Pride Amidst the Sorrow

Summer has arrived in the western hemisphere and with it come the fragrance of flowers, the aroma of barbecues and the piercing heat of high temps. June is also Gay Pride Month and this year, the traditionally raucous and colorful celebrations are tempered by the senseless tragedy in Orlando, Florida. We join the world in mourning the dead and in celebrating love, as Broadway stars, including Filipino American Joey Llana (currently playing the King of Siam in “The King and I”), gather to passionately sing the Burt Bacharach hit, "What the World Needs Now Is Love."

Wife-and-wife team Lisa Dazols and Jenni Chang has come out with a documentary on the "supergays" who are leading the charge for LGBT rights worldwide. Contributor Manzel Delacruz writes about the making of "Out and Around," which was filmed with the help of the beloved singer Pilita Corrales, in the Philippines.

A recent live event on Facebook organized by Manila Valley founder and CEO Chris Peralta brought together startup CEOs from the Philippines and some Silicon Valley stalwarts to talk about the future of the Philippines’ high tech sector. Contributor Harvey I. Barkin reports on how our homeland can play a big role in evolving the Internet of Things, as discussed during the event.

If summer means gardening, our regular contributor Lotis Key regales us with her story on how she "accidentally" joined the hordes of budding horticulturists in "In My DNA."

From Paris, Watch Again the interview by blogger Randy Diaz and Joyce Ibardolasa of Chef Aaron Isip who won the coveted Trophee Espoir from Gault and Millan last year.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week, La Paz Batchoy, Iloilo's soup delicacy, from Rene Astudillo.