The Gifts of Our Fathers
/As we mark both Rizal Day (June 19) and Father’s Day (June 21) in this issue, our stories reflect the meaning of these occasions for Filipinos across generations and across borders.
We begin with two moving tributes to fathers whose lives left an enduring mark on their sons. Alex Fabros shares the final words of his father, offering a glimpse into the sacrifices and resilience of a generation of Filipino workers who built their lives on American soil while carrying their homeland in their hearts.
First-time contributor Arniel Brown turns to Prince’s iconic “Purple Rain” as a lens through which to honor his father—a Vietnam veteran, husband (and later widower) to two Filipino women, and a janitor in his later years. Through his son’s eyes, he emerges not as a celebrated public figure, but as the kind of everyday hero whose story deserves to be remembered.
In our Rizal feature, first-time contributor Kahlil Corazo explores how José Rizal’s experiences abroad can help us better understand the Filipino diaspora today. Drawing from historian Filomeno Aguilar’s work on Rizal, Corazo shows how the ilustrados of 19th-century Europe wrestled with many of the same questions Filipino migrants and Filipino Americans continue to face: balancing multiple identities, confronting racial stereotypes, reconnecting with precolonial heritage, and defining who belongs within the Filipino community. Rather than seeing today’s diaspora identity debates as something new, Corazo argues that they are part of a much longer Filipino story of living between cultures.
We also feature the remarkable story of the Locsin clan, a reminder that Filipino roots can span centuries and continents while still sustaining a strong sense of family, identity, and purpose. From Agustin Locsin (Sin Lok), a Chinese migrant who settled in Iloilo in the 1750s, has grown a family network of more than a million descendants whose contributions have touched public service, business, architecture, the arts, journalism, and community development. More than a genealogy, the Locsin story illustrates how heritage, cultural memory, and a commitment to service can connect generations of Filipinos wherever in the world they call home.
And speaking of the Filipino diaspora, here's part 5 of our recurring compilation of Filipino Overseas Achievers by our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco.
[Read It Again]
My Dad, a Daring Dreamer by Mona Lisa Yuchengco
José Rizal and His Dueling German Friends by Penélope V. Flores
Rizal +: A One-Stop Shop for Everything Rizal by Francis Layf Custodio
[Video of the Week] How Did The Philippines Become One Of Asia's Most Unequal Countries?
In The Know
This Filipino Priest from Ermita is on the Road to Sainthood
https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/newsfeatures-peopleparties/filipino-priest-cesar-maria-guerrero-road-to-sainthood-a2793-20260405-bsc?
U.S. House Resolution Honors 120 Years of Filipino Immigration to Hawaiʻi
https://www.filipinoreporters.com/post/u-s-house-resolution-honors-120-years-of-filipino-immigration-to-hawai%CA%BBi?
These 5 Philippine hotels just scored a spot on Michelin Guide’s list
https://usa.inquirer.net/199092/these-5-philippine-hotels-just-scored-a-spot-on-michelin-guides-list
TIMELINE: Most destructive earthquakes to hit the Philippines since 1990
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/timeline-most-destructive-earthquakes-hit-since-1990/?
How deadly Philippines earthquake raised seabed and extended shorelines for hundreds of metres
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/philippines-earthquake-seabed-raise-shoreline-extension-b2995719.html?
Meet the Winner of ‘Top Chef: Carolinas’
https://www.foodandwine.com/top-chef-season-23-winner-11993200?
Why Jollibee said yes to one NorCal man and his 15-franchise dream
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/george-almeida-jollibee-franchisee-22292078.php
