Old Soldiers' Bittersweet Celebration

Veterans Day (last Monday) in the US is a bittersweet event for Filipino veterans of WWII. While they share in the celebration, they are also reminded of the unjust Rescission Act of 1946 which stripped them of the post-war benefits promised them by the US government for fighting alongside US forces. In time for this year's commemoration, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) released a brief documentary, "Duty to Country -- Remembering Our Veterans and Families" as the first phase of their education efforts to tell the story of Filipino WWII veterans. Watch the video on their site and share it with everyone you know. 

Another film that's making waves is "The Kingmaker," a full-length documentary by Lauren Greenfield on Imelda Marcos, whose legendary and continuing outrageousness is on full display. Author/publisher and regular PF contributor Cecilia Manguerra Brainard writes the review. ("The Kingmaker' Shows the Fragility of Democracy")

A Finn who teaches Filipino? Meet novelist/teacher Riitta Vartti who does that and more: not only does she speak Filipino fluently and teaches the language to Finns, she has also put together a Finnish-Filipino/Tagalog-Finnish dictionary. Chicagoland-based contributor Christian Gabriel Pareja writes the profile. ("A Finn Who Teaches Filipino")

For those cold nights, here's a perfect comfort food: Creamy Beef Macaroni Soup by Rene Astudillo.

Our In The Know links this week:

The new US Chess Champion is now ranked no. 2 in the world and opponents fear he’s still getting better.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-new-us-chess-champion-is-now-ranked-no-2-in-the-world-and-opponents-fear-hes-still-getting-better/2017/06/05/640f4c6a-49fd-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html?fbclid=IwAR00lS3p8LaunbW70A2zdeQdUXYNcQWNbOh3pRx_lEu45dw-j61jOtf2t74#comments

A Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist (VC) and his 5 advices for Start-ups
https://jqnomics.com/2461/a-silicon-valley-venture-capitalist-vc-and-his-5-advices-for-start-ups/?fbclid=IwAR1jbGdJfnDDGKK-B-HN3ssWcFCaGIZZCLuwIE0GAoq94uZtQnGBm_Cdyec

Seattle’s keeper of Filipino American history is an 87-year-old volunteer, and replacing her may prove difficult
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-keeper-of-filipino-american-history-is-an-87-year-old-volunteer-and-replacing-her-may-prove-difficult/?fbclid=IwAR115Jfd_OkuYkUp7Ns4LlXHWr6NnOctwVTjTaoLLrh3VGapbuclnUWn7ic

#MakingFilipinxAmericanHistory: 14 Filipinas in Tech
https://medium.com/women-of-silicon-valley/makingfilipinxamericanhistory-13-filipinas-in-tech-58bcd8ed9fd9

For video of the week, Youtube’s Top10 World channel lists the top 10 most beautiful cities in the Philippines.

Calamities, Natural and Man-Inflicted

So much sadness and anger this week as the US grapples with three mass shootings that resulted in 29 deaths in different parts of the country. The Philippines, where killing is officially sanctioned, is not spared the agony of violence. Currently however, natural disasters are taking center stage there. 

The big one is the series of earthquakes in Batanes, which destroyed the solid, typhoon-resistant structures of Itbayat, one of the islands in the Batanes chain. To get a feel of what it was like and the aftermath, we called on Dorian Merina, a Fil-Am journalist who has chosen to settle in Batanes, to give us a report. Read "A Deadly Quake Tests Batanes' Tradition of Resiliency," also to find out how to help.

Back to the US, the Trump administration has started the process of revoking the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program which allows the families of Filipino veterans to join them in the US. Immigration lawyer Lourdes Santos Tancinco explains how the early termination will work and what to do if you're affected by it. (Partner Post: What the Impending Rescission of the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program Means to the Veterans Families)

In the city of Markham, Ontario, a larger than life statue of Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal is unveiled, to celebrate Canada's first Filipino Heritage Month last June. The statue was created by Filipino Canadian scuptor Ignacio "Mogi" Mogado Jr., who's passionate about letting the world know about Rizal. Toronto-based writer Marisa Roque tells us the story in "Rizal Honored in Ontario."

PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia educates us on the fascinating evolution of the carnival (aka karnabal or perya) in the Philippines, tracing its colonial roots and noting its new iterations. "Did I Stay Too Long at the Fair?" is a fascinating read that you'll surely enjoy. 

It's Buwan ng Wika (National Language Month) in our homeland. Read Again poet/author Marne Kilates' "Why the 'F' in Filipino and How Did It Get There" to be updated on the new realities of the Filipino national language. 

For the Happy Home Cook this week, we borrowed a recipe from the famous chef Nora V. Daza from her book (co-authored by Michaela Fenix) A Culinary Life: Personal Recipe Collection: Ampalaya with Braised Beef. 

And our In The Know links, ICYMI:

Dark Web connects PH to mass shootings in US, Filipino pols’ vanities
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1151006/dark-web-connects-ph-to-mass-shootings-in-us-filipino-pols-vanities?fbclid=IwAR2T-QaA8ZGwP8isI2wfvyrO23pkIm4zpQaqvVyZUThIrr5rk4YL68osw3A

Care.com Founder to Step Down as CEO Months After WSJ Report
https://www.wsj.com/articles/care-com-founder-to-step-down-as-ceo-months-after-wsj-report-11565089901

Pogo workers in their midst: Notes from an ‘invasion’
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1147812/pogo-workers-in-their-midst-notes-from-an-invasion

She Was Filipino Food’s Greatest Champion. Now Her Work Is Finding New Fans.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/dining/filipino-food-doreen-fernandez.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage

For video of the week, South China Morning Post featured Jollibee and how it became one of the world’s biggest companies from Asia.

Three Commemorations and a Headache

Our Vancouver-based contributor Sandie Gilles writes a fitting Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Canada) tribute not just to our valiant fighting soldiers, but also to her mother, Dr. Alice Benitez, who is actively promoting the Filipino veterans' cause in speeches and during the recent awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, DC.

A commemoration of a century-old miracle is bringing thousands of Catholic pilgrims to Fatima, among them our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, who brings us her pictorial essay on her pilgrimage and the Filipinos she met along the way.

And another commemoration: on the 4th anniversary of the devastating super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, American film producer/director Nick Spark, who was there shortly after the disaster happened to shoot his award-winning documentary Right Footed, returns to Tacloban and finds a markedly different -- and inspiring -- scene.

Back to the present and immediate future: the proposed House Republican tax reform bill hits home for seniors like Evangeline Canonizado Buell, who has to contend with senior ailments, rising health care costs and, if the bill passes, possible penury. We're posting her testimony here that she delivered during a press conference in San Francisco on the real-life effects of the bill.

For those of you who wondered where you got your surname, here's a popular Read Again:
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-filipinos-got-their-surnames

And our In The Know links for this week:

Why should Trump care about thousands killed, when there are deals to be done?https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/14/trump-thousands-killed-us-philippine-presidents-duterte-drug-war?CMP=share_btn_fb

Thirty countries use 'armies of opinion shapers' to manipulate democracy – report
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/14/social-media-influence-election-countries-armies-of-opinion-shapers-manipulate-democracy-fake-news

Meet the Filipina supervising animator behind the upcoming Pixar film Coco
http://nolisoli.ph/27957/meet-filipina-supervising-animator-behind-upcoming-pixar-film-coco/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1510052894

Butterfly in the Spring's feature on Sunshine Puey
https://butterflyinthespring.com/2017/11/11/sunshine-puey/

Thanksgiving in the US is just a few sleeps away but before you indulge yourself in rich, fatty, cholesterol-laden dishes, how about enjoying a meal of Vegan Filipino Spaghetti? Vegan chef Richgail Enriquez lends us her recipe.

Our Video of the Week features a a little boy with a big achievement: Enzo Cox, a Filipino American, delivers a stirring TED talk.