Life Lessons from Manongs

In last Monday's Positively Filipino webinar, our guest raconteurs Alex Fabros Jr. and Oscar Peñaranda regaled us with insider stories about life among the manongs on the farms of Salinas, California and in the salmon canneries of Anchorage, Alaska. Both knew whereof they speak -- Alex grew up and worked with them and Oscar spent 15 summers of his youth as an Alaskero (cannery worker). To that generation of Filipino culture bearers, the two attribute lessons in work ethics, joy, appreciation, cunning, survival, courtship and most importantly, building community. To listen to their stories (if you missed the webinar), here's the recording: Memories Of Fil-Am Life On The Farms And In The Canneries Of The West Coast

Our next webinar is the first of our forthcoming series on FilAm Trailblazers and it will feature two community heavyweights: California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye in a rare public appearance and Major General Antonio Taguba (Ret.). We hope you join us this coming Monday, October 26, 2020. Register here: http://bit.ly/filamtrailblazers

As this year's Filipino American History Month (FAHM) begins to wind down, here are two stories you have to read:

American-born Filipino/Japanese citizen Amadio Arboleda tells us his complicated and definitely unique life. ["My Audacious Filipino Journey"]

US citizen John Silva, writing from Manila where he now resides, relates how voting in a US election is worth going through hell and high water (or at least, an attempt at voter suppression) for him, a son of a war veteran. [A Ballot from Manila]

Here's another recommended book list for your FAHM reading from San Francisco Public Library's Abraham Ignacio Jr. [Book Recommendations For 2020 Filipino American History Month]

And another intro to notable Fil-Ams from our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco. [Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 10

Read Again: 

Robert V. Ragsac Sr.'s "Forget Them Not" 

Alex S. Fabros Jr.'s "Murder Most Foul" 

For the Happy Home Cook, here's a repost of Chef Romy Dorotan's  (Purple Yam in Brooklyn) Beef Shortribs Adobo, definitely a winner. 

For Video of the Week, young Fil-Am comedian JR De Guzman makes an appearance on Harry Connick, Jr.’s show.

In The Know

I Went to a 'Filipinos for Trump' Rally. Here's What I Found
https://www.colorlines.com/articles/i-went-filipinos-trump-rally-heres-what-i-found?fbclid=IwAR3G9ywtAiOrqRFyO11IPw_woeqW6B0MHoAdPCPEMb1x067-TunCqdpveaA 

‘Buried alive’: ‘The Celine Archive’ uncovers young Filipina’s horrific 1932 killing in Delta
https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/2020/10/11/buried-alive-the-celine-archive-documentary-uncovers-filipinas-1932-horrific-killing-delta/5918519002/?fbclid=IwAR3DiI-ahEP-vPE-4x6_5JfUSC398lFYaFCwsTLAs2jF8MHSa2NncmVyP_M

Exulting in a tribute to our National Hero
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2018/11/26/1871613/exulting-tribute-our-national-hero/amp

From 800, it’s now a 10,000 waitlist for Filipino flavor Kora doughnuts
https://thefilam.net/archives/32996?fbclid=IwAR2BiaxeMD0YevN0RXwkaJkYaacJjE-ivyg7CeBfYet53gFE6WriDXGktAE

 

Mothers All

No words can adequately express a mother's sorrow over a child's death, but two years after her son, Robby, was fatally shot, journalist/author Pati Navalta Poblete has channeled her grief into a book, A Better Place: A Memoir of Peace in the Face of Tragedy. Cathy Sanchez Babao, one of very few professional grief counselors in Manila, writes a review. The remarkable Pati has also founded the Robby Poblete Foundation, dedicated to buying back guns, which are then dismantled and the materials transformed into art pieces by Bay Area artists.

Another heart-rending story is our Video of the Week, "My Mother's Heart," featuring veteran (and retired) Fil-Am broadcast news reporter Lloyd La Cuesta's meeting with Sierra Jamieson Grande, a woman seeking information about her late mother, whom Lloyd interviewed in 1984 before and after her heart transplant. 

Switching now to our homeland, PF Correspondent Criselda Yabes visited the heritage town of Vigan, Ilocos Sur and takes us with her in "Vestigial Vigan."

With the British Royal Wedding coming up, PF Correspondent and world wanderer Rey de la Cruz spotted some Filipinos in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Be In The Know with our collection of links this week:

She Was the Enemy of Philippine President Duterte and Her Fellow Judges Just Sacked Her
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/05/11/she-was-the-enemy-of-philippine-president-duterte-and-her-fellow-judges-just-sacked-her/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4d463a4c59ec

Butchered rhino unearthed in Philippines suggests the origin of ‘hobbits’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/human-origins-hobbit-philippines-rhino-south-east-asia-flores-a8335241.html

Chinese Money Triggers a Dizzying Rally in Manila Property
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-03/in-china-s-new-gambling-hot-spot-property-prices-are-on-a-tear

Overlooked No More: Leticia Ramos Shahani, A Philippine Women's Rights Pioneer
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/05/09/obituaries/overlooked-leticia-ramos-shahani.html

Our Happy Home Cook recipe, Rene Astudillo's Chilled, Fresh Sayote Fruit Salad.

Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino