When El Niño devastated Mindanao in 2015, thousands of Lumads (indigenous peoples) suffered as their crops died and famine began to grip the land. No aid was forthcoming so thousands of them embarked on a long march from Surigao to Quezon City in a heroic effort to bring attention to their plight and push the government to action. Among them was Marlinda Indao of the Matigsalog tribe of Bukidnon, who described their situation to Rochit Tañedo in "Birthing in the Time of El Niño: Marlinda's Story."

A strong woman of an earlier era is the lead character of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's latest novel, The Newspaper Widow. PF Correspondent Lisa Suguitan Melnick jots down her impressions of the book in "An Enjoyable Period Piece."

Back to the present, Sta. Rosa, CA-based professor Leny Mendoza Strobel writes about Monica Anderson, a yoga teacher, who will be her next guide as she begins the retirement phase of her life. Monica, a third-generation FilAm who runs a fitness studio, is descended from sturdy Ilocano folks, part of the first-generation Filipino workers now known as the manongs.

As we take time out to observe Holy Week, here's a Read Again: Images of Semana Santa, taken by our contributing photographers. For those of us who can't be in our motherland, here's a link to Rappler's virtual "Visita Iglesia," our Video of the Week.

And for your Easter meal, how about making Corned Beef Sinigang, a delicious recipe shared by our PF Correspondent and food expert Elizabeth Ann Quirino.

Our In The Know links this week:

Eclipsed by Cesar Chavez, Larry Itliong's Story Now Emerges
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/eclipsed-cesar-chavez-larry-itliongs-story-now-emerges-n423336

A Taal Tale: Why This Town is More Than its Popular Volcano
https://www.realliving.com.ph/lifestyle/travel/a-taal-tale-why-this-town-is-more-than-its-popular-volcano-a00170-20170110?ref=article_related

18 Places You Would Never Have Imagined Were In The Philippines
https://www.buzzfeed.com/isabellelaureta/san-ka-pa?utm_term=.akVNMYdnx#.qqg408yEj

One Down: Filipina MC’s unite, slay colonial patriarchy on track
http://eltecolote.org/content/en/arts_culture/one-down-filipina-mcs-unite-slay-colonial-patriarchy-on-track/