Some More Amazing Filipinas

Two amazing Filipinas, a military doctor and a nun, are our headliners this week.

Vice Admiral Raquel Bono, a military surgeon who comes from a distinguished family of doctors and US Navy personnel, was recently appointed by the Obama administration as director of the Defense Health Agency, making her the highest ranking Filipino American woman in the US military. Read about this inspiring lady in "She Keeps the Defense Health Agency Shipshape" by Positively Filipino Contributing Writer Anthony Maddela.

Sister Lerma Serdone of the Religiosas Maria Immaculada rose from poverty, finished college while working as a domestic helper and took her perpetual vows in Rome last year. First-time contributor Candy L. Bandong writes about the uplifting experience of watching her friend's final vow in "Nun of Our Business."

Filipino visitors to London craving for the culinary delights of home will enjoy Mark Corbyn's insider guide, "Where to Get Good Filipino Food in London." Mark, himself a British Filipino restaurateur, also shares with us his restaurant, the Adobros' own version of pork belly adobo in the Happy Home Cook. 

Traveling to Ecuador and the Galapagos, Rey E. de la Cruz introduces Filipinos he met along the way in Pinoyspotting.

As our Video of the Week, we feature the Philippines' champion ice skater Michael Martinez at last weekend's World Championships in Boston. Michael finished 19th even with a seemingly flawless performance. 

Finally, as we remember Bataan this month, Read Again Alex S. Fabros Jr.'s "The Boogie Woogie Boys," about the all-Filipino fighting units in the US Armed Forces in WWII. 

May Philippine Elections -- What's At Stake?

In 40 days, on May 9, Filipino citizens the world over will go to the polls to choose leaders that will guide the country for the next six years. Over 54 million registered voters, including over a million overseas, will elect their choices to fill over 80,000 positions from president and vice president to municipal offices. 

The significance of this election for the Philippines' standing in the world community and for its future is tremendous. The country's GDP growth rate of 6.3 percent has been the highest five-year average in the past 40 years. This has to be sustained. On the other hand, rampant, age-old problems -- unemployment, poverty, unbridled population growth, crime and insurgency -- continue to loom large, and policies and infrastructures have to be in place toward their resolution.

To help inform Filipino overseas voters on the realities on the ground in our homeland, Positively Filipino is posting -- as our only story this week -- ace veteran journalist Marites Danguilan-Vitug's "Personality Politics and Twists of Fate," an insightful overview of the election of 2016. She delivered this talk before the US-Philippines Society and the World Bank-IMF Filipino Staff Association in Washington, D.C. last week. It provides important background that will hopefully help you, the overseas Filipino voter, decide come May 9. As most journalists covering our homeland know, the stories-behind-the-stories are usually more interesting and more truthful than what you read in the news. 

Even as we focus on Election 2016, we won't be remiss in bringing you our regular Happy Home Cook feature: this week it's Canonigo, a Spanish-inspired dessert, for special celebrations. 

Beauty of Spring, Kindness of Neighbors

As the ugliness of terrorism, political rhetoric and bigotry tries to kill our spirits, let's not lose sight of the more important constants in our lives: the beauty of spring; the spiritual renewal of Easter; the kindness of people.

Springtime in Washington, DC is magical, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Read Again Titchie Carandang-Tiongson's fascinating account of how Mrs. Helen Taft (wife of US President William Howard Taft) brought her fond memories of their stint in Manila by having the West Potomac Park designed as a grandiose Luneta. At its 1909 inauguration, the Philippine Constabulary Band was transported to the US capital to participate in the pageantry. "A D.C. Springtime Concert Born in Manila" affirms the contribution of Filipinos to the history of the US.

In the remote rural town of Jagna, Bohol, the kindness of a church community abounds as townsfolk work together to build homes for their less fortunate neighbors. Contributor Menchu Sarmiento in "Balay sa Kabos -- A House for My Neighbor" describes the heartwarming bayanihan efforts of the Balay sa Kabos Foundation led by parish priest Fr. Abet Uy.

Back to North America, as Cuba hits the headlines, Read Again contributor Chibu Lagman's travel story, "Eternamente Cuba," before you buy your tickets to the mysterious island nation.

While Lent means sacrifice and fasting in the Christian world, Easter Sunday is always a celebration, and what better way than to cook a sumptuous dish fit for hungry souls. Positively Filipino Contributing Writer Elizabeth Ann Quirino shares her version of the recipe for Paella de Adobo by Senor Anastacio de Alba, our Happy Home Cook feature this week.

Meanwhile, another Positively Filipino Contributing Writer Anthony Maddela gives us a sneak peak of "They're Watching," a streamed-on-demand movie produced by the Filipino American team of Mark Lagrimas and Rico Jeffrey Garcia of Best Served Cold Productions. Watch it on March 25 after reading "'They're Watching' Could Get Hollywood Watching Too."

My blog this week is on negotiating through Pinoy macho-land.

For our Video of the Week, let's enjoy the simple pleasure of the hit song, "Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko" lovingly sang by an American and a Russian.