Days of Poems and Prayers

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Lent takes a deeper meaning to our world this year as we wake up each morning to dreary news -- a war in Ukraine that threatens to go nuclear, a pandemic still not completely waned, a crucial election that will define the future trajectory of our motherland.

As we do our personal reflections in these 32 days until Easter, we can get some guidance from the art of Fr. Rey Culaba, a Redemptorist priest and artist who recently celebrated his golden anniversary in the priesthood. As a gift to his parish, Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City, California, Fr. Rey painted his interpretative version of the Stations of the Cross, and we have the images here.

A major what-if for political junkies this May: if the next president has a pending liability totaling $2.3 billion for a US court judgment in effect from 2005 to 2031 (currently preventing him, his mother and his elder sister to set foot in the US or they get arrested), what will it do to US-Philippines relations?

As for other questions, existentialist or not, that we have to ponder, political activist/academic Ed Garcia invokes Bob Dylan: "the answer is blowin' in the wind."

More stories on Filipino women who matter:

Paulynn Paredes Sicam on Gilda Cordero-Fernando http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/gilda-cordero-fernando-forever-groovy

Robby Tantingco on why women rule Pampanga http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/why-women-rule-pampanga

Gemma Nemenzo on the poet Angela Manalang-Gloria http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/gemma/the-enigmatic-poetess

 Cook It Again:

The Happy Home Cook: Pompano with Chili and Pineapple — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

Book Launch: 100 Poems for Leni

Video of the Week: Gayyam Ben

In The Know

How Juan Luna became the first Filipino art superstar in Europe
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/art/03/03/22/how-juan-luna-became-the-first-filipino-art-superstar?fbclid=IwAR3gDVRSfTihP8u590gbaGso3Q6tgl4dLmLaHeK9InpNngqe75ppZD7VO4k 

The Invisible, Afflicted Spy Who Led the U.S. Army Into Occupied Manila 
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/josefina-guerrero-spy-philippines-world-war-ii?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fa168b0448-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_03_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f36db9c480-fa168b0448-70947933&mc_cid=fa168b0448&mc_eid=15cc48d2de

The Fascinating Life of Nick Joaquin
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220306-fbnp--nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR046GOUTexCI96sdJXkj9r_k1SRPZWgcircJpfh1BPutSEzka1qXVt5MiQ 

FEAR AND LOATHING IN DUTERTE’S PHILIPPINES: AN INTERVIEW WITH VICENTE RAFAEL

https://fpif.org/fear-and-loathing-in-dutertes-philippines-an-interview-with-vicente-rafael/?fbclid=IwAR1-NNnyIhmTLYw7qs0iZmjrSwRXFbcHjJVJAeybZKLjrVLxen-H834lSw8

This Filipino Visited 160 Jose Rizal Monuments Around the World
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220301-fbnp--filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2I1E6SN0TWGGNoUfjSer07q1QfnCIIACFiBwXlhSlJKK2LWzmeYdZleBg

This Filipina farmer turns heads in Canada—and not just ‘cause of her striking beauty
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/03/07/22/why-this-pinay-farmer-turns-heads-in-canada

Filipino visual artists showcase work in Paris exhibit
https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/04/22/filipino-visual-artists-showcase-work-in-paris-exhibit/?utm_campaign=sharedpost&fbclid=IwAR1PQ7Ru5pxOCpi1WhjcYvrJ50Uu0VMIP8gK1L_o0rgatX6s-Qr38ONxPQg

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

There Will Always Be Spring and Women's History Month

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This week marks the beginning of Women's History Month and one full year of the Covid-19 crisis. Women's History Month is a recurring celebration, and PF wholeheartedly supports the spirit and intent of singling out a month dedicated to honoring women who came before us and the women who are right now making history.

But for the love of god,  let's hope this will be the only year we will commemorate a pandemic anniversary. Will it be too much to ask that Covid-19 be just a bad dream by this time next year? While the vaccines have shown us the proverbial light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, apparently it will take another year  before the activities we have indulged in before Covid, like international travel, will be safe. That is if we humans behave ourselves and follow the protocols. And if the variants turn out to be conquerable after all. Two big ifs.

Meanwhile, let's default to our usual coping routines and await with relish the brighter morning sun, the blooming  flowers, the warmer temps and the longer days. As sure as the hours tick by, spring will soon be upon us. It never fails. 

A Heads-up: Next Wednesday, March 10, Positively Filipino will host a webinar on the incidents of hate against Asian Americans and what we Filipino Americans can do about it. Watch out for announcements on the details. 

Our Stories This Week

On The 50th Year Of Philippine Studies At City College Of San Francisco: Is There Reason To Celebrate?
By Lisa Suguitan Melnick

How The US Derailed Philippine History In 1986 By Walden Bello

A Century-Old Saga: Holy Spirit College On Mendiola Street To Close In 2022
By Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr.

Finding A Lifetime Partner In Ten Lessons By Carolina Esguerra Colborn

Read Again

Lotis Key Kabigting on her need to go home: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/2013/5/going-home

Contributor Carleen Sacris writes about Filipina astrophysicist Dr. Reina Reyes: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/seeing-stars-with-reina-reyes

Cook It Again

The Happy Home Cook: Pesang Salmon (Filipino Fish Stew in Genger Broth with Tomatoes and Spinach) http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/pesang-salmon-filipino-fish-stew-in-ginger-broth-with-tomatoes-spinach

[Video of the Week] Cost of Living in the Philippines

In The Know

John ’79 and Susan Ocampo Make Game-Changing Donation to Innovation at Santa Clara
https://www.scu.edu/news-and-events/feature-stories/2021/stories/john-79-and-susan-ocampo-make-game-changing-donation-to-innovation-at-santa-clara-.html

Vico Sotto: From The Ateneo Classroom To The World
https://www.onenews.ph/vico-sotto-from-the-ateneo-classroom-to-the-world?fbclid=IwAR3hO0N4NplSJre_I3nMmQTfSHXayExZESDyvEfMZS7DxCl5I5mdTX57Tyc

Kids in the Philippines have not left their homes for a year
https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/02/18/kids-in-the-philippines-have-not-left-their-homes-for-a-year?fbclid=IwAR2f4ysQ-qHrne9dGjRS-KPAnDEwkLjLb3S6aDC97uc2S5q4z5D9YA-uJeE

Jordanian art scene’s rising star has Pinoy roots; loves adobo, too
https://dailybread.news.blog/2021/02/18/jordanian-art-scenes-rising-star-has-pinoy-roots-loves-adobo-too/?fbclid=IwAR3OzJr_zCGJ7qQygFw6xXS5Lcudf4X4nbF-eSj8J5ig5UDbza6_uzOi1RU

TONIGHT! REGISTER AT http://bit.ly/anopendoormovie

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

An Astounding Historical Event

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Our series on February 1986 recollections ends this week with "Coup d'etat and People Power," a re-telling of what happened during the 77 hours of the peaceful EDSA People Power Revolt which ended with the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos and the flight of his family and several others to exile in Hawaii. My article's focus is on one side of the military action, the side of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM).

There have been attempts to revise the significance of EDSA, that astounding historical event; some even want to diminish it as just a hiccup in Philippine contemporary history. Well, I was there through it all and I knew then as I know now that it was a transformative triumph of a united people, the likes of which we may never see again in our lifetime.

Here's one reason to watch the Oscar Awards this Sunday: Filipino American Ronnie del Carmen is part of the team nominated for best screenplay for Pixar's acclaimed "Inside Out." He is also one of the co-directors of the film that is nominated for best animation feature this year. Entertainment insider Ruben Nepales features his fellow University of Santo Tomas alum Ronnie in "In the In-Crowd for 'Inside Out'".

How about trying out the "20 Filipino Foods You Need to Try Before You Die," a list compiled by foodie Rene Astudillo. The list includes such exotic names as "sundot kulangot," "dinakdakan," "kwek kwek" and "pigar pigar." Now doesn't that just whet your appetite?

From Rene's list we bring you our Happy Home Cook recipe for this week, the famous Vigan empanada.

Our Video of the Week: Hillary Clinton affirms her support for faster visa processing for family unification, in this one-on-one with ABS-CBN's Bev Llorente. 

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino