Our Net Gain–Alex Eala

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The current darling of the Philippine sports scene is tennis phenom Alex Eala. The 20-year-old is now the highest ranking Filipino in Women's Tennis Association (WTA) history at number 56. Just a few weeks ago, Alex played at Wimbledon against defending champion Barbora Krejcikova of Czechoslovakia. Though she wasn't able to beat Krejcikova that time, the tennis world took notice. The general outlook is it will only be a matter of time before Alex will be vying for the championship. 

Here's a little known fact about her background: her first tennis trainor was her maternal grandfather, Bobby Maniego, who grew up in the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman. When Alex was a little girl, Maniego would take her to the UP tennis court for practice. Unfortunately, the grandfather passed away before his granddaughter started making her mark in world tennis.

Veteran sports columnist for Business Mirror Tessa Jazmines shares her story on Alex Eala.

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In another arena, a Filipino girl group is just as sensational. BINI, composed of eight multi-talented Filipinas, has exploded into the BINIverse and recently performed at London's OVO Wembley Arena. PF contributing writer Julienne Loreto was there and shares her unforgettable pride not just as a certified Bloom(s), often stylized as BL∞M(S), the BINI fandom, but as part of the huge Filipino community in the UK who came in hordes to support its own.

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The street heroes  of Binondo is the subject of a photo essay by a journalism student, Mikaelah Bianca Panopio, based on her interviews with the street vendors and workers, and her photos of them.

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"What to the immigrant is the 4th of July?" In this timely essay that clearly resonates in these days of extreme uncertainty, Jose Antonio Vargas eloquently dissects the effects of recent government actions on those who are the subject of unwarranted scrutiny and harassment. First published in Time magazine and reposted with the author's permission, the essay is food for thought and action.

Read It Agains: 
Boy Camara Superstar by Bella Bonner
Kapwa, Bayanihan, Makibaka! The FAJ Story by Susan V. Tagle
My Bacolod of Sights, Sounds, Smells by Lilia V. Villanueva

[Video of the Week] The History of Filipino Women That Schools Never Taught Us

In The Know

From Bohol to the World: The Heartfelt Journey of Song of the Fireflies
https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/movies-and-tv/the-making-of-song-of-the-fireflies-a3690-20250703-lfrm2?

Today I Learned: The Makahiya Plant Is an Aphrodisiac
https://www.esquiremag.ph/life/sex-and-relationships/today-i-learned-makahiya-aphrodisiac-

First Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz hints she might teach at UP
https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/7/6/hidilyn-diaz-hints-she-might-teach-at-up-1115

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Staff

Our Sports Hall of Famers

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It may come as a surprise to this Instagram generation familiar with the accomplishments of Manny Pacquiao, Hidilyn Diaz, EJ Obiena and Carlos Yulo that once upon a time, during their grandparents' and even their parents' lifetimes, the terms "Filipino" and "sports champs" were very rarely used in the same sentence.

Once in a generation, there might have been a Flash Elorde or a Eugene Torre or a Paeng Nepomuceno who dazzled with their prowess, but they were flashes-in-the-pan, so to speak -- rare occurrences. Thus, it's no surprise that in the long history of sports, only ten Filipinos so far have been recognized as Hall of Famers in their respective arenas. Our Iloilo-based contributing writer Vicente Salas introduces the "Filipino Sports Greats and Hall of Famers," a slim list that will soon expand.

Nearer to the present, Fil-Am small businesses, other than the usual karinderya, hardly made a ripple even in the Fil-Am community beyond their neighborhoods. Today, Fil-Am entrepreneurs like Raibyn Cabiling of San Diego have established a presence in both mainstream and social media, peddling such products as t-shirts, headwear and an innovative "barongorak" that invokes Filipino culture. PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela reports.

The itch to travel is universal but does it have to be done alone? PF contributing writer Ian Layugan dissects the different facets of traveling solo, and presents words of caution and the challenge of daring.

What does it take to be surrogate mother/caregiver/mentor to a chess prodigy? Lotis Key, once a star in Philippine movies and theater, found herself assuming that role and wrote about it. Read Again "A Traveling Fool." http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/a-traveling-fool

His name no longer rings a bell so PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia reintroduced him to a new audience. Read Again "Before Elorde and Pacquiao, There Was Luis Logan" on a boxing hero that should not be forgotten. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/before-elorde-and-pacquiao-there-was-luis-logan

Always a comfort food, here's Sizzling Bangus Sisig for the Happy Home Cook: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-happy-home-cook-sizzling-bangus-sisig

[Video of the Week] The Fight Over Manila's Last Forests: Masungi Watershed

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