Some More Awesome Women

A renowned artist living in a small town in France, a former movie star, an indigenous healer and educator, an international socialite -- these are the dynamic, independent Filipino women who fill our pages this week as we continue to celebrate Women's History Month.

Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi writes about how living in Limeuil, one of France's most beautiful small towns, has inspired her art.

Lotis Key recalls her exciting days as a rookie theater actress in Standing Room Only, the dinner theater troupe at the late, lamented Hotel Intercontinental in Makati.

Regular contributor Lisa Suguitan Melnick profiles Nati Delson, culture bearer and healer, who brings to the US her rich Kankanaey spiritual traditions.

Our publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco tells us about her childhood classmate, "The Stunning Isabel Preysler" whose life has taken some interesting turns. 

And Read Again Titchie Carandang-Tiongson's winning piece on "The Thoroughly Modern Sofia de Veyra," an early feminist who astonished Washington, D.C.

For our Happy Home Cook feature:  a vegan Filipino Crab Cake Omelette perfect for Lent.

For Video of the Week, photographer John Tronco captures a dancing traffic enforcer in the Philippines and creates a video set to Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean.”

Awesome Filipinas

One of the delightful benefits of putting out a magazine is getting stories of Filipinos who are so inspiring that merely reading about them makes one feel elevated. On the occasion of International Women's Month, enjoy these stories by women aboutwomen who are definitely worthy of emulation:

Dr. Reinabelle Reyes, a young astrophysicist, recognized by the international scientific community for leading a study that proved Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Carleen Sacris, herself an accomplished educator, profiles this awe-inspiring woman in "Seeing Stars with Dr. Reina Reyes."

Dr. Helena Z. Benitez, educator, civic leader, former senator and former president of the Philippine Women's University, is lovingly written about by her niece. Read Again "Travels With My Aunt" by Lyca Benitez-Brown, a well-known TV producer, who wrote this story when Dr. Benitez was 99 years old. She's now turning 102 and still going strong. 

Clemencia Lopez, one of the founders of the Philippine Feminist Association in 1905, dared go to the White House (the first Filipino to do so) to talk to then-President Theodore Roosevelt and plead for the freedom of her brothers who fought in the Philippine-American War. This is another Read Again by Lyca whose illustrious genealogy includes Ms. Lopez.

Award-winning author/journalist Criselda Yabes reveals her thoughts about "Manila Life" today, the stark reality of which is that it is quickly becoming unliveable. 

Speaking of inspiring, the two winning essays of the 30th Anniversary EDSA/People Power Essay Writing Contest, by young Filipino Americans Josh Severn and Jon Luigi Abella Caña, present some worthy food for thought. 

And a peek into Positively Filipino Correspondent Myles A. Garcia's new book, "Thirty Years Later...Catching Up with the Marcos-Era Crimes," to be launched at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco on Friday, March 11 (everyone is invited): "The True 'Tail' of the Persopolis Bash 45 Years Ago."

For our Happy Home Cook feature this week, a perfect dish for Lent: Adobong Okra from the late culinary diva, Nora Daza. 

Finally, do you think the Philippines is paradise? See for yourself in our Video of the Week feature. 

Women Power

We join the celebration of Women's Month with stories by, about and for Filipino women, so keep reading us in the next few weeks as we honor those that hold up half the sky. Like artist Imelda Cajipe Endaya, as profiled by Serina Aidasani in "Presents from the Past." Her art is inspired by her passion for Philippine history and her exploration of what it means to be Filipina in today's world.

And then there's author F.H. Batacan whose book, Smaller and Smaller Circles, a whodunit set in Metro Manila's Payatas garbage dump, won the Palanca Memorial Award, the Philippine National Book Award and the Madrigal-Gonzales Best First Book Award. The murder mystery is considered the first Philippine crime novel. This must-read book, now international distributed, is reviewed by veteran journalist Ben Pimentel.

In "Looking for My Father in Cuyo Island," contributing writer Gia R. Mendoza revisits her family history as she returns to the island of her birth where her father was once the resident physician. It was an eye-opening, nostalgic journey for her and she shares the experience with us.

Our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, likewise shares her thoughts on the joys and the challenges of returning to our homeland, something which she does regularly but still looks forward to and savors. "Four Funerals and a Surgery" is something most balikbayans can relate to.

And here's something you might want to Read Again: Journalist Aurora Almendral's profile of Henry Motte Muñoz, a French-born Filipino whose crusade against corruption led him to set up a social enterprise called Bantay PH. Motte Muñoz was recently named by Forbes magazine as one of "30 Under 30" outstanding young people to watch out for. 

Our Happy Home Cook featured recipe this week is an easy one for dinner: Ginataang Tilapia from Rene Astudillo.

And our Video of the Week: from the Broadway hit "Hamilton," creator and lead actor Lin-Manuel Miranda introduces new Filipina cast member, Karla Puno Garcia, in this rap song "!0 Taglish Duel Commandments."