopeful Samira Gutoc rang the memory bell as a Marcos Jr. presidency becomes a possibility. Remember the Jabidah massacre of 1968, she says. More than 20 Muslim recruits for a top-secret mission to reclaim Sabah were gunned down in Corregidor, the training site, when they started protesting their harsh training conditions. The military had since erased all traces of the mission but there were some who escaped death and told the story. The Jabidah massacre triggered the war of Muslim Mindanao against the Marcos regime and led to the founding of MNLF. We post excerpts from the book Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao by ace journalists Marites Danguilan Vitug and Glenda Gloria.

The future: What we do today will determine how our future will look like. In political terms, "We are whom we choose," former COMELEC chief Andres D. Bautista contends as he looks at the many unprecedented actions taking place throughout the Philippines right now. Will the future be rosy or blood red? We don't need a crystal ball, just fervor and dedication as we march toward May 9. Most importantly, we have to VOTE.

Read Agains:

Images of Semana Santa

Marinduque’s Mesmerizing Moriones by Wilma Consul

Art and Soul and Fr. Rey by Mona Lisa Yuchengco

[Recipe of the Week] Enjoy this YouTube video of actress Judy Ann Santos cooking her fave Holy Week dishes

[Video of the Week] Remy Martin - NCAA Champion

Philippine Elections 2022

Pulse Asia: 2 out of 10 voters change their minds on election day
https://opinion.inquirer.net/152042/pulse-asia-2-out-of-10-voters-change-their-minds-on-election-day

[Newsstand] Enough time for ‘Ro-mentum’
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/newsstand-enough-time-robredo-momentum/?fbclid=IwAR0rpeUHGU-uKi6hOvMaPw80H_6CRhMtYjVRowwzXh3wbmU6q4jBz-cXAus

Isko Moreno supporters group joins Robredo’s 'pink' wave after attempts of unification
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/04/12/2174088/isko-moreno-supporters-join-robredos-pink-wave-after-failed-attempts-unification

Carpio tells voters: Keep demanding estate tax payment from Marcos Jr.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/4/8/Bongbong-Marcos-Carpio-estate-tax-payment-demand.html?fb&fbclid=IwAR2kHCpyP-MGAdD3R2bPKeN2DU86lDsD31T7juEGu6UXaoobSamCdbXqWSU

A dictator's son runs for Philippines president in a bid to revive his family's power
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/12/1090802987/philippines-elections-ferdinand-bongbong-marcos-junior?fbclid=IwAR2VNrQ8ZHd4BJzzkUvBsKesFQRzA7g8nalUw7rh4Ij1kDsMm7elzIdCK00

Philippine volunteers in door-to-door blitz for top Marcos Jr rival
https://news.yahoo.com/philippine-volunteers-door-door-blitz-021810361.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sLmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFiv7B7QwjQj_86QCR-k3x8XaEvIhOp4chOIPrES_OphaH_UXSvyFNBN09_mP_sSgnSpzJRzbSTUG-SaPyFRCv3_S2XFNI5fPK7gB3c0fgoyEMqxmc8tBJ0dhjtPyzRN5sAVwDN1U_KjS02HBZQhj9gMw-29ARYLodRIbcRESufw

[OPINION] Rallies, ‘hakot,’ and hope
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-rallies-hakot-hope/?fbclid=IwAR21sCNZuXJntuscIheoTq0YADyXy-0ZN7TXxQ5pKMz0grqMj2LYkqPvz0o

Why Leni is picking up huge endorsements
https://inqm.news/xqht

In The Know

20 Filipino Billionaires Have Made it to Forbes' Richest in 2022
https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/wealth/20-filipino-billionaires-made-it-to-forbes-richest-in-2022?utm_campaign=PH_DIG_FULL20220410&utm_medium=email&utm_source=tatlerasia.com

After Odette, Central Visayas reopens with new bridges, luxury resorts, outdoor attractions
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/travel/destination/04/04/22/how-bohol-cebu-siquijor-are-wooing-the-tourists-back?fbclid=IwAR0XsAmlENHZicPA38Vc3u5lyEw7YNtN9A5EMWYWUlaxuL2QP3tWPYTu1E8

One Community’s Complicated Relationship With SPAM
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2022/03/spam-wwii-history-hormel-canned-meat/629416/

Get to Know All the National Artists of the Philippines
https://www.esquiremag.ph/the-good-life/pursuits/national-artists-philippines-list-a1957-20190802-lfrm10?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220401-fbnp-the-good-life-national-artists-philippines-list-a1957-20190802-lfrm10-fbold&fbclid=IwAR0rvLv7k75cqvv5UDg4F52Lw3nK_GcYpXFDkG9o0Tlc652kzsKW25M4Bko

Fulfilled Filipina finds life, makes a mark in Morocco
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1171539?fbclid=IwAR1vpd1Gk5X_wkyOQoNC09HkHdLEoFhMMCCRXsEKzZQzOtY9GETRPouzBI4

April 06, 2022

Barnstorming

April 06, 2022/ Gemma Nemenzo

In the national elections of 1987, the first under the Cory Aquino administration, I had the privilege of being part of a campaign for a congressional seat in Laguna. I say it was a privilege because the three-month campaign turned out to be one of the most exhilarating and inspiring experiences in my life, even though we lost to the candidate with the most money.

While low on funds, we were high on enthusiasm and grassroots support. We did the whole shebang: distributing posters and leaflets (on cheap newsprint) in churches and marketplaces, organizing barrio-to-barrio meetings, shaking thousands of hands, holding a lively miting de avance in the town plaza (well-attended because we had a popular movie star as guest). Most importantly, our troupe went house-to-house to talk to people face-to-face.

It was literally back-breaking 18-hour/day work that parched our throats, browned our skin and dropped our weight as we walked to remote sitios and huddled with fishermen after hauling in their catch for the day. The demanding, all-volunteer labor was a humbling education of a lifetime. From the campaign, we took away valuable lessons on how people in the grassroots thought and lived.

In this year's election, we are witnessing something unprecedented: a widespread nationwide house-to-house campaign powered by youth volunteers for a presidential ticket. H2H is a common practice in local elections but not for national positions where it's more cost-effective and practical to rely on mass media to convey the candidates' messages.

But, as contributing writer Andres D. Bautista emphasizes in his article this week, times have changed, misinformation has become the name of the game and only direct outreach to voters can counter the lethal brew of lies and fake news.

So from across the seas, we wish the campaign volunteers continued strength and fervor as we pray (and do our bit to help in whatever way) for a better tomorrow for our Motherland.

This Week’s Stories

House To House, Heart To Heart by Andres D. Bautista

Bienvenido N. Santos, You Were A Friend Of Mine by Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard

A Filipino Voice From Down Under by Harvey I. Barkin

[Partner] Statement Against Red-Tagging And Disinformation

Read Agains:

Eighty years ago this year, on April 9, 1942, the Fall of Bataan, "the biggest single surrender in U.S. military history,'' happened. It was a tragedy that should not be forgotten.

Remember Bataan by Cecilia I. Gaerlan http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/remember-bataan

Re-enacting the Bataan Death March: A Personal Journey by Jon Melegrito http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/re-enacting-the-bataan-death-march-a-personal-journey

The Happy Home Cook: Grilled Salmon and Shrimps in Banana Leaves by Elizabeth Ann Quirino

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-happy-home-cook-grilled-salmon-and-shrimps-in-banana-leaves

Video of the Week: Kubing the Philippine bamboo jaw harp