To Sing in Barcelona

Take a breather from your Christmas preparations and enjoy our stories this week.

In Spain, 34 kids aged eight to 18, all born and raised there of Filipino parents, comprise Coro Kudyapi, a choir whose repertoire is deeply rooted in the culture of the Philippines. In PF contributor Agatha Verdadero's telling, the choir has sang alongside the world-famous UP Madrigal Singers and is already a fixture in Barcelona's annual  Raval Stolstada Fiesta de Carnaval. ("In Spain, Coro Kudyapi Finds Roots and Home in Music")

If you've watched any of the Cirque du Soleil's acrobatic shows, know that behind those death-defying acts is a crew of riggers that control the wires and cables that enable performers' movements in the air. In "Amaluna," the chief rigger is FilAm Emille Morales who has been with Cirque du Soleil for eight years. Morales gives us an idea of what it takes to make circus acts safe in PF contributor Harvey I. Barkin's story. ("Pinoy Rigger Keeps Acrobats, Trapeze Artists Safe at Cirque du Soleil's 'Amaluna'')

And here are some unique gift suggestions to please yourself and/or your love ones this Christmas or any time of the year ("10 Unique Gifts for All Seasons"). Our Happy Home Cook recipe is for a traditional Caviteño soup dish for either your Christmas or New Year media noche from Chef Ige Ramos: Calandracas soup. 

Catch up with some important news (like a possible Filipino pope?) through our In The Know links:

In Tagle, Pope strengthens his Vatican hand and sets up possible successor
https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2019/12/in-tagle-pope-strengthens-his-vatican-hand-and-sets-up-possible-successor/?fbclid=IwAR1pihiZ-vw7eV9t15EiGH6MJNFiYgr5zCCVnBfV0HBC2_Os2zcCBYlM-I0

Vico Sotto's politics: Open to compromise but never to corruption
https://www.rappler.com/nation/246856-vico-sotto-politics-open-compromise-never-corruption?fbclid=IwAR05oqGWOzMPqQOqSuiglLyWbJdOjXcDTlFNezdezL3J21WdBl6qub6Rgk0

Why Many OFWs Remain Poor Despite Working Abroad For Years
https://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/36198-why-many-ofws-remain-poor-despite-working-abroad-for-years.html?fbclid=IwAR3iPQFKVbILHi4h1ibafNjvPytbhIjR6RQ7MrP1H3L1UqT43fPZiXk6kj4

Kulelat!
https://medium.com/@lenystrobel/kulelat-15e4e1a60b53

In Video of the Week, Seattle chef Marcus Samuelsson visits Filipino restaurant Archipelago and infuses Filipino flavors into dry-aged steak.