Travel for the Soul

If travel for you also means doing something good for humanity, how about including the Davao School for the Blind in your itinerary? Mona Lisa Yuchengco, our publisher who also founded the Philippine International Aid (PIA), the oldest running Filipino American charity in the United States, recently visited the place and was duly impressed. Read her report, "That Hands May Learn to See," and understand why.

And speaking of travel, have you thought about the best way to document your experiences? Noni Mendoza, our second contributor to do travel sketches (the first one is Jojo Sabalvaro-Tan), shows us his way in "A Sense of Time and Space -- Travel Sketches."

As we continue celebrating Women's Month, here are some interesting Filipino women who have made their mark in their respective fields:

Carol Varga, the fave kontrabida (villain) of Filipino movies of yesteryear, paid tribute to by Rey de la Cruz;

Dr. Reina Reyes, an astrophysicist, introduced to us by Carleen Sacris;

The Untold Story of Sugar Pie DeSanto, jazz singer, as told by Benjamin Pimentel;

The Thoroughly Modern Sofia de Veyra, a feminist before her time, as profiled by Titchie Carandang-Tiongson.

And as we do every week, we compile stories from other publications that may be of interest to you:

How the Philippines Got Asia's Worst Internet Service
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ ralphjennings/2016/02/23/meet- asias-internet-laggard-the- philippines/#55fb73c63df7

British Man on Mission for Justice After Wife Gunned Down in Philippines
https://www.theguardian.com/ world/2017/mar/08/british-man- on-mission-for-justice-after- wife-gunned-down-in- philippines

Ube Cheesecake Is a Fabulous Filipino-American Fusion
http://seattle.eater.com/2017/ 3/3/14802540/hood-famous- bakeshop-ube-cheesecake-fusion

Definitive Philippine Food Map
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ isabellelaureta/pak-na-pak- ang-freshness?bffbphilippines& utm_term=.ajeABAeJj#.jlO5m5l7q

15 of the Best Restaurants in the Philippines Strictly by Reservations Only
http://ph.phonebooky.com/blog/ by-reservations-only- restaurants-philippines/?utm_ source=facebook&utm_medium= social&utm_content= reservations-only-030817&utm_ campaign=social-content

Our Happy Home Cook recipe continues meatless days for Lent. Elizabeth Ann Quirino shares with us her son's recipe for Manila Clams with Pinot Grigio

For Video of the Week, one minute video maker Nas visits the Philippines and discovers the Spanish influences on Filipino culture.

Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

Jordan, Julius and Purple Yam

With the chaos happening now in the Middle East, tourism has taken quite a hit. But it wasn't always that way, nor will it stay that way. As our travel sketcher Jojo Sabalvaro-Tan illustrates in her fascinating drawings, "Sketching Jordan," traveling through that country is a valuable education, a profound experience and a step back in time, where history and tradition dominate the landscape. Definitely a bucket list item, Jordan is. But it might be prudent to wait until peace is established once more.

Our regular food writer Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino introduces us to her cousin Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, the power couple behind Brooklyn's Purple Yam restaurant and the award-winning book, Memories of Philippine Kitchens. After making Filipino food popular in New York, the two have crossed the ocean and returned to their homeland with another Purple Yam, this time in the Besas' renovated ancestral home in Malate, Manila. If you're on that side of the Pacific, be sure to check out the restaurant and partake of Romy's unique Filipino dishes.

Those planning a start-up or a nonprofit would do well to consult Julius Paras, a creative, innovative Filipino American consultant/thought leader/motivational speaker whose heart is definitely in the right place when it comes to helping his compatriots succeed. Contributing writer Harvey I. Barkin profiles him in "Julius Paras: He Came, He Saw, He Wants to Make a Change."

Our video of the week confirms what we suspect all along: Filipino call center workers are the best in the world. We applaud these talented workers and hope that the next generation will evolve into innovators and entrepreneurs.

My blog this week is about betrayals.

Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino