Making Waves

To be a farmer in the Philippines is to be poor. That's the prevailing view of many, in this age of El Niño, market competition and continuing feudalism. Expert plant nematologist Romulo Davide seeks to reverse both the perception and the reality on the ground by asserting that "Farmers Deserve to be Rich." Davide has established the Farmer-Specialist Training Program (FSTP), an ambitious and already successful project to give Filipino farmers technical empowerment and attitudinal change to improve their lot. Read about this visionary scientist and his inspiring program from contributor Manuel Hizon, in this week's lead story.

We got media credentials for the Pacquiao-Bradley rematch last week so sportswriter Irwin Ver went to Las Vegas to watch it live. Here's his report "Watching Pacquiao's "Last" Fight."

Going back in time, first-time contributor Collis Davis reacted to our post, "A D.C. Springtime Concert Born in Manila" by Titchie Carandang-Tiongson by sending us this story about Col. Walter Howard Loving, the African American conductor of the Philippine Constabulary Band which played at the inauguration of President William Howard Taft. Loving's love affair with the Philippines ended tragically during WWII, as Collis Davis narrates in "Leader of the Band."

Positively Filipino Contributing Writer Elizabeth Ann Quirino tells us about Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley, sisters who are making waves in England as food activists, TV personalities and cookbook authors. The two have come up with their second cookbook (available this month in the US) called Good + Simple, with 140 healthy recipes inspired by their Filipino culinary heritage. Watch Out World, they're British-Filipinos and they're poised to become international successes. 

The Hemsley sisters also provide us with their "Tahini Date Fridge Fudge" recipe in this week's Happy Home Cook feature. Yummy and healthy, it certainly is.

We join the celebration of Earth Day this month with our Read Again story: "Saving Nemo," a hard look at the lucrative ornamental fish trade threatening the Philippines' blue environment. Gregg Yan reports. 

Another Earth Day feature: introducing the magnificent Philippine Eagle in our Video of the Week. 

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.