Motherly Dedication

When my Positively Filipino colleagues -- Mona Lisa Yuchengco as publisher and Rene Ciria Cruz as editor -- pioneered Filipinas, the first glossy magazine for and about Filipino Americans in the early 1990s, they had to dig deep into the community and search for stories about and by Filipinos in America. Now, more than 20 years later, we can't keep up. In various publications, by a wide range of writers, stories about the Philippines and Filipinos here and abroad are being printed and posted. We try to keep you abreast two ways: our In Brief section which provides capsule news items about developments that affect or interest Filipinos everywhere; and our In The Know weekly listing of links to stories in other publications that we feel you should read in full. Here's the In the Know lineup for this week:

My Family's Slave
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/lolas-story/524490/?utm_source=atlfb

At 100 or So, She Keeps a Philippine Tattoo Tradition Alive
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/world/asia/tattoo-artist-kalinga-buscalan.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1

Pinay girl rejected from UK grammar school turns out to be having an IQ higher than Einstein’s
http://kickerdaily.com/posts/2017/05/pinay-girl-rejected-from-uk-grammar-school-turns-out-to-be-having-an-iq-higher-than-einsteins/

Warriors' Stephen Curry helps Cupertino family after teen's tragic death
http://abc7news.com/sports/warriors-curry-helps-cupertino-family-after-teens-tragic-death/1981313/

Zamboanga del Norte students trek dangerous mountain trail to school
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/kapusomojessicasoho/335838/zamboanga-del-norte-students-trek-dangerous-mountain-trail-to-school/video/

With 30 reported cases every single day, the HIV tragedy is cause for very grave concern in the Philippines, as PF Correspondent Rene Astudillo reports in "On Tita Bootz’s Bucket List—Stop New  HIV Infections." Fortunately, there are community advocates and caring souls like Bootz Yabut who are pitching in to help curb the spread of the disease.

As a postscript to the warm, fuzzy Mother's Day tributes, another PF Correspondent John Silva celebrates his unconventional and controversial mother, Helen Ledesma, in "My Unmom Mom."

And for San Francisco Bay Area martial arts denizens, contributor AJ Ruiz writes about the winningest martial arts school in "The Way of Eskabo Daan."

For our Happy Home Cook recipe this week, we go back to healthy -- a vegan version of the traditional favorite, kare-kare, from Richgail Enriquez. 

Our Video of the Week, we feature the story behind the popular Cebuano-speaking Americans of the Hey Joe Show on You Tube.

House of Memories

If walls can speak, what colorful stories would have emerged from 2422 K St. in Washington DC, known in the mid-1900s as The Manila House, where Filipinos ate, gambled,sang, loved and quarreled. The building has since become Carwithen House but its rich history as a hangout of Filipinos in the area are immortalized in the stories of acclaimed author Bienvenido N. Santos. Contributor Titchie Carandang-Tiongson who, together with husband Erwin, was able to walk the halls of the building, writes about this historic landmark of Fil-Am history in Washington DC. Through the efforts of  The Philippine Arts, Letters and Media Council; the Philippines on the Potomac Project, the Rita M. Cacas Foundation and the Toribio Family,  the Manila House has been designated a Literary Landmark (one of only four in DC) and a plaque was installed last week in commemoration. 

It's Mother's Day once again so we'd like to circle back to some of our outstanding mother tributes:

PF Correspondent and cookbook author Elizabeth Ann Quirino shared with us her award-winning essay, "A Hundred Mangoes in a Bottle," about her mother teaching her about life through the techniques of food preservation;

PF publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco paid tribute to her late mother, Paz Sycip Yuchengco, by organizing a concert of her musical compositions;

Our Manila-based contributor Cathy S. Babao tells us the experiences that defined her mother, the character actress Caridad Sanchez.

Our In The Know links this week includes some important information about Asian Americans, in time for Asian American History Month:

The Rise of Asian Americans
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/asianamericans-graphics/

Six Interesting Facts About Asian Americans
https://www.thoughtco.com/interesting-facts-about-asian-americans-2834533

Israel's Invisible Filipino Work Force
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/magazine/israels-invisible-filipino-work-force.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fmagazine&action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Elderly Gay Filipinos Who Perform In Drag to Survive
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/the-elderly-gay-filipinos-who-perform-in-drag-to-survive

From Chicagoland, PF Correspondent Rey de la Cruz gives us a taste of Adeline's Catering where Cebu lechon reigns.

From Adeline's Catering's chef Victor Ricolcol, his version of the classic Pork Belly Adobo for our Happy Home Cook.

For Video of the Week, NBC presents 26 emerging Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who redefine what it takes to be an American of Asian and Pacific Islander descent today.

Spooks and Nostagia

Filipinos concerned with politics in all its permutations consider the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as the devil incarnate, accused of meddling in elections, corrupting politicians, spying on anti-US activists, clandestinely supporting political upheavals and actively shaping the political climate in favor of the United States. But is the agency's power as all-encompassing as it is believed, or is the myth bigger than reality? According to political analyst and academic Roland Simbulan, the CIA's ill repute in the Philippines is well-deserved and he tells us why in this in-depth analysis of CIA presence in the country. Read it and be appalled at the agency's reach and record of ruthlessness.

On a lighter note, those of us who came of age in the Motherland in the '70s surely remember Basil Valdez, the crooner who immortalized such classics as "Ngayon at Kailanman" and "Hanggang Sa Dulo Nang Walang Hanggan." Well, Basil celebrated his 40 years as a solo artist -- he started out as one of the soloists of the famed Circus Band -- in Manila recently, and our contributor Cathy Sanchez Babao was there to re-live the significant milestones of her life through Basil's songs. We hope you are able to revive your own memories as you hear the songs of your youth once again.

Our In The Know lineup this week:

Half-Filipina Heroine dies at 101
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/28/us/florence-finch-dead-coast-guard-war-hero.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=0

'Guardians' star Dave Bautista: 'I wear the Filipino flag with pride'
http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/26/17/guardians-star-dave-bautista-i-wear-the-filipino-flag-with-pride

Why this Filipina is fighting for Israel
http://www.jta.org/2017/05/01/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/why-this-filipina-is-fighting-for-israel

‘Is there a doctor on this flight?’ Yes, a Filipino, and he’s good
http://usa.inquirer.net/3356/doctor-flight-yes-filipino-hes-good?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1493743718

For our Happy Home Cook recipe this week, PF Correspondent Rene Astudillo gives us first dibs on his new culinary accomplishment: Deep-fried Halo Halo. Perfect foil for the summer heat.

Our Video of the Week is from Illustrado Magazine, which interviewed Pinoy Angelenos on what makes them Filipino.