A Valentine for Real Heroes

Tales of real ( as opposed to self-aggrandizing) heroism are always fascinating, and we have one this week. "Col. Edwin Ramsey's War" is Vancouver-based contributor Sandie Gilles' tribute to this American military official who volunteered for the Philippine Scouts in World War II, and who organized a 40,000-strong guerrilla force. His life story has been immortalized into a book and a movie, the better for the younger generation to appreciate his heroism.

Meanwhile, let's take a breather from the [political] passions that are currently consuming many of us, and celebrate an early Valentine's. Read Again some of our love stories:

Historian Ambeth Ocampo's titillating compilation of "Romances in History";

My story on acclaimed "balagtasan" king Jose Corazon de Jesus' daring and star-crossed love affairs, "The Poet and the Women He Loved;" and

Fil-Am historical writer Alex S. Fabros, Jr.'s chronicle of the inhumanity of US laws during the early - to mid-1900s, "When Hilario Met Sally: The Fight Against the Anti-Miscegenation Laws."

And our In the Know links this week:

What Filipino American History Can Teach Us About the Recent Executive Order on Immigration - Dawn Buhulano Mabalon
http://fanhs-national.org/ filam/what-filipinao-american- history-can-teach-us-about- the-recent-executive-order-on- immigration/

Henry Sy Jr., Dado Banatao Back Startup To Help BPOs Cope with Automation Threat
http://www.entrepreneur.com. ph/news-and-events/henry-sy- jr-dado-banatao-back-startup- to-help-bpos-cope-with- automation-threat-a36-20170126

Philippines: The Police's Murderous War on the Poor
https://www.amnesty.org/en/ latest/news/2017/01/ philippines-the-police- murderous-war-on-the-poor/

Below Deck [a report on Filipinos in the cruise ship industry]
https://story. californiasunday.com/below- deck

And then here are some Valentine treats you can make yourself, from Positively Filipino Correspondent and author, Elizabeth Ann Quirino: Flourless Chocolate Cake with Filipino Tablea and Calamansi Frozen Margarita.

Our Video of the Week: a Youtube channel uploaded a documentary on the 1945 Battle of Manila produced by the US Army Pictorial Center.

Standing Up to a Heavy-Hand

This is the worst of times; but it could also the best of times. President Trump disallows the entry of refugees from seven "terrorist" countries. Fortunately, people around the world would have none of it. They showed humanity’s best values of compassion and solidarity by staging firestorms of protests worldwide.

The vagueness of the order led to chaos in ports of entry that victimized even legitimate visa holders. An incident at LAX airport on the day of Trump's inauguration leads us to question whether immigration officials had already been given instructions to stop and question non-U.S. citizens even before the executive order was made public.

Meanwhile, many Filipinos are joining The Resistance as Positively Filipino Correspondent Cherie Querol-Moreno reports in "Marching for Justice Around the World."

On a calmer note, Correspondent Rey de la Cruz profiles Leonardo Cunanan, an artist-musician now based in Canada. Correspondent Anthony Maddela catches up with Stella Abrera, principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe: Beef Chayote Soup from new Correspondent Rene Astudillo.

For our Video of the Week, Mikey Bustos presents the different reactions Filipino pageant fans exhibit during the Miss Universe contest.

Here are our In The Know links for this week:

From the New York Times: Duterte’s Free Birth-Control Order Is Latest Skirmish With Catholic Church

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/world/asia/philippines-free-contraception-duterte.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170127&nlid=57507146&tntemail0=y&_r=1

From The Asia Foundation, Steven Rood reflects on his 17 Years As Country Representative In The Philippines

http://asiafoundation.org/2017/01/18/reflecting-17-years-country-representative-philippines/

From Yahoo, Philippines invasive plant could fuel the country's kitchens

https://www.yahoo.com/news/philippines-invasive-plant-could-fuel-114459236.html?.tsrc=fauxdal

Gung Hei Fat Choy 2017!

Chinese people all over the world will welcome the New Year on January 28 with general merriment, family gatherings, firecrackers, feasts and lucky money red envelops for children. We join the estimated 1.5 million ethnic Chinese in the Philippines in ushering in the Year of the Rooster with a lot of hope for the home that we share.

In this issue Michael Gonzalez revisits the myriad Chinese influences on Filipino culture with “Porcelain and Pansit.” Our peoples’ long history together etched these cultural markings, and it also explains why nearly a quarter of all Filipinos have some Chinese ancestry. Enjoy Michael’s piece with “Chinese Peanut Cookies for the Lunar New Year of the Rooster,” courtesy of The Happy Home Cook. 

This issue also has Rey De La Cruz's “Art for Love's Sake,” which features artist Angelito de Leon David.  

Our Video of the Week is “Filipinas” by Trio Los Panchos. This Spanish group visited the Philippines in 1958 and recorded the album "Siete Notas de Amor," which features Filipino folksongs.