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

First it was Alex Eala—our kababayan tennis phenom—shaking up the sport. It’s not just her climb in the rankings; it’s the energy. If you’ve seen clips of her matches, you know: the crowd shows up loud, proud, and very Filipino.

Then came a proud Fil-Am moment on TV. Kristin Villanueva, Isa Briones, and Amielynn Abellera—all playing nurses on "The Pitt"—hit the stage together at the Screen Actors Guild Awards to accept Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Fil-Am nurses on-screen, winning as a team? Yeah, that hits different. [See "Princess and 'The Pitt'" by Anthony Maddela below.]

And then last weekend? History. Autumn Durald Arkapaw—with that unforgettable name—became the first woman, first woman of color, and first Fil-Am to win Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards for "Sinners." Bay Area–raised, shaped by her Filipina mom, her tita, and her Kapampangan lolo (a WWII guerrilla and Death March survivor—grabe that legacy). Her speech? One of the night’s realest moments, honoring the women who made space for her to even be there.

Also making waves: Zinzi Evans-Coogler, lead producer of Sinners, becoming the first Fil-Am nominated for Best Picture—alongside her husband, Ryan Coogler, and Sev Ohanian. Power couple, but make it groundbreaking.

This Women's History Month, Filipinas in sports and entertainment aren’t just having a moment—they’re building momentum. And honestly? It feels less like a blip and more like the start of something long overdue.

This week’s stories:

Princess and ‘The Pitt’ by Anthony Maddela

Ceramic Art Across the Seas by Brian delos Santos

Before Our Dream Came True by Joel Jong Clemente

[Read It Again]

Standing Room Only by Lotis Key

Pinky Valdes’ Winding Road to Healing by Mona Lisa Yuchengco

Warmth by Durin Chappe

[Video of the Week] Autumn Durald Arkapaw talks about Oscar nomination, Filipino roots

[Partner] Philippine International Aid’s U.S. Scholarship

In The Know

‘If I go home, we don’t have enough money’: the low-paid Filipino workers caught up in the war on Iran