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.

Good News and Bad News

First the sad news: Typhoon Kammuri aka Tisoy has wreaked havoc in the Philippines, particularly the Bicol region, with 175kph winds close to its center and gusts of up to 240kph.

And the good news: Filipino athletes are gifting the country with a deluge of medals in the ongoing SEA Games. As I'm writing this, the medal haul for the Philippines is 47 golds, 30 silver and 16 bronze, and still counting. Here are some of the gold medal-winning performances: 

Carlos Yulo in men's gymnastics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3CoBaPhn7Q

Agatha Wong in Wushu Taijiquan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJYoAS76gag

Hidilyn Diaz in Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_jxiQLJQRI

The euphoria and pride for our athletes have allowed us to put the ugliness of the pre-games embarrassment in the back burner, albeit temporarily. For now, let's savor the excitement and lament nature's wrath -- the constant yin and yang of our homeland's fate.

On December 8, another Ms. Universe extravaganza will take place, a beauty contest that is dear to the hearts of Filipinos. And of course there's both a bright and dark history to this pageant as far as Philippine participation is concerned. PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia ferrets out the details in "How to Stage a Billion Peso-Plus Beauty Pageant." 

Still thinking of what to give this holiday season? Books always make the best gift. Check out Walter Ang's "2019 Holiday Gift Guide: Books by Filipino Americans."

And if you're in Southern California or planning to go there, a new Filipino restaurant called Bebot - Filipino Soul Food (emphasis on "soul") in Long Beach will cater to your Motherland longing, as Los Angeles-based PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela reports in "A Filipino Restaurant for Filipinos." 

Bebot's chef/owner AC Boral shares his recipe for Mushroom & Kale Laing.

Some links for your reading pleasure:

The Lonely and Dangerous Life of the Filipino Seafarer
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/30/world/asia/philippines-mariners-cargo-ships.html?fbclid=IwAR1UsPcpG46wy2r3L_AoWPXQN-_GKNuspEqxl9skKGmy2p_1z8IDjBA-IpI

Jones Bridge
http://www.lougopal.com/manila/?p=472&fbclid=IwAR19gyYCR9XnnJ2wzadQdHRXz-a6NtSxBjXoUNI0xIH4gbR8YNhfxYIKK_I 

The first Filipino movie star in Hollywood is a woman
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/25/19/the-first-filipino-movie-star-in-hollywood-is-a-woman?fbclid=IwAR13QxyeetTsXobolZIRlHVpr0CGlZfxaHs9lndXyR2e3KF7NB408f-tRvo

Beloved Serg’s stages a comeback
https://business.inquirer.net/284034/beloved-sergs-stages-a-comeback?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR11I6QuS8EOnPhUdS8O7J9GELExmR5kceuOkUdnoWQ96SnpUQww-D_7eb0#Echobox=1574551044

For Video of the Week, Wunderman Thompson Philippines delivers a heartwarming Star Wars-themed ad for Globe Telecom.