For Filipino Americans, the month of May hits different. It's packed with commemorations that impact who we are, what we carry, and how we show up for each other.

It’s AAPI Heritage Month, Older Americans Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s also Lupus and Arthritis Awareness Month. Then you’ve got days that hit on a deeper level—World Press Freedom Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day. Each one connects to our community in real, personal ways.

And back home? May is fiesta season. If you grew up in the Philippines—or grew up hearing the stories—you already know: this is one of the most joyful times of the year. Lots of food, parades, music, reunions. That kind of energy stays with you, even from across the ocean. Honestly, it rivals December.

We’ll be highlighting these moments through the stories we share this month. We might not cover everything, but we’ll do our best to honor what matters—and make it feel real, relevant, and close to home.

Here's our lineup this week:

"Mama's Last Lesson" by Nanette Carreon-Ruhter, a touching remembrance of her mother's indelible presence in her life;

"The Eye Doctor, The Nurse and the Fine Print of Aging" by Alex S. Fabros, Jr., both heartbreaking and funny on what he has lost and what he has found as he lives through the vicissitudes of age and ailment;

"You Can Go Home Again -- the Blairs Did" by Meyen Quigley, giving lie to Thomas Wolfe's famous line about not being able to return to where you came from;

"Southern Encounters: A 'Mindanawan' Identity" by Patricio N. Abinales, an eye-opening account of his revisit to the region of his birth and its current realities."

We've got more in our Read It Again, our Video of the Week, and our In The Know links below, as well as in our Global News Briefs (In Brief — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora) and Community News sections (Community News — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora).

[Read It Again]

Mother Tributes: Thanks for the Memories, Mom! By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

A Hundred Mangoes in a Bottle by Elizabeth Ann Quirino

[Video of the Week]

Purple Ube has gone global. What it means for Filipino farmers.