Proud of Our Rainbow

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We’re kicking off Pride Month with what else but an inspiring LGBTQ+ story.

Taylor Sheesh — the stage persona of Mac Coronel, the viral Filipino drag performer whose uncanny tribute to Taylor Swift captured the hearts of Swifties around the world — is the subject of an upcoming documentary, Taylor Sheesh: A Swiftie Love Story. The film is directed by acclaimed Filipino American filmmaker Ramona Diaz, whose award-winning documentaries include Imelda, Motherland, and A Thousand Cuts.

Why the shift from the weightier subjects Diaz is known for? As writer Mima Holt reports, the director explains: “I have always been drawn to spectacle, both big and small. Throughout my career, I have focused on stories about gender and identity. So when Mac Coronel, also known as Taylor Sheesh, captured my attention in 2024 during the widely publicized Eras Tour, I was immediately intrigued.”

Meanwhile, at the University of San Francisco, a major honor was bestowed on one of the most influential Filipino Americans of our time. Jose Antonio Vargas — the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, content creator, and tireless advocate for immigrant rights — received an honorary Doctor of Humane Studies degree, honoris causa. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s most courageous voices for undocumented immigrants, Vargas delivered a powerful commencement address to graduates of USF’s College of Arts and Sciences graduate school. We also invite readers to explore the conferment speech delivered by PF Publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco. ["To You, 'These Yet to Be United States'"]

As we celebrate Pride Month, we honor the contributions, resilience, and stories of LGBTQ+ members of our Filipino and Filipino American communities. We stand in solidarity with those working toward a more inclusive and equitable world, and we remain committed to amplifying voices that reflect the rich diversity of our community.

This Week’s Stories:

Taylor Sheesh, a Swiftie Love Story by Mima Holt

To You, ‘These Yet to Be United States’ by Jose Antonio Vargas

Cirio Siblings Prove Ballet Is Alive and Well by Anthony Maddela

[Read It Again]

Bourdain’s Last Famous Badass Words by Chef Claude Tayag

A Love Letter to My Dad and “Mom” by Nikki Vilas

My Father and Gay Pride by John L. Silva

[Partner] New Green Card Processing Rules Create Fear and Chaos in Immigrant Communities

[Video of the Week] Filipino labor leader Larry Itliong being remembered on Farmworkers’ Day

In The Know

Olivia Rodrigo Tried Writing Love Songs. Then Life Got Messy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/arts/music/olivia-rodrigo-new-album-interview-popcast.html?

Pinay Biotech Founder Using AI to Advance Medicine
https://www.facebook.com/reel/884155078050999

Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals is historic Filipino Am representation
https://asamnews.com/2026/05/31/knicks-vs-spurs-nba-finals-is-historic-filipino-am-representation/

Jordan Clarkson and Dylan Harper on what it means to represent the Philippines
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZGHdSbxFCJ/

DTI sees ube, calamansi as export 'rising stars' amid coconut gains
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/989675/dti-sees-ube-calamansi-as-export-rising-stars-amid-coconut-gains/story/?

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Staff

Far from Our Beginnings

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As Filipino Americans have spread across the United States, our community has moved far beyond the fields and labor camps where many of our manongs and manangs first began their American journey in the early 20th century. Today, FilAms are making their mark in every profession and industry imaginable. So it’s no surprise that even NASA’s Artemis mission includes Filipino Americans helping shape the future of space exploration. Four of them — along with eight other outstanding FilAms from different fields — are featured in publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco’s latest compilation, “FilAms Among the Remarkable and Famous, Part 78.”

And then there’s Alexandra Eala — a name Filipinos around the world now proudly recognize. The young tennis sensation has been drawing unexpectedly massive and passionate crowds, catching tournament organizers off guard and showing just how deeply Filipinos rally behind one of our own. Although her world ranking has shifted from No. 29 in March to No. 37 this month, her impact continues to grow. Toronto-based economist and professor Cesar Polvorosa Jr. examines how Eala’s rise in a sport long viewed as elite in the Philippines — along with her unapologetic embrace of Filipino pride — is reshaping how Filipinos see themselves on the global stage in “Sampaguita on Center Court: What Alex Eala Means to Filipinos.”

Did you know that in one of the world’s last authentic paradises, honesty isn’t just encouraged, it’s actually a way of life? In Batanes, the Philippines’ breathtaking northernmost province, some stores operate without cashiers or staff. Customers simply leave payment in a drop box and take what they purchased. Hard to imagine these days, but in Batanes, trust and community still reign. Veteran journalist and podcaster Howie Severino takes readers on a journey through the islands’ scenic landscapes, how they have resisted the vulgarity of malls, chain stores and other modern influences, and have remained true to their deeply rooted values in “How To Be Like Batanes,” reposted from GMA Network.

Meanwhile, recent headlines about U.S. immigration rules have caused understandable concern among aspiring immigrants, especially those worried they may now be required to return to their home countries to apply for green cards. But the reality is more nuanced than the alarming headlines suggest. To help separate fact from fear, we’re reposting veteran immigration attorney Lourdes Tancinco’s clear and reassuring explanation of what the new policy changes actually mean. 

[Read It Again]

FIFA Gets a Kick Out of LeRoid David’s Poster Design by Wilfred Galila

Barotac Nuevo, Where Football Is King by Criselda Yabes

[Video of the Week] Recovered steamer trunks showcase history of Filipino American farmworkers

We're Building Lives Everywhere

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One of the challenges — and joys — of publishing a weekly online magazine like Positively Filipino for the global Filipino diaspora is grasping just how vast and varied that diaspora truly is. More than 10.2 million Filipinos — about 11% of the Philippine population — now live and work in over 100 countries, across every imaginable profession and walk of life. More than four million are in the United States alone. Imagine the stories they carry with them: stories of migration and memory, sacrifice and reinvention, longing and belonging.

We are only beginning to tell them.

To capture the full breadth and depth of the Filipino diaspora would take far more time, resources, and generations of storytellers. Still, in our own modest way, we continue the work of gathering, preserving, and sharing these lived experiences — one story at a time.

This week’s stories reflect the richness and complexity of that global Filipino journey:

In “The Elderly Filipino Men of ’A‘ala Park,” Dr. Federico V. Magdalena remembers the once-familiar sight of aging Filipino men gathering in an Oahu park. Many had arrived in Hawai‘i in the early 20th century as sakadas, laborers recruited for the sugar plantations. Long after their working years ended, they returned to ’A‘ala Park to swap stories, relive memories, and find community among fellow migrants who had shared the same difficult passage. Today, the men are gone, and the park is no longer what it once was.

“Why Baja? Why Not?” by Rudy D. Liporada explores a question many Filipino Americans wrestle with at retirement: where is home now? Rather than return permanently to the Philippines after decades in the United States, one couple chooses to settle in San Felipe, Baja California — close enough to drive to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Their choice reflects a growing but still uncommon path: remaining geographically near family while living outside both the US mainland and the Philippines.

In “When Waymo Stalls, Who You Gonna Call? Pinoy Agents, That’s Who,” Anthony Maddela highlights an unexpected intersection of American innovation and Filipino expertise. When Waymo’s driverless cars in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix run into trouble, they are often remotely assisted by Filipino fleet support agents working from the Philippines — a quiet but powerful reminder of how deeply Filipino talent is woven into the technologies shaping the modern world.

Meanwhile, “Siargao Locals Wearying of Growing Israeli Presence” by Rene Astudillo examines the diaspora story from the other side: what happens when foreigners establish their own enclaves in the Philippines. Set in the surfing haven of Siargao, the story explores rising local unease over the growing Israeli presence on the island and the tensions that emerge when global mobility transforms local communities.

And finally, our Video of the Week takes us to Barcelona, where Filipinos are building lives far from home while striving to recreate the warmth, solidarity, and community spirit that shaped them in the Philippines. Wherever they may be in the world, Filipinos continue to find ways to make home with one another.

[Read It Again]

Surprise! A Filipino Table in Tbilisi by Jennifer Fergesen

A Filipino Community Grows in Ireland by Diane Sabenacio Nititham

Positively Filipinos – in China by Jaime FlorCruz

In The Know

Mothers know best: How 2 Filipina nurses built a mom community in London
https://www.rappler.com/people/human-interest/filipinas-marian-gureng-mary-vergara-community-moms-london/?

During Cancer Treatment, Writing Kept Me Going. My New Book Offers Hope in the Age of AI (Exclusive)
https://people.com/during-cancer-treatment-writing-kept-me-going-exclusive-11971710

UP Mindanao opens School of Medicine to address physician shortage
https://mb.com.ph/2026/05/11/up-mindanao-opens-school-of-medicine-to-address-physician-shortage?

Got it from mama: Filipino athlete-mothers whose children also pursued sports
https://www.rappler.com/people/athletes/filipino-athlete-mothers-children-pursued-sports/?

What Can We Learn from ‘Filipino Time?’
https://joysauce.com/what-can-we-learn-from-filipino-time/

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Staff