September 23, 2026

A Fitting Curtain-Raiser

September 23, 2026/ Staff

This week, we celebrate the vibrant creativity of our FilAm community, from a forthcoming book exploring the manongs and their complicated relationships with taxi dancers in 1930s America, to a viral original song for tennis phenom Alex Eala, to an event showcasing Mindanao-inspired textiles and garments, and a grand dance production honoring our legacy artists and culture bearers. Across generations and artistic expressions, our community continues to enrich the American cultural tapestry in ways both profound and exhilarating. What a fitting curtain-raiser for Filipino American History Month this October!

And yet, even as we celebrate our blossoming cultural life here in America, our hearts remain tethered to the homeland. The Philippines is once again caught in the weighty proceedings of the vice president’s impeachment trial, where a seemingly technical question—the number required to constitute the voting members of the Senate impeachment court—could have profound consequences for the nation’s political future. In this issue, Ben Olivas, Esq. takes us through the constitutional history and identifies two words that, he argues, could have spared the country this controversy.

Finally, it is the time of year to revisit one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history: martial law. For us in the diaspora, the miles between us and the homeland do not diminish our duty to remember, to honor those who suffered and resisted, and to pass their stories on to the next generation. Memory, after all, is not merely an act of looking back; it is an act of standing guard. And wherever we maybe in this world, we must never allow the darkness of that era to be forgotten, diminished, or repeated. [Read Again our stories on martial law below]

This week’s stories:

What Does Two-Thirds of All Members of the PH Senate Mean? And What a Difference Two Words Make! by Ben R. Olivas, Esq.

Love and Hard Times by Titchie Carandang

A Fight Song for Alex by Gary Manalus

From Mindanao Dream-Makers, to the World by Elaine Joy Edaya Degale

A Crowning Ritual for ‘Living Ancestors’ Comes to San Francisco by Priscilla Cortez

[Read It Again]

Note From the Underground by Patricio Abinales

Martial Law Stories: The “Torture” of Playing for Miss Universe 1974 by Ceres Jacinto

My Years with Marcos (Opposing Martial Law) by Jose T. Almonte

Raping Sugarland by Ian Rosales Casocot

[Video of the Week]

Edjop (dir. Joe Cuaresma) (1987)

In The Know

Forgotten Island Is a Joyful, Manic Filipino Fiesta—Even With The American Accents
https://www.spot.ph/entertainment/movies-music-tv/forgotten-island-review-a6866-20260918-bsc?

H.E.R., Liza Soberano Celebrate Filipino Roots in ‘Forgotten Island’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxgaHYVRGto

LIVES WELL LIVED | The remarkable journalism journey of 'Eggie' Apostol
https://insiderph.com/lives-well-lived-the-remarkable-journalism-journey-of-eggie-apostol?

Husband appeals for information after OFW-wife hanged self
https://www.sunwebhk.com/2026/09/husband-appeals-for-help-after-ofw-wife.html?

Filipino cancer patient Tatay Loreto reunited with family after ICE detention | Agenda North America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms6ttB-R6H8

September 09, 2026

The Love of Grandparents

September 09, 2026/ Staff

We’ve all heard the joke: “If I’d known grandkids would be this much fun, I would have had them first!” It’s said with a wink, but ask any grandparent and you’ll find some truth in it. There’s a special joy in loving a child without having to shoulder all the responsibilities of raising one—and, when the little ones get cranky or the lolos and lolas get tired, there’s always the wonderful option of sending them home to Mom and Dad. A luxury parents, of course, can only dream about.

Grandparents Day falls on September 14, and we’re marking it with two heartwarming stories about that extraordinary bond between grandparents and grandchildren. In one, a granddaughter (Cebu-based Phoebe Gwynn Francisco) celebrates her deep love for her Lola; in the other, a Nana (PF publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco) revels in the affection of her grandson. There’s nothing extraordinary about either story—and perhaps that’s precisely what makes them beautiful. In a world that sometimes seems increasingly divided and disconnected, the uncomplicated love between grandparents and grandchildren reminds us of something enduring: some bonds transcend generations, distance, and circumstance.

And then there is another kind of love—the world’s newfound love affair with ube.

For generations, Filipinos have known and savored this vibrant purple crop, turning it into halaya, ice cream, pastries, breads and countless other treats. Now ube has burst onto the global food scene, appearing everywhere from gourmet bakeries to supermarket freezers. But as demand grows, an important question follows: Will Filipino farmers share in the bounty of ube’s newfound popularity, or will big business once again capture most of the profits from a crop that has been part of our heritage for generations? Philippines-based PF writer Rene Astudillo takes us inside the rise of ube as an emerging cash crop—and the opportunities and challenges it brings to the farmers who grow it.

Meanwhile, a high school junior, Sophie Festejo, pays tribute to a corner of Queens, New York, that has earned a name familiar to many Filipinos: Little Manila. Its very name tells a story—a story of immigrants who carried more than suitcases across the ocean. They brought their food, language, traditions, memories and sense of home, creating a community that, generations later, continues to keep a piece of the Philippines alive.

From the love of a Lola to the ube fields of the Philippines, from a grandson’s embrace to a little corner of Queens, this issue celebrates the many ways Filipino connections endure. They live in our families, our food, our communities—and in the generations that carry them forward.

[Read It Again]

My Close Call on 9/11 by Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba (Ret.)

After 9/11 by Gemma Nemenzo

Book Review: The Story of a Life by Criselda Yabes

[Video of the Week]

What Eala-Mania Really Shows Us About Filipinos

In The Know

Alex Eala's interview on CBS Mornings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Tvxa1x9PU

Lea Salonga makes history with Hollywood Walk of Fame star
https://usa.inquirer.net/208430/lea-salonga-makes-history-with-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star?

Olivia Rodrigo Is Doing It All, and From the Heart
https://vogue.ph/magazine/olivia-rodrigo-september-october-2026-cover/?

Silent Book Clubs Are Giving Manila's Introverts a New Way to Socialize
https://www.spot.ph/arts-culture/the-latest-arts-culture/the-rise-of-silent-book-clubs-a5229-20260731-dyn?

Filipino-born aunt, Air Force nephew charged in alleged U.S. citizenship fraud scheme
https://www.filipinoreporters.com/post/filipino-born-aunt-air-force-nephew-charged-in-alleged-u-s-citizenship-fraud-scheme?

August 26, 2026

Beyond Remittances

August 26, 2026/ Staff

The Philippines’ global presence is often measured through familiar indicators—remittances, migration numbers, and the achievements of the 11 million-strong Filipino diaspora. In this article by Toronto-based professor and PF contributing writer Cesar Polvorosa, Jr., he invites us to look beyond those measures and recognize a deeper, less visible resource: the relationships, knowledge, opportunities, and networks that Filipinos build wherever they go. From communities in Canada to connections forged through sports, culture, and entrepreneurship, the Filipino diaspora has become an increasingly important bridge between the Philippines and the wider world.

This is the idea captured by what he calls Filipino diasporic capital: the collective value created by Filipinos who carry their skills, experiences, relationships, and aspirations across borders. As this article argues, the challenge before the Philippines is no longer simply to acknowledge the sacrifices of its people abroad, but to understand and engage the extraordinary network they have already built. The Philippines is already a global nation—and its people abroad may be among its greatest assets in shaping what comes next. We can only wish that our homeland's leaders will be able to recognize and harness such rich potential for the national good.

*****

In this issue we are reposting a report from AsAmNews about the rebuilding efforts in Lahaina, Hawaii whose population is 40% Filipino. The fire of August 2023 that wiped out Lahaina's historic downtown, decimated hundreds of homes and structures, and killed over a hundred, is considered the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in the last 100 years.

*****

Read as well chapter 81 of our popular series, FilAms Among the Remarkable and Famous. And a profile of Vince Tañada, lawyer/playwright/theater and film director and actor.

[Video of the Week] Building Communities: A Tribute to our Manongs and Manangs 2026

{Read It Again]

We are reposting here some of the articles contributed by the acclaimed poet/writer Marra PL. Lanot who passed away on Sunday, August 16. This is our way of saying goodbye and thank you for her honoring Positively Filipino with her writings.

Of Fireflies and Firebrands by Marra PL. Lanot

Remembering Nick by Marra PL. Lanot

The Beatles in the Philippines by Marra PL. Lanot