A Filipino Post-9/11 Secret

Guantanamo Bay, a former US naval base, has earned notoriety as the island prison for terrorists. A little known fact about Gitmo is that some 200 Filipino skilled construction workers were recruited to help construct the jail, under a contract with an American engineering firm and the Arroyo administration. PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia digs out the story in "The Secret Post-9/11 Pinoy-'Gitmo' Connection."

On Seattle's Beacon Hill, there's a new, innovative Filipino restaurant called Musang that emerged from a pop-up and funded through crowdfunding. Its founder/chef Melissa Miranda describes the enterprise as "community driven, not chef driven." PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela, a Beacon Hill native, writes about the restaurant and its owner in the context of the neighborhood it operates in, in "Where Good Food Declares 'We've Arrived!"

From Chef Melissa comes our Happy Home Cook recipe for this week: Adobong Kangkong.

Robert Conrad, the star of two popular TV series of yesteryears, "Wild Wild West" and "Hawaiian Eye" passed away recently, prompting some sweet teenage nostalgia from PF publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco. Read "Me and Robert Conrad" and remember. 

We begin Women's Month with profiles of outstanding Filipinas. Read Again:

Titchie Carandang-Tiongson's "The Thoroughly Modern Sofia de Veyra: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-thoroughly-modern-sofia-de-veyra

Mauro Feria Tumbocon Jr.'s "The Timeless Nora Aunor": https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-timeless-nora-aunor

Robby Tantingco's "Why Women Rule Pampanga": https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/why-women-rule-pampanga

In case you missed them, our links to interesting stories: 

9 Kickass Women in Philippine History You’ve Never Heard Of
https://filipiknow.net/extraordinary-filipinas-in-history/?fbclid=IwAR1kgD9JrGui4LraBch9r6dMyfEaYzmAXxtG6v7cMuYS9zGtQ-MtC-2FQHA

Why the Philippines is the only country where divorce is illegal
https://www.economist.com/asia/2020/02/13/why-the-philippines-is-the-only-country-where-divorce-is-illegal?fbclid=IwAR2IJKik3cDIaUwsJT-6buekYUd3deC2IalSYncgkIqtXAHM-7sgb6A4Rk0

Quezon City: The History of the Landmarks in the Homesite’s Project 1 through Kamuning Road, Tomas Morato Avenue and Don Alejandro Roces Avenue
https://lakansining.wordpress.com/2020/02/19/quezon-city-the-history-of-the-landmarks-in-the-homesites-project-1-through-kamuning-road-tomas-morato-avenue-and-don-alejandro-roces-avenue/?fbclid=IwAR1OcmKm2G9q3FMaxc1H4sJ6VF1YxuKy9ZxLUlDzNDf9ReuP1n2uEe9XsnQ

This Underpass in Makati Highlights the Story of 105 Million Filipinos
https://www.spot.ph/arts-culture/the-latest-arts-culture/81006/new-salcedo-underpass-mural-a833-20200214?utm_source=Facebook-Spot&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20200214-fbnp-artsculture-new-salcedo-underpass-mural-a833-20200214-fbfirst&fbclid=IwAR1GxHk3VzXZMv2daTWhVqGQfz6O3WRTYY-pCeQZG0ek1_MaqDGO8aLjQuk

For Video of the Week, in the thick of the coronavirus scare in Italy, a Filipino, who was mistaken for being Chinese, was assaulted.

Fish In Our Time

Remember the dalagang bukid, the fish with red skin, that was a constant dish of our Philippine childhood? Intrepid food writer Jennifer Fergesen offers a paean to this popular aquatic staple with her award-winning piece, "Dalagang Bukid: Mountain Maiden of the Seas," which tells some interesting vignettes about the origin of its name.

From Manila, a groundbreaking art gallery is making waves not just in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia as well. PF contributor Rafaelito V. Sy tells us of the vision of the two women behind it, Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo, in "Silverlens Galleries: Revolutionizing Philippine Art."

Toronto-based PF contributor Patria Cabatuando-Rivera regales us with her memories of growing up Filipino in the '50s with her personal essay, "Growing Up in La Loma, Listening to Lao Tzu."

For the Happy Home Cook, here's another vegan recipe from Richgail Enriquez: Kalamansi Coconut Risotto

In case you missed them, our In The Know links:

The Paradox of Rodrigo Duterte
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/02/philippines-rodrigo-duterte-china/606754/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share&fbclid=IwAR34CIx5p6Bv5ROnmDgPQuyBvQqsxbYIpcOCqOkR2O8YfoNZXRZtGkKbeU8

Adapting to Rising Seas, Schools Move to the Rafters and Cats Swim
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/world/asia/philippines-climate-change-batasan-tubigon.html?&te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_nn_20200223&campaign_id=9&instance_id=16217&segment_id=21539&user_id=16d7575e10266dafe720f35699d1aecb&regi_id=96361930_nn_20200223

Coronavirus: Mass masked wedding in the Philippines
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-51604625/coronavirus-mass-masked-wedding-in-the-philippines?fbclid=IwAR33ALDMOdS0pLFvt_4PioinGO9xyxp_exdNq7foy2SVLr1lD_AtX2lOJd8

Blackapina: An Essay from Janet Stickmon
https://www.mixedlife.net/eveything/2020/2/12/blackapina-an-essay-from-janet-stickmon?fbclid=IwAR03SGb6SEytVbUQDlLza26r3w-mE1HFGU4vz9-EeK8gIpwEm9mYU7VW_ZM

Pilipino Idioms of Nineteen Kopong-kopong
https://pinoytransplant.com/2016/10/18/pilipino-idioms-of-nineteen-kopong-kopong/ 

For video of the week, defending press freedom at a Senate hearing is director Joel Lamangan who speaks for broadcaster ABS-CBN which is seeking to renew its media franchise.

Stories from Far and Away

Twenty eight years ago, Filipinas magazine, the first glossy monthly for Fil-Ams, was born, spearheaded by Mona Lisa Yuchengco, now Positively Filipino publisher. At that time, there was a severe lack of stories and writers about the Filipino diaspora and the staff (including us) had to search far and wide to identify achievers and celebrities with Filipino roots and to dig up issues worth writing about that affect us.

What a difference three decades makes! Today, the global Filipino diaspora has exploded into the millions, with Filipinos living and working in almost 200 countries, bringing with them their stories and their issues. This time, we don't have to search -- the stories are brought to us from not just the US but various nations as well. We almost can't keep up.

One such story is that of multimedia artist, dancer and Cirque du Soleil performer Ehrlich Ocampo who has captivated audiences in several countries but who finds his center in Iceland. Multi-awarded PF contributor Jennifer Fergesen profiles this multi-talented Filipino in "Ehrlich Ocampo: A Warm Light in the Cold North."

Sacramento, California-based artist/writer Alex G. Paman carries on the storytelling tradition of our motherland -- that of telling ghost stories -- in "Heirloom Ghost Stories."

Vegan chef Richgail Enriquez shares a healthy one for the Happy Home Cook this week: Patola Soup with Tempeh. 

I'm writing this from Manila where I'm somewhat saddened though not entirely surprised that the fervor of the 1986 People Power Revolt is long gone. In case you don't know or have forgotten what happened then, here's a Read Again of history:

https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/30-years-ago-coup-detat?rq=EDSA%20people%20power

And for readers and seekers of information, here are some stories worth reading:

US health care needs its Filipino nurses, so why is the system stacked against them?https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3048163/us-health-care-needs-its-filipino-nurses-so-why?fbclid=IwAR363vz_RdKSt6_pFkkY0ezZ5Rosr9lGApy-iszXaDizQeQw_vyYaGppntg

The True Story of the Mindanaoan Slave Whose Skin Was Displayed at Oxford
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/the-true-story-of-the-mindanaoan-slave-whose-skin-was-displayed-at-oxford-a00029-20171102-lfrm2?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20200215-fbnp-long-reads-the-true-story-of-the-mindanaoan-slave-whose-skin-was-displayed-at-oxford-a00029-20171102-lfrm2-fbold&fbclid=IwAR1jqAeA5WfqY7nbPctQ9WSC2doCXObAmpLkrk_MSMAfSOTlwFzvfZ9rr8s

This Pinay Has Been Working To Save Our Seas Since She Was 23
https://www.cosmo.ph/lifestyle/career-money/anna-oposa-save-philippine-seas-a93-20190308-lfrm?fbclid=IwAR3fQQpeCsZDdz6Qvh92Nm_5yNTiTHFytQnltXoe_9zpv42JEpIg9Oi7Dbg

Oriental Mart at Seattle’s Pike Place Market wins an ‘America’s Classics’ James Beard award
https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/oriental-mart-at-seattles-pike-place-market-wins-an-americas-classics-james-beard-award/?amp=1&fbclid=IwAR0wtXj31VaKXQ1SoGu3azcZEIj8tPePXYe6zrj3Vv7IuiwsDJZFfdh2UMQ

For video of the week, this video came from the Filipino galley crew aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess which has been quarantined in Japan due several of its passengers have been infected with the corona virus. They uploaded the video to let their loved ones know that they are okay despite the crisis.