Death and Life

Death has not been a stranger to anyone this past year and a half. The steady and unrelenting drip drip of news of someone's passing has become a numbing reality. Some weeks are worse than others and the emotional toll can  vary -- a little sadness for those you never got to know personally, a few tears for those you did know but were not that close to. And then there are those that are heavy as a mountain, when the loss leaves one deeply grieving. Such was the impact of the sudden passing of well-known revolutionary activist Sixto Carlos Jr. on my co-editor, Rene Ciria Cruz, whose poignant eulogy to his kasama and kabayan (they both grew up in Pandacan) is a fitting tribute to a man who lived a consequential life. ["My Friend, Sixto Carlos Jr."]

It's never all gloom and doom however. Positively Filipino publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco celebrates the long and eventful life of Delfin Gonzalez, who is now 107 years old and still hale and healthy. This man she calls Tito Delfin was the subject of her first film, "66 Years, 2 Months, 21 days…and Still Counting" made in 2009 when he was just 95. ["The Indefatigable Delfin Gonzalez"]

Contributing writer Leny Mendoza Strobel writes the inspiring story of Justin Jones whose quest to connect to his Filipino roots has given depth and impetus to his civil rights activism. ["Justin Jones – Black, Filipino, Civil Rights Activist"]

And speaking of inspiration, if you're a church goer, chances are you've sang "Time to Change," a popular inspirational song composed by Atek Jacinto, the musical director whose other claim to fame is his being the "creator" of the famous Circus band of the '70s. Many who remember the song say it's an appropriate time to revive it, considering the political situation in the Philippines. ["'Time to Change' -- How It All Began"]

Part 27 of Fil-Ams Among the Remarkable and Famous includes artists, community leaders, corporate professionals and the mother of Jo Koy. 

Always delightful, always delicious. That's Sandy Daza's cooking as showcased in the Metro Channel's Casa Daza. For the Happy Home Cooks this week, enjoy Sandy cooking classic favorites: Kare-kare, Bistek Tagalog and Adobo. 

For Video of the Week, we feature the episode of ANC’s “Our Fragile Earth” on Pujada Bay and Sarangani Bay.

[PARTNER] Deadline To Register For Overseas Voting For The 2022 Philippine National Elections

In The Know

How this Filipino accountant escaped Taliban forces in Afghanistan and made it to PH alive
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/08/31/21/how-ofw-escaped-taliban-forces-made-it-to-ph-alive

The death of my daughter Kerima
https://www.thediarist.ph/the-death-of-my-daughter-kerima/

A Local's Guide to the Philippines
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/locals-guide-philippines-050000495.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma

IN PHOTOS: The stunning wooden library that earned PH its first award at Venice Biennale
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/09/04/21/this-library-won-ph-its-first-award-at-venice-biennale?fbclid=IwAR18nFG4ybRsQl7IJb8iXc6G3c6avrGQwDgCvj7Gq57vvautqQgZ4wTuoqg

Here's the Real Story of Batibot's Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/batibot-pong-pagong-kiko-matsing-a00289-20200907-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20210901-fbnp-long-reads-batibot-pong-pagong-kiko-matsing-a00289-20200907-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR1c86gRTO4S8JJH-lVaIpq-5PKGN14ytdHpb1d8gggde4vx1ayu6w0ziLY

These memorable commercial jingles you grew up with were composed by Jose Mari Chan
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/09/01/20/these-memorable-commercial-jingles-you-grew-up-with-were-composed-by-jose-mari-chan?fbclid=IwAR1GK7eb1_jsfUvAWZUk2uExA4_ltBw10Fyaq8HqFzbr_pLBBTH63RT3gvk

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Motherly Dedication

When my Positively Filipino colleagues -- Mona Lisa Yuchengco as publisher and Rene Ciria Cruz as editor -- pioneered Filipinas, the first glossy magazine for and about Filipino Americans in the early 1990s, they had to dig deep into the community and search for stories about and by Filipinos in America. Now, more than 20 years later, we can't keep up. In various publications, by a wide range of writers, stories about the Philippines and Filipinos here and abroad are being printed and posted. We try to keep you abreast two ways: our In Brief section which provides capsule news items about developments that affect or interest Filipinos everywhere; and our In The Know weekly listing of links to stories in other publications that we feel you should read in full. Here's the In the Know lineup for this week:

My Family's Slave
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/lolas-story/524490/?utm_source=atlfb

At 100 or So, She Keeps a Philippine Tattoo Tradition Alive
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/world/asia/tattoo-artist-kalinga-buscalan.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1

Pinay girl rejected from UK grammar school turns out to be having an IQ higher than Einstein’s
http://kickerdaily.com/posts/2017/05/pinay-girl-rejected-from-uk-grammar-school-turns-out-to-be-having-an-iq-higher-than-einsteins/

Warriors' Stephen Curry helps Cupertino family after teen's tragic death
http://abc7news.com/sports/warriors-curry-helps-cupertino-family-after-teens-tragic-death/1981313/

Zamboanga del Norte students trek dangerous mountain trail to school
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/kapusomojessicasoho/335838/zamboanga-del-norte-students-trek-dangerous-mountain-trail-to-school/video/

With 30 reported cases every single day, the HIV tragedy is cause for very grave concern in the Philippines, as PF Correspondent Rene Astudillo reports in "On Tita Bootz’s Bucket List—Stop New  HIV Infections." Fortunately, there are community advocates and caring souls like Bootz Yabut who are pitching in to help curb the spread of the disease.

As a postscript to the warm, fuzzy Mother's Day tributes, another PF Correspondent John Silva celebrates his unconventional and controversial mother, Helen Ledesma, in "My Unmom Mom."

And for San Francisco Bay Area martial arts denizens, contributor AJ Ruiz writes about the winningest martial arts school in "The Way of Eskabo Daan."

For our Happy Home Cook recipe this week, we go back to healthy -- a vegan version of the traditional favorite, kare-kare, from Richgail Enriquez. 

Our Video of the Week, we feature the story behind the popular Cebuano-speaking Americans of the Hey Joe Show on You Tube.