Our Places in the World

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Filipinos are known for finding places in many corners of the globe to make their home. Necessity often spurs them to do so. In “Landscapes of Diaspora,” we feature the works of Janine Barrera, a young artist who paints as a “global citizen with a Filipino aesthetic” and one who is grateful for the new home she has found for herself.

Meanwhile, former career diplomat Virgilio A Reyes revisits one of his temporary homes in search of footprints of a French ancestor. “A ‘French Leave’ in Paris on a Eurailpass” is Part 2 of his series on returning to Europe 50 years after he was an exchange student on the continent in 1972.

Some compatriots are able to find success in the old sod and generously try to better our common home. One such Filipino was the late business leader-philanthropist Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco. Positively Filipino Publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco tells of her family’s loving commemoration of her late father’s 100th February birthday. His loved ones recalled his “A Legacy of Compassion,” which was rooted in his conviction that an enterprise should aim for a “social return on investment,” or use private investment for the public good. Fittingly, The AY Foundation continues to render assistance to employees of the Yuchengco Group of Companies and their children, as well as to the most vulnerable in Philippine society, through scholarships and health care and skills development programs. Ambassador Yuchengco’s philosophy in action makes sure that his legacy of compassion will last well beyond the 100 years he spent in this world.

And more of the noteworthy Fil-Ams in our 43rd edition of the remarkable and famous.

Read Agains: 

Romances In History by Ambeth R. Ocampo

Second Springs by Cathy S. Babao

A Year Of God’s Sweet Time by Corito Fiel

Cook It Again: The Happy Home Cook: Scampi And Crab Pasta by Bernie Cervantes

[Video of the Week] Can Filipinos be Superstitious and Scientific? 

Breaking the Tabo’s Sapphire Sandalo talks about the background oof some of our superstitions and their acceptance into the mainstream.

What Makes Us Smile?

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What makes us smile?

Acts of kindness, heartwarming stories, lost loves found, music and food and the sweet memories that they bring forth, old photographs, family gatherings, heroes in our midst, remembrances of pets and experiences, etc. etc. Each of us have our own smile triggers. What's yours?

This week we start a new series that we hope will inspire you to share your happy space. Send us a story that makes you smile, be it a vignette or an anecdote, a picture with an extended caption, even a screenshot. 

PF Correspondent John Silva's brief Facebook post for Father's Day that celebrates his dad and Pride Month is one such story.

Another post that went viral (so widely shared that we can no longer identify the original author) is that of a local hero, Delfin Angeles, a retired teacher who has started an informal school in his barangay in Laguna. 

PF will of course continue to introduce you to people of Filipino heritage who are worth knowing, like a Bridge Generation Fil-Am jazz musician Michael Montano who is profiled by another Bridge Generation stalwart Peter Jamero, and our ongoing list of Fil-Ams among the Notable and Famous. 

We likewise celebrate Pride Month with stories from our archives:

Read Again:

A Love Letter To My Dad And “Mom” by Nikki Villas
Listen To Your ‘Tita Aida’ by Rafaelito Sy

Now that summer is officially here in the western hemisphere and temperatures are breaking records, here's a treat for the Happy Home Cook's family http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-happy-home-cook-mango-refrigerator-cake

Our Video of the Week: Pre-Colonial Adobo