February 03, 2021

Giving a New Meaning to 'Foreign Affairs'

February 03, 2021/ Gemma Nemenzo

Washington D.C. has a long history of Philippine connections, ever since the US officially annexed our archipelago as its first foreign territory in 1898. PF has ran some stories about these historical and cultural milestones, such as the Philippine Constabulary Band playing at the inauguration of President William Howard Taft in 1909: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/2013/4/a-dc-springtime-concert-born-in-manila

We also had a story about Sofia de Veyra, the wife of the Philippine Resident Commissioner, who wowed D.C. society with her intellect and dynamism: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-thoroughly-modern-sofia-de-veyra?rq=sofia%20de%20veyra

And then there was the star-crossed romance of then-Resident Commissioner Manuel L. Quezon with Nina Thomas, an American lawyer: The Untold Story of Nina Thomas: The American Woman who could have been First Lady of the Philippines — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

These stories and more are the products of the historical sleuthing of Georgetown U economics professor Erwin Tiongson and his writer-wife Titchie Carandang-Tiongson. The intrepid couple has unearthed interesting documents and artifacts about Filipinos who lived and worked, or just passed through Washington D.C.

The couple will be sharing some stories about romances and heartbreaks in the first of our series of FREE webinars for 2021. We hope you can join us.

And enjoy our stories this week on the new crop of women mayors in California; on Felipe Tempongko, one of the soldiers of Emilio Aguinaldo's army, and an opinion piece on Trump's impeachment. If you're snowed in, how about savoring an easy Instant Pot Arroz Caldo.

Our Stories This Week

A Rising Wave Of Fil-Am Women Mayors By Cherie M. Querol Moreno

The Brown Man’s Burden By Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr.

[Opinion] Impeachment: Dems Should Do An About-Face By Andres D. Bautista

[PARTNER] Philippines-U.S. Ties Under The Biden Administration: Prospects For Cooperation In Key Areas
By Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez

The Happy Home Cook: Instant Pot Arroz Caldo By Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Video of the Week: Rapper Ez Mil’s “Panalo”

In The Know

‘I want to go home’: Filipina domestic workers face exploitative conditions
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/27/domestic-workers-philippines-coronavirus-conditions

Blessed Consunji Group pays it forward
https://business.inquirer.net/316341/blessed-consunji-group-pays-it-forward?fbclid=IwAR2YiNk3K0aBY7Hsdq0BSYJOfapIqHUwGlEdx7IkMXOh6pdPp3b1zLucS5I

Championing local textiles the right way means a lot to our indigenous communities
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/25/championing-local-textiles-the-right-way-means-a-lot-to-our-indigenous-communities/?fbclid=IwAR0uEkVk1QizgNJcBhbtRqv0UmTMfU3dALaqbs1RBUwH2p9W72co6qISVrc

The Filipino writer’s task in the age of Facebook, according to Jose Y. Dalisay
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/376155/the-filipino-writers-task-in-the-age-of-facebook-according-to-jose-y-dalisay/?fbclid=IwAR0KFItzh88zTMh46-3yY_Hm9aGfcFihP4O-rHKAgjDBa-rTsgo4CCNubfQ

Why Filipino voters turn their lonely eyes to strongman leaders
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Why-Filipino-voters-turn-their-lonely-eyes-to-strongman-leaders?fbclid=IwAR2LOg9LA8B6rNr_38PevLHWfNGmmJZ-1PYao1c18mxo6mz5xxBOvxPvGlY

January 27, 2021

What a Difference

January 27, 2021/ Gemma Nemenzo

When news about a forthcoming vaccine against Covid-19 first came out months ago, we were skeptical and a bit scared. The common thread among my age group was we'll wait it out for a few months, we don't want to be the guinea pigs.

Now that the vaccine is here and people we know have gotten it and survived, our tune has changed. We can't wait to get it and some friends have gone to great lengths just to have the shot. One admitted that she was on hold on the phone for an hour and a half but she persisted. Another monitored availability from county to county, finally landing an appointment in a city not her own.

Because our health insurance provider has issued a don't-call-us-we'll-call-you instruction due to the inadequate supply of the vaccine, we're starting to feel like guppies in a fishbowl, watching the world pass us by, gaping enviously at those lucky enough to snag a place in line.

The consolation is we can sleep soundly now, the planet (or at least the US) seems to have righted itself. What a difference a week brings!

Our Stories This Week

Bullying The State University by Criselda Yabes

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 14 By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

A Festival In A Cookbook By Elizabeth Ann Quirino

The Happy Home Cook: Adobong Dilaw By Lyn B. Gamboa

Video of the Week: Ligliwa Dance Troupe

In The Know

Feeding the Troops on Inauguration Week
http://www.manilamail.us/?p=11529&fbclid=IwAR1IL3mbps39UoHR6bZitw9OzEGqT4iEToqQC4-e8dJWtrCNae-XJTaYce0

Japan's Filipino community puts down roots and moves past its hostess origins
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2021/01/24/issues/japans-filipino-community-puts-roots-moves-past-hostess-origins/?fbclid=IwAR2U9aZwBk_AaKYqn0i77GU6p6A1289Czb84aaKh2YJeRhvAQLxgHtnqU8w

The surprising, inspiring story of how the Met was built
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/04/30/19/high-standards-humble-efforts-the-early-years-of-the-metropolitan-theater?fbclid=IwAR06edrU6LTbcTdR_xYE4Juhs9bC5DEj76PiWLrtFAB7uxvxnN2IAoGPxr4

Everything You Need to Know about Filipino Food: The Next Great American Cuisine
https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/filipino-food-guide/?fbclid=IwAR2oaOZ-hRqoPiv11RNzMRlpfBnY2q3tI9KDyFO4OjJY-AaLnfCTNh5i4oE

How Drew Barrymore fell in love with this Pinay chef’s cooking
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/food-drink/features/01/14/21/how-drew-barrymore-fell-in-love-with-this-pinay-chefs-cooking?fbclid=IwAR3fPL5_VqPgkrCcPmKyn_mLnDpF4ftw-OFY3cjGqyeuR3z_j969UW3PYR8

My UP in the ‘70s: I didn’t mind being a martial law baby
https://www.thediarist.ph/my-up-in-the-70s-i-didnt-mind-being-a-martial-law-baby/?fbclid=IwAR2Ia7X0_kDZAz07HK0725CaNopI4MLBF3aqDcnYBHUIHubidfiEJtXJ9KE

January 20, 2021

No Paywalls or Pop-Ups, Just Pleasure

January 20, 2021/ Gemma Nemenzo

If you've been checking out multiple pubs online for your news fix, you know all about the paywall which stops you from accessing the rest of the content after you've reach your limit for the month. To continue, you have to buy a subscription.

Then there are those annoying online ads that pop up or clutter your screen, interrupting your reading or requiring you to scroll down repeatedly before you can see the rest of the story.

Well, with Positively Filipino, you will not have any of these. What you get is plain, pleasurable, uninterrupted reading. And all we ask in return is for you to spread the word -- share the link to the magazine -- so our global barangay of readers and contributing writers will get bigger and livelier.

Occasionally we will ask you to share your thoughts, the better for us to know you more. And we welcome story contributions (subject to topic approval and our editorial standards; send query to PFeditor@yahoo.com).

As we begin our 8th year of publication, we hope that 2021 will be another year of sharing and caring in our uniquely Positively Filipino way.