On the Eve of Change

Have you been through a time when you know without any doubt that the world as we know it is about to change beyond our control? At around this time 30 years ago, the entire Philippines was in limbo as the snap election of February 7, 1986, intended to stabilize the volatile political situation, instead threw everything into chaos as the two opposing forces, Cory Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos, each claimed victory. The situation was ripe for explosion as our Countdown to the Revolution vividly documents, with part two focusing on the election itself and its aftermath. We all knew what happened and how the month ended, but re-living those days of uber-tension is almost cathartic for me, as I hope it is exciting for you.

In San Francisco this month, Jessica Hagedorn's acclaimed play, Dogeaters, based on her novel of the same name, is running in the Magic Theatre. Elaine Elinson, who had interviewed the Fil-Am author two weeks ago, writes a review of the theatrical presentation, which she tags as a definite must-watch. Enjoy "Dogeaters Distills the Time of the Conjugal Dictatorship" and buy yourself a ticket.

From Southern California, Positively Filipino Correspondent Anthony Maddela tracks down Cedrick Argueta, the Filipino-Salvadoran who got a perfect score in theAdvanced Placement Calculus AB exam, one of only 12 teenagers in the world to do so. His Filipino mother, Lilian, talks about how she and her husband, Marcos, are raising their son, now the popular math phenom. 

And from Crestwood, Illinois, Rey E. de la Cruz writes about a neighborhood gem, Philippine Cuisine and Groceries. 

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week is Escabeche, the fried sweet-sour fish that is a great favorite among Filipinos.

And our Video of the Week: a short documentary from The Guardian on how the Aetas in the Philippines are fighting mining companies.

Love and Revolution

If history is theater, February 1986 will be highlighted in Philippine history in bold, bright marquee lights. It was a whirlwind month with the political situation changing almost every day, moving at a pace quite unheard of in our homeland, leaving everyone barely enough time to reflect. There was no doubt however that a big change was on the way, so palpable and anticipated that the normal functioning of a nation was put on hold while the people awaited the events' unfolding.

In this issue, we begin a series intended to take us back to that fateful February when the political status quo was smashed and our country reeled with the turmoil of revolt. "Countdown to the Revolution: The Snap Election" is a story I culled from my notes and my writings as a freelance journalist then who was just as caught up with the excitement of being part of and witness to history being made.

But we also haven't forgotten that February is also the month of love, and to celebrate we have:

• "Romances in History" by Ambeth R. Ocampo, a Read Again piece tells us that history is not always about turmoil and cataclysmic changes, but also about people and romance;

• "Spouse It's About Time" by John Silva, whose 40-year love relationship with Jonathan Best culminated in their wedding in the city where they met and fell in love;

• "'When I Am Six Feet Below the Ground'" by Lourdes Santos Tancinco pays loving tribute to an exceptional priest, the late Monsignor Fred Al Bitanga, who demonstrated to his parishioners that loving the way of God is not just empty rhetoric;

• "Table for Two," our Happy Home Cook feature by Rene Astudillo, is another Read Again that presents recipes for a romantic Valentine's Day meal; and

• For our Video of the Week, revisit our story and Mona Lisa Yuchengco's film on centenarian lawyer Delfin Gonzalez.

Battles Political, Literal, Physical

Like it or not (and many of us don't like it), politics will take center stage this year as both our homeland and the US hold their presidential elections. The upside of these, of course, is the wealth of materials that satirists and comedians will have at their command. Rene Ciria Cruz, our editor who is also the bureau chief of Inquirer.net for North America, fires the initial volley with "Scientists studying ailing PH senator's miraculous recovery." This is satire, dear readers, so no need to get into emotional knots about it.

From the present to the past, contributing writer Larry Ng who writes from Australia, takes us back 75 years during the Battle of Manila that started February 4, 1945. In "Ordeal by Fire," the gruesome realities of war is juxtaposed with the unexpected kindness of fellow victims. Larry's family story is painful but is ultimately inspiring since it restores faith in human nature.

In the San Francisco Bay Area which is currently awash with tourists and festivities for the Super Bowl, the biggest sports event in the US, Dr. Elaine Serina, an expert in bio-mechanics, is on alert. Her firm, Talas Engineering, specializes in scientific analysis of accidents, and the SuperBowl events are ripe for such eventualities. Beyond her professional expertise, Serina is a strong advocate of empowering Filipina women in the field of engineering. Positively Filipino Correspondent Elizabeth Ann Quirino writes about this amazing role model.

And for our very special Super Bowl Video of the Week, veteran broadcast journalist Lloyd LaCuesta, along with videographer Ken Guanga, brings out the Filipino flavor to the festivities with their interview of Jordan Norwood, the Denver Broncos' wide receiver whose Filipino roots run deep. Norwood talks about his pride in his mother's heritage and about his brother, Gabriel, who currently plays for the PBA in Manila. Our video team also had a brief chat with Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach who is covering the Super Bowl for CNN's Inside Edition, and with Stephanie Rivera, the Filipina wife of the Carolina Panthers' head coach Ron Rivera, whose grandfather is Filipino. We hope you enjoy our exclusive Super Bowl video. 

For the hundreds of thousands of balikbayans and other tourists enjoying the Philippines right now, here's a re-post of Manuel Hizon's award-winning article, "11 Great Beaches You Probably Haven't Been To." Often the best vacations are in off-the-beaten-track places. Just saying.

Our Happy Home Cook feature, Scampi and Crab Pasta, an easy-to-make dinner recipe from Bernie Cervantes, a documentary photographer who used to have her own restaurant in UP Diliman.