Cool and Competent

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There’s probably no business as tough as show business. So, it’s always good for the spirit to see Filipinos and Filipino Americans breaking through in U.S. entertainment. This week we feature rising talents who make us proud.

Stand-up comedians often chided TV medical dramas for not being realistic because the “hospitals” didn’t have any Filipino doctors, nurses, and technicians on their staff. They can chide no more. The hit series The Pitt on HBO Max has memorable Filipino American characters buzzing about the Emergency Department of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Center.

Among them is Dr. Trinity Santos, played by Isa Briones who taps into a reservoir of heavy emotions that Filipinos are known to display in their everyday lives, writes our correspondent Anthony Maddela (Isa Briones, the Cool, Competent Filipina Doctor on ‘The Pitt’). The London-born star had already made a mark on Broadway stages before The Pitt. Read how she runs.

Meanwhile, BINI, a P-Pop girl group riding the candy-colored global K-Pop wave, made quite a splash at the famous Coachella music festival (BINI’s Coachella Breakthrough by Julienne Loreto). Their view count online was second only to festival headliner Justin Bieber’s.

Meanwhile, historian-soldier Alex Fabros shares another part of his memoirs, this time about coming of age amid America’s emerging counter-culture as the dark clouds of the Vietnam War loomed (Chess, Janis Joplin, and My Father’s Herbs).

We’re sharing with you another early access to Episode 2 of Ink and Identity. The Filipino Story team travels to meet Apo Whang-Od, the famous 109-year-old mambabatok (traditional tattooist) of Buscalan, Philippines. This episode begins to explore what Ginhawa means through the lens of a living legend.

[Read It Again]

A Certifiably Sustainable Way of Life by Chiara Cox

In Coron, Palawan: Earth-Friendly Farming with a Side of Eco Tours by Glenna Aquino

[Video of the Week] Filipino Americans Meet Whang Od: Legendary Tattoo Artist of Buscalan

In The Know

San Francisco ceremony honors WWII Asian American nurses
https://asamnews.com/2026/04/14/filipino-and-asian-american-wwii-nurses-honors/?

LOOK: A New Rebel Bakehouse Inside Historic, Picture-Perfect Baguio Landmark 
https://www.spot.ph/eatdrink/the-latest-eat-drink/rebel-bakehouse-bell-house-baguio-a2962-20260330-bsc?utm_source=Facebook-

Why we’re excited about all-kundiman concert at MiraNila 
https://www.thediarist.ph/why-were-excited-about-all-kundiman-concert-at-miranila/

Food’s Vital Role in the Country’s History by Felice Prudente Sta. Maria
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXGq1PlAgwb/

Fact Sheet: U.S. and Philippines Plan the Launch of Historic 4,000 Acre Economic Security Zone to Shore Up Supply Chains
https://ph.usembassy.gov/fact-sheet-u-s-and-philippines-plan-the-launch-of-historic-4000-acre-economic-security-zone-to-shore-up-supply-chains/

The Truth About Sampaguita
https://www.facebook.com/reel/762015443407168

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Staff

Ride the Fire Horse

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We’re already in the second month of the year if you’re following the Christian calendar, but on February 17, the Chinese calendar flips the script with the start of the Year of the Fire Horse. It’s said to be a rare, high-energy year—one that shows up only once every 60 years—symbolizing bold moves, fast shifts, and fiery momentum. No hesitation, no dragging your feet.

Whatever calendar you live by and whatever traditions ground you, here’s hoping this surge of courage and change plays out with purpose—bringing progress that’s peaceful, meaningful, and good for our homeland, our adopted countries, and the wider world we all share.

For Positively Filipino, 2026—the Year of the Fire Horse—will be about both staying true to who we are and pushing forward. We’ll keep delivering the stories you’ve come to expect: deep dives into history and culture (we’ve got two historical pieces this week alone), profiles of fascinating Filipinos across generations, features on creative work, travel essays, first-person stories, and thoughtful looks at the people and politics shaping our communities.

And because we’re always down to level up, we’re adding something new: “Overseas Filipino Achievers”. This expands our long-running and ever-growing collection of short profiles spotlighting Filipino achievers—starting with FilAms, and now widening the lens globally.

That’s where you come in.

If you’re part of the Filipino diaspora outside the Philippines and the US, we’d love your help. Send us names, links, and supporting info about Filipino achievers making waves in your local communities.

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Staff

Not Too Shabby

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The recently concluded Olympics in Tokyo was the Philippines' most successful in its 97 years of participation. A medal haul of one gold, two silvers and a bronze from a delegation of 19 athletes is not too shabby for a country that hardly provides institutional support to its Olympic contenders. Here's an informative wrap-up of the Tokyo games by Olympic historian and PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia. ["Filipino Sports Stars in the Land of the Rising Sun"]

Retired Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes Jr. provides a valuable history lesson on the parallelism between the Spain during its civil war years (1930s) and the Philippine Commonwealth era. He shines a spotlight on Adelina Gurrea, a little-known (in the Philippines) Filipino-Spanish writer of that period who blazed trails with her writing and her life. ["Philippine Echoes of Spain's Civil War"]

K-pop may rule the pop music world today but P-pop, its Filipino counterpart, is making big waves too, according to Harvey I. Barkin who introduces PF readers to BINI, the P-pop girl band which is a creation of ABS-CBN's Star Hunt Academy in cooperation with MU Doctor, the Korean company of dance and vocal trainers that handled such phenoms as BTS. ["P-pop's BINI: Not Just Eye Candy"]

Fully vaxxed people are reportedly embarking on road trips this summer in the US. It was six years ago when my husband and I began our road trip across the US that took us over 33,000 miles and three months. Read Again my first report on our adventure of a lifetime.

For the Happy Home Cook this week, here's a repeat of a popular Filipino street food: Banana-cue! 

For Video of the Week, we feature the mansion Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque.

In The Know

Ilocano Shark: The War Hero Who Won the First Olympic Medal for the Philippines
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/teofilo-yldefonso-a00293-20210805?fbclid=IwAR3njoXsYKmZC-eqpUJRhTqSpbVThLvxnbt0bDb4Y3rPYG1pOF1O0yuX_hY

Will it take another street fighter to defeat Duterte?
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Will-it-take-another-street-fighter-to-defeat-Duterte?fbclid=IwAR2WpcP7gi-4lPkYZ_dj0vZ2-6FEaDGdlcPCLNoUrlOXwsWUqvYyF0vHRXE

Hernández: The Philippines' rich boxing history, revived by Manny Pacquiao, shines at Olympics
https://news.yahoo.com/hern-ndez-philippines-rich-boxing-140654696.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma

Hidilyn Diaz: 5 Things You Should Know About The Filipina Olympic Champion
https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/sports/ph-hidilyn-diaz-5-things-you-should-know?utm_campaign=ASIA_DIG_FULL20210806&utm_medium=email&utm_source=tatlerasia.com

Olivia Rodrigo Was Built 4 This
https://www.gq.com/story/olivia-rodrigo-profile

In Daly City, the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive and Well
https://www.kqed.org/news/11883382/in-daly-city-the-bayanihan-spirit-is-alive-and-well?fbclid=IwAR0l0ydU1V1c64loNd1tFxeFi54noxceEJQLl84Y8_IlmiJaQPYbuX3Rsqg

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino