At the beginning of 2020, our world was still what we had known it to be. Our daily routines were simple: work; play; love; travel; enjoy.

Two weeks into the year, the Philippines suffered its first major tragedy, but it was localized. Taal Volcano erupted, spewing tons and tons of ashes that turned some parts of Batangas and Cavite gray, forcing large-scale evacuations and rendering farms and orchards dead.

And then Covid-19 happened towards the end of January and, just like that, the world as we knew it was completely upended. Within a few weeks, lockdowns would be imposed in almost all countries, businesses destroyed, international travel banned, and mass deaths became the norm.

We're now on the 8th month of the pandemic and the end is nowhere in sight. In the Philippines, 80 health care groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses have petitioned the government for a "timeout" to recalibrate its strategy (or the lack of it) in fighting the virus because the entire health care system is now in danger of complete collapse, its frontliners exhausted to their human limits.

The US is not doing any better. The country is on top of the list in covid infections in the entire world and every day, records are broken for new cases. Toiling at the forefront, side by side with the doctors and other health care workers are the 150,000-strong Filipino nurses scattered in most states but mainly in California and New York, where they make up about 20 percent of the labor force caring for coronavirus patients. Do a Google search and you'll see many reports on how Fil-Am nurses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Watch our Video of the Week -- a CBS news report by Fil-Am journalist Elaine Quijano on precisely this topic.

Our story this week on Zenei Cortez, the president of the California Nurses Association and co-president of National Nurses United, the US' largest nurses' union, is both a call to action and a tribute to these heroes of the moment, many of whom are our kababayans. PF Correspondent Cherie Querol Moreno reports.

Writer and long-time activist Bonifacio P. Ilagan gives us a capsule post-mortem on the real state of the nation, following President Duterte's address last July 27.

And, if you haven't yet, register for Positively Filipino's webinar on "Immigrants in the Time of Racial Unrest, the Pandemic and Trump" featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Jose Antonio Vargas and veteran immigration lawyer Lourdes Tancinco. The webinar happens on Monday August 10, 6pm PST/ 9pm EST (Tuesday 9 am Manila time). Here's the link: bit.ly/ImmigrantsRacialUnrest.

Stories This Week

A Compassionate Healer And Fierce Fighter For Fellow RNs By Cherie M. Querol Moreno

The State Of The Nation In A Day By Bonifacio P. Ilagan

Master Watercolorist Josė Honorato Lozano—The Sequel By Myles A. Garcia

Architect With A Personal Touch By Rafaelito Sy

Read Again:
Murder Most Foul By Alex Fabros, Jr.

The Happy Home Cook: Instant Pot Beef Caldereta By Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Video of the Week: Asian Americans report increased discrimination, even as some work on the front lines of pandemic

[PARTNER] Watch It Again: Philippine International Aid’s Giving Hope to the Children 2020 Online Fundraiser

In the Know

Philippine capital returning to lockdown as virus surges
https://news.yahoo.com/philippine-capital-returning-lockdown-virus-055713263.html

Meet the Bay Area rapper working on a COVID vaccine
https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/Bay-Area-rapper-COVID-vaccine-Ruby-Ibarra-15450383.php?fbclid=IwAR1A8QZEyXedtt9yNbRqhh3zl_08lP16KKVnxNbotvvZp_YOYMEZ6UoWpMU

Why Filipinx Americans Should Be In Solidarity With Black Lives Matter: Lessons From American History
https://www.facebook.com/notes/filipino-american-national-historical-society-fanhs/why-filipinx-americans-should-be-in-solidarity-with-black-lives-matter-lessons-f/10158420594771602/

On Adobo and Anxiety
https://www.southernfoodways.org/on-adobo-and-anxiety/

Amy Schumer just shared her Emmy nomination with her nanny who is from the Philippines
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/07/30/20/amy-schumer-just-shared-her-emmy-nomination-with-her-nanny-who-is-from-the-philippines?fbclid=IwAR112EuPUsXXD2R31DL-KcyItX07l6euegi5MUvMAF1Rd-alBgsNFV2nktk

In answer to the many requests of those who attended the first of a series of Positively Filipino webinars on "Racism and the Filipino American," held on June 29, 2020, we are posting in this week's issue excerpts from Dr. Michael Gonzalez's presentation on "The Colonial Legacy of Racism Among Filipinos" plus answers to questions posted to him during the webinar that were not answered, due to time constraints.

Likewise, we have Atty. William Tamayo's slide presentation on "White Supremacy and Black Oppression in Law and Society," the US side of the racism issue. We are also posting Bill's answers to questions on this topic.

Our second webinar will be on Monday, July 13 at 6 pm PDT/9pm EDT (9 am Tuesday July 14 in the Philippines). We hope you can join us for this very interesting -- and most likely difficult but definitely thought-provoking--conversation. Seats are filling up quickly so please register now at: bit.ly/PFDifficultConversation

We also invite you to spend this Friday night (Saturday morning Manila time) with Martin Nievera, Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Apl.de.Ap, Ryan Cayabyab and other musical stars for the virtual concert/fundraising of Philippine International Aid. See Partner post below for details. On this one there's no need to register. Just go to Martin Nievera's Facebook page at the designated time and enjoy.