Love and Consciousness

Now that LGBTQ rights are under assault (again), it's heartwarming to hear of a good story like Cherie Querol Moreno's "Two Brides and Open Hearts," a loving portrait of a family wedding that affirms the right to choose who you love. That it took place in Orlando, Florida -- the land of homophobic Anita Bryant -- is doubly sweet.

In San Francisco's Manilatown, Fil-Am history gets an early tribute with the exhibit of paintings and photographs of Tony Remington, a Manila-born, San Francisco-raised artist who went through the angst of lost identity and found his bearings when he went back to the Philippines for a few years. Carlos Zialcita chronicles the artist's journey of self-discovery in "Tony Remington's Launching Point to Fil-Am Consciousness."

Presy Lopez-Psinakis, who passed away recently, was an important figure in the US-based movement against the Marcos dictatorship. Cherie Querol Moreno pays tribute to the lady known for her grace and courage.

Our In The Know links for this week:

Stemming the tide of violent extremism in the Philippines
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/07/29/stemming-the-tide-of-violent-extremism-in-the-philippines/

Online Harassment: Lessons from the Philippines
http://gijn.org/2017/07/13/fighting-online-harassment-lessons-from-the-philippines/

5 Needed Steps To Transfer A Land Title In The Philippines
http://pinoyjuander.com/blog/2015/12/5-needed-steps-to-transfer-a-land-title-in-the-philippines/

New Rules on Balikbayan Boxes Take Effect Aug 1: What You Need to Know
http://www.entrepreneur.com.ph/news-and-events/new-rules-on-balikbayan-boxes-take-effect-aug-1-what-you-need-to-know-a00178-20170726?utm_source=Facebook-Cosmo&utm_medium=Siteshare&utm_campaign=20170727-balikbayanboxesnewrules

What 'simple, comfortable' Filipino life looks like, according to NEDA
http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/29/16/what-simple-comfortable-filipino-life-looks-like-according-to-neda

For our Happy Home Cook, Richgail Enriquez “veganizes” for another Filipino favorite: Macaroni Salad.

For our Video of the Week, youtube channel Just Saying HG featured the five Filipina Beauty Queens who won in the International Pageants from 2013-2016.

Hometown Is Where the Heart Is

We're really hitting gold with our Hometown stories and we hope you send in yours. We define "hometown" as the place you remember from childhood. It doesn't matter if you grew up in an urban area or you spent only a snippet of your childhood in a particular place. Wherever you have memories -- no matter what they are --  that's your hometown. 

This week, Lilia V. Villanueva transports us to her beloved hometown with "My Bacolod of Sights, Sounds, Smells." 

Going back further in our homeland's history, PF Correspondent Dr. Penelope V. Flores once again submits an evocative piece, "Surprising Facts About Ferdinand Magellan and His Voyage to the Philippines." If the archipelago had been named Magallanes, what would we, its natives, be called?

Summertime in the western hemisphere means travel to many. Here are two stories to Read Again if you're dreaming of a French holiday: 

The artist Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi writes fondly about her adopted hometown, Limeuil, considered one of the most villages in France: http://www.positivelyfilipino. com/magazine/limeuil

Author/journalist Criselda Yabes writes about her part-time home, the remote village of Haybes in the Les Ardennes region of France: http://www.positivelyfilipino. com/magazine/my-french-village

And if you missed reading these interesting stories in various publications, here are some links so you will be In The Know:

Natixis' Nguyen Sees More Downside for Philippine Peso
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/natixis-nguyen-sees-more-downside-021752269.html

15 Filipino Actors Who Are Making It in Hollywood
http://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/arts-and-entertainment/15-filipino-actors-who-are-making-it-in-hollywood-a1926-20170719-lfrm

The 50 Best Filipino Films of the 21st Century
https://pinoyrebyu.wordpress.com/2017/07/23/the-50-best-filipino-films-of-the-21st-century/

UCLA alumna creates pop-up ice cream shop featuring Filipino flavors
http://dailybruin.com/2017/07/23/ucla-alumna-creates-pop-up-ice-cream-shop-featuring-filipino-flavors

5 Filipino heroines who changed Philippine history
http://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2017/06/07/5-filipino-heroines.html

And for a summer refresher to counter the scorching heat, PF Correspondent and resident foodie Elizabeth Ann Quirino shares "Cantaloupe Strings-Calamansi Dessert Drink," which should bring back memories of hot summer days in our Motherland.

For our Video of the Week, Emirates Airline released a video of Baylor University School of Music Men’s Choir performing Ryan Cayabyab's “Da Coconut Nut” after a flight to the US from Kenya. “You wake up one day and a song you wrote nearly 30 years ago has 10 million + views on the internet in three days,” Cayabyab reacted on facebook.

Letters

In the ancient days, before email and social media, we had penpals -- strangers from other countries we exchanged handwritten or typed letters with via snail mail. I myself had two, a girl from Japan and a boy from Sweden. We went as far as sending pictures and exchanging stamps for our respective collections, but both correspondence fizzled because I lost interest and stopped writing back. Not so Rey de la Cruz, who carried on a penpal friendship with a woman from Finland named Satu, for 51 years. In "Dear Satu: Letters Tell the Story of Our Lives," Rey tells us how he and Satu finally met and became even closer friends. They now exchange emails, although occasionally, for old times sake, they would switch back to air mails. A heartwarming story of a lasting friendship that only few can manage.

Another Hometown story, this time about San Juan, Metro Manila where Dr. Senen "Sonny" Siasoco grew up in his physician-grandfather's house across the street from the famous Pinaglabanan monument. As he narrates in "My Lolo's House," their balcony was where Philippine presidents spoke from during the annual commemoration rites. The house held some other attractions and historic provenance, that Dr. Siasoco humorously shares. 

Our feature last week on Nora Aunor triggered some where-are-they-now questions on social media. So if you're wondering what has happened to Hilda Koronel, Boots Anson-Roa and songstress Becca Godinez, the answer as provided by contributor Cathy Sanchez Babao is: they're all happily married and in love. Here are some Read Agains:

Second Springs
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/second-springs

That's Amore
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/thats-amore

And, in case you missed them, here are some links to interesting stories from various publications, to keep you In The Know: 

The silent hero behind the Philippines' case vs China
http://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/175731-profile-henry-bensurto-philippines-china-case?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=referral

Sacramento district can’t find enough teachers, so it turns to Philippines for help
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article161521288.html

How the Philippines managed to lose a potential world chess champion in Wesley So
http://www.spin.ph/chess/special-reports/how-the-philippines-managed-to-lose-a-potential-world-chess-champion-like-wesley-so

Inside The Mind Of The Young CEO Who Introduced The Break-Up Leave
http://www.fhm.com.ph/be-a-better-man/mens-stuff/meet-break-up-leave-pioneer-ceo-third-domingo-a00028-20170716-lfrm

These Michael Cinco Gowns Are So Unbelievably Pretty, They Left Us Totally Speechless!
https://brideandbreakfast.ph/2017/04/21/fashion-friday-michael-cinco-fall-2017-couture-collection/

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week is a favorite merienda fare, Ginataang Mais from Judy Ann Santos' cookbook.

And for our Video of the Week: the Guardian UK reports on Filipina domestic workers being abused by their employers in London and the women's efforts to organize.