Beginnings
/Another June, another beginning (summer in the western hemisphere, the school year and the rainy season in the Philippines), another Independence Day celebration.
In Los Angeles, the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) will perform another enchanting concert with "The Maestro from Kawit," Bob Shroder at the helm as conductor and musical director. Contributing writer Carlos Zialcita, a professional musician himself, writes about Shroder, who declares himself "pinoy na pinoy," and the pleasure of sitting in on the rehearsal of FASO as it prepares for its annual concert on June 17.
Switching back to the Motherland, San Francisco Bay Area-based professor Michael Gonzalez revisits Baguio, a city which holds some cherished memories for him but he hasn't seen for 40 years. In "Baguio On My Mind," he notes the transformation of the provincial city of his childhood to the "super-urban" metropolis that it is now.
As we commemorate another June 12, it's always fitting to Read Again Oscar Peñaranda's serendipitious "A Reunion of Strangers" and how it led him to the flag that his grandfather carried as he fought in the Filipino-American War at the turn of the 20th century.
And how about making champorado from scratch? Mike Grajewski of the popular Uncle Mike's Place in Chicago, gives us his version of the traditional favorite "chocolate rice" breakfast fare.
Here's our In The Know lineup of links to various publications this week:
Philippine sectarian bloodshed unites Muslims and Christians
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/03/philippine-sectarian-bloodshed-unites-muslims-and-christians
Filipinos Flee Duterte’s Violent Drug Crackdown
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/04/world/asia/rodrigo-duterte-philippines-drug-crackdown.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0
Remembering the Manongs and Story of the Filipino Farm Worker Movement
https://www.npca.org/articles/1555-remembering-the-manongs-and-story-of-the-filipino-farm-worker-movement
7 Recipes Any Cebuano Would Love
http://www.kalamicebu.com/2015/03/7-recipes-that-any-cebuano-would-love.html
Our Video of the Week, we feature a video of historical photos set to soprano Conching Rosal's “Kundiman ng Magandang Diwata” and “Mutya ng Pasig.'
TELL US ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN
Who can best shine a light on that nostalgic place where a part of you still resides than you, whose childhood memories are full of the wonders of growing up in that special place? Write about your hometown and/or send us an old photograph with a description of how your hometown looks and how it makes you feel.
Send to pfeditor@yahoo.com and we will post them so the whole world can share the wonder.