Old Soldiers' Bittersweet Celebration

Veterans Day (last Monday) in the US is a bittersweet event for Filipino veterans of WWII. While they share in the celebration, they are also reminded of the unjust Rescission Act of 1946 which stripped them of the post-war benefits promised them by the US government for fighting alongside US forces. In time for this year's commemoration, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) released a brief documentary, "Duty to Country -- Remembering Our Veterans and Families" as the first phase of their education efforts to tell the story of Filipino WWII veterans. Watch the video on their site and share it with everyone you know. 

Another film that's making waves is "The Kingmaker," a full-length documentary by Lauren Greenfield on Imelda Marcos, whose legendary and continuing outrageousness is on full display. Author/publisher and regular PF contributor Cecilia Manguerra Brainard writes the review. ("The Kingmaker' Shows the Fragility of Democracy")

A Finn who teaches Filipino? Meet novelist/teacher Riitta Vartti who does that and more: not only does she speak Filipino fluently and teaches the language to Finns, she has also put together a Finnish-Filipino/Tagalog-Finnish dictionary. Chicagoland-based contributor Christian Gabriel Pareja writes the profile. ("A Finn Who Teaches Filipino")

For those cold nights, here's a perfect comfort food: Creamy Beef Macaroni Soup by Rene Astudillo.

Our In The Know links this week:

The new US Chess Champion is now ranked no. 2 in the world and opponents fear he’s still getting better.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-new-us-chess-champion-is-now-ranked-no-2-in-the-world-and-opponents-fear-hes-still-getting-better/2017/06/05/640f4c6a-49fd-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html?fbclid=IwAR00lS3p8LaunbW70A2zdeQdUXYNcQWNbOh3pRx_lEu45dw-j61jOtf2t74#comments

A Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist (VC) and his 5 advices for Start-ups
https://jqnomics.com/2461/a-silicon-valley-venture-capitalist-vc-and-his-5-advices-for-start-ups/?fbclid=IwAR1jbGdJfnDDGKK-B-HN3ssWcFCaGIZZCLuwIE0GAoq94uZtQnGBm_Cdyec

Seattle’s keeper of Filipino American history is an 87-year-old volunteer, and replacing her may prove difficult
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-keeper-of-filipino-american-history-is-an-87-year-old-volunteer-and-replacing-her-may-prove-difficult/?fbclid=IwAR115Jfd_OkuYkUp7Ns4LlXHWr6NnOctwVTjTaoLLrh3VGapbuclnUWn7ic

#MakingFilipinxAmericanHistory: 14 Filipinas in Tech
https://medium.com/women-of-silicon-valley/makingfilipinxamericanhistory-13-filipinas-in-tech-58bcd8ed9fd9

For video of the week, Youtube’s Top10 World channel lists the top 10 most beautiful cities in the Philippines.

There Are Places We Remember

A bright spot in San Francisco's theater world took place recently with the limited run of "The Chinese Lady," starring Filipino American stage actor Rinabeth Apostol in the starring role. The play is a true but hardly known story about the first Chinese woman to be brought to the US as exhibit A for Americans to behold the exoticism of the Orient. PF contributor Elaine Elinson gives us not only a recap of the play but also introduces us to the acting prowess of Rinabeth, which, she says, is nothing short of "astonishing." ("Rinabeth Apostol Shines in 'The Chinese Lady'")

There are places -- and people -- we'll remember all our lives (though some have changed), and for veteran broadcast journalist Lloyd LaCuesta, who recently went on his own magical mystery tour of Liverpool, where the Beatles were born and bred, he loved them all. ("A Magical Tour of the Beatles' Hometown")

Likewise, traveling to London and Paris, recently PF contributor Voltaire Gungab chronicles some of his encounters with interesting Filipino expats in Pinoyspotting.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week is another one from Beth Romualdez from her cookbook, Cooking Lessons. This time it's her version of the classic favorite, Binagoongang Baboy. 

Just in: Fil-Am chess Grand Master Wesley So has just become the first world champion in Fischer Random Chess, beating the world's number one, GM Magnus Carlsen. [https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/in-brief/wesley-so-becomes-chess-world-champion] This is a good time to Read Again the very personal account of traveling with Wesley written by his adopted mom, Lotis Key: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/a-traveling-fool 

If you want to be updated on the Filipino diaspora but don't have the time to go through various publications, check out Positively Filipino's In Brief section for a quick rundown on important news happening in Filipino communities worldwide. 

And for stories you may have missed, here are our In The Know links this week:

Young Filipinos are in the midst of a mental health crisis
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/349884/young-filipinos-are-in-the-midst-of-a-mental-health-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR3TftWwsyzo-wtthxsCjK5QULg_aJj6O17ZdTF6TD9a5hIPZ0HqhZTWma0

51 Old Colorized Photos Reveal The Fascinating Filipino Life Between 1900 – 1960
https://filipiknow.net/old-colorized-photos-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR1iXA9G-AGzDlcjotd1ziSHbuLcsLrggiimLG57hEf4QJ6AyRHURPz3y_0

There are Filipinos in Alaska – they’re called Alaskeros, and they’ve been there for more than 200 years
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3008815/there-are-filipinos-alaska-theyre-called-alaskeros-and-theyve?fbclid=IwAR2iwBCCJS8Z1HwXJwGtUobCY8FM4z2eui3R80bDQEq8QFq3A3XCpg1NlFM

This Lady Bought Rice Through an App; The Farmers Wrote Her Back
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/farmers-write-letter-of-thanks-a00293-20191029?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20191029-fbnp-long-reads%2Ffarmers-write-letter-of-thanks-a00293-20191029-fbfirst&fbclid=IwAR2MFv9TDDd2dgqk3r5t385juf3I014ARuzut25CuADq5E9eu6OqnIkXf-8

The ghosts of New Manila's Millionaire's Row, the spirits of 42 Broadway Avenue
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/01/19/the-spirits-of-42-broadway-avenue?fbclid=IwAR1B8bl42rHFw1jgFbDY9CyZ_Wsw91TH00C9hTgVd7JICxMgfUyIz1DnSv4

For Video of the Week, ABS-CBN News ran a feature on World Champion Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo.

Reptile Dysfunction

PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia regales us with the story of Lolong, the "Largest Saltwater Crocodile in Captivity" from 2011-2013, whose capture made Bunawan, a small town in Agusan, an item in the Guinness Book of World Records. Lolong's journey did not end there: after the reptile's death in 2013, some interesting twists and turns brought its carcass to the National Museum of Natural History in Manila where it now lies. Read all about it in "Lolong, the Giant Crocodile’s Legacy is a Wake-Up Call."

A Toronto-based Filipino couple's "apo-stolic" (babysitting a grandchild) brought them to Hanoi, Vietnam, where the vestiges of war and a country's amazing recovery made for some interesting observations and memories. Patria Cabatuando-Rivera, one-half of the couple, writes about the new Vietnam in "Hanoi Diary: Vietnam's Beautiful Peace."

PF Correspondent and resident foodie Elizabeth Ann Quirino raves about the book of chef/artist/food historian Ige Ramos, aptly titled “Republic of Taste: The Untold Stories of Cavite Cuisine.”

Savor the stories behind the tastes in "Food Historian Ige Ramos Serves Cavite’s Unsung Cuisine" and actually taste a sample with our Happy Home Cook recipe this week for Pancit Choco en su Tinta, a vintage Caviteño dish from Ige Ramos himself.

Since it's All Saints Day, let me re-share with you a story I wrote about a tragedy that was common during martial law: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/gemma/the-end-of-her-world 

Our collection of links to must-read stories, ICYMI:

She Invented Banana Ketchup & Saved Thousands of Lives. Why Have We Never Heard of Her?
https://food52.com/blog/24700-maria-orosa-profile?fbclid=IwAR2VNP3XhDZOz3jaloLRsF5zYqeZs7QJ-F_uNr6yENRNbRWnx-4jbIe7pWE

Why We Need To Remember Stockton, California’s Filipino American Legacy
https://www.buzzfeed.com/paolamardo/stockton-california-little-manila-center-vandalism-history?fbclid=IwAR2iObIf-iPIyHBiE-HuXPLMiCbC3i7bdQRdcH24IFU1Am4R7sEWqbimbcc

Being Fil-Am in the age of Trump and Duterte
https://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2019/10/28/filipino-american-month-essay.html?fbclid=IwAR0hFlYVj-tOht5AurOtgFxjCIc92vw0fNL9eE2LgV1YC7RDuV7CxD25uYI

In Philippine slums, meat scavenged from dumpsters feeds those short of meals and hope
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3020306/philippine-slums-meat-scavenged-dumpsters-feeds-those-short-meals?fbclid=IwAR213NQkZ5JhEWrxnUqc-Uvp01zYwUFPWYXK1Br20WgKkagkkmjlQDL5sfU

28 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On
https://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/easy-filipino-recipes?utm_source=dynamic&fbclid=IwAR2fo7RXdiRQIfnJRZGm2Yg9wTdrzHfeJVUhPEj7SM6iAnLo7HduIUmM45g

For our video of the week, ANC 24/7 talks to Filipino comic book greats Whilce Portacio and Rafael Kayanan.