The Worst of Times and the Best of Times

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As an active journalist in the Philippines between 1983, the year Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, and 1986 when the Marcos regime was ousted by people power, I was right there when the almost daily protests were happening. Those were heady times, alternately exhilarating and scary, when yellow confetti rained daily from the usually staid buildings in Ayala Avenue, when intense political infighting and secret strategizing among rival factions within the administration were taking place, and anti-Marcos rallies were drawing bigger and bigger crowds. We felt the electricity in the air and the ground shifting; we knew that history was being made and we were not just witnesses but participants in its unfolding.

I realize now how different it is to watch events unfold from afar. Though I'm in constant touch with friends who are on the ground, it's not the same as being there and actually feeling, hearing, seeing the tension and the excitement. Worse, with the proliferation of online disinformation, I have to suspend reacting to news until I verify their veracity, which can be a damper to spontaneous enthusiasm.

This is why I'm so happy to have my friend and WOMEN (Women Writers in Media Now) colleague Rochit  Tañedo write about the nitty-gritty of the recent massive Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan rallies in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac. Traveling by public bus from her home in Quezon City shortly after Covid restrictions were lifted, laden with donated campaign materials, Rochit embedded herself among the volunteer organizers and the masses who thronged to the rally sites, and wrote about the "Tears and Fears and Leni-Kiko's Abonados." Not quite the same as being actually there, but close. 

Other Stories This Week:

This Filipino American Life by Juanita Tamayo Lott

Conrad Ricamora: Niceville’s Nicest Actor by Anthony Maddela

Why ‘White is Beautiful’ Among Filipinos? by Rey E. de la Cruz, Penelope V. Flores and Deiia R. Barcelona

Read Again: Women Who Made and Wrote

She Broke My Heart and Made It Whole Again by Sylvia Mayuga

Marilou, 1955-2012 by Pablo A. Tariman

Gina Lopez: Rich Girl, Kind Heart, Woman Warrior by Paulynn Paredes Sicam

Dawn Bohulano Mabalon’s Short Life Burned Brightly by Mariel Toni Jimenez

Cook It Again: The Happy Home Cook: Vegan Arroz A La Cubana by Chef Richgail Enriquez

Video of the Week: Chefs Sandy Daza and Claude Tayag

In The Know

HISTORIC PUNK VENUE ‘MABUHAY GARDENS’ BECOMING UNDERGROUND COMEDY HOTSPOT

https://brokeassstuart.com/2022/03/28/historic-punk-venue-mabuhay-gardens-becoming-underground-comedy-hotspot/?fbclid=IwAR2180iCQudQZDef-U0iQIeyoT0dZc3Oudu6pDYlsb0VFh2OvXunANf_hDU

An Indigenous basket-weaving tradition keeps a Philippine forest alive

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/03/an-indigenous-basket-weaving-tradition-keeps-a-philippine-forest-alive/?fbclid=IwAR2SB4RxFl14GjAKLu78L1KZLQxxxwQKrLip7WoSQDxB745XqifDxiKHCIE

Most Beautiful Cities and Towns in the Philippines

https://www.esquiremag.ph/life/travel/most-beautiful-cities-towns-philippines-a00204-20200528-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220314-fbnp-life-most-beautiful-cities-towns-philippines-a00204-20200528-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR3S3kaBokVkdhItla4tLAQuYCzB8Vg9Zz9_KGtOkl2rHff6iWpocKX0xWo

‘A total Pinoy fantasy’: This 600-million amusement park is the new pride of Negros

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/travel/destination/03/14/22/this-600-m-amusement-park-is-negros-latest-pride?fbclid=IwAR2T3K5mFjhYgHjAbLGvRrE3T-E8-2vop7lo5WkuTiTAG4W_AT8LCZhQAps

This classroom-on-a-trolley on the railways of Quezon has caught the eyes of the world

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/03/17/22/classroom-on-a-trolley-in-quezon-gets-world-attention?fbclid=IwAR1jLiFtzefO5hrZzfNt3AWnoDcPC1EWdwaPBSFI2DbmwTXifhJHT6cALdQ

It’s not the house that art built but it’s art that keeps it standing

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/art/03/19/22/avellana-artgallery-at-25-remains-a-home-for-artists

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

Star Turns

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Many Filipinos -- men and women both -- have already made quite a splash in the entertainment world that another feat, such as Mary Rivera's role as the lola in "Spider-man: No Way Home" is no longer headline material. Her appearance in the highest grossing movie of 2021 was brief but was nonetheless a cause for celebration especially among her fellow Ilonggos, as contributing writer Vic Salas reports. 

But did you know that in the elite world of opera, in distinguished stages in the US and Europe, Evelyn Mandac, a Filipina soprano reigned as the brightest star? No other Filipino singer has surpassed her achievements in the classical music realm, as her voice student Chiara Cox writes.

In our native land, a woman is inspiring an unexpected tsunami of volunteerism and creative campaigning nationwide. A middle-class community in Quezon City did its part by declaring a day of pampering for their kasambahays, drivers, gardeners and other service workers. Bella Bonner has this heartwarming story.

How are the odds stacking up for the seekers of public office at this point in the political circus? The surveys notwithstanding, the situation is still fluid and no one can assume victory yet, not even the frontrunner. Political observer Ernesto Hilario explains.

This being International Women's Month, here's a fitting tribute to some outstanding Filipino women from their loving children. Watch again our webinar held last May which brought out some insightful items that we wouldn't have known otherwise. The participants are: Aika Robredo talking about her mother, the possible future President Leni Robredo; Nina Daza-Puyat on her mother, the original superchef Nora Daza; Melissa Ugarte on her mother, model/beauty queen/revolutionary Maita Gomez; and TJ Manotoc on his mom, activist/civic leader and former Miss International Aurora Pijuan. Powerful Filipinas who prove that, indeed, "women hold up half the sky." http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/webinar-video-loving-kids-talk-about-their-famous-mothers

Cook It Again: The Happy Home Cook: Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Fish)

Video of the Week: Dancers for Leni

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

Days of Poems and Prayers

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Lent takes a deeper meaning to our world this year as we wake up each morning to dreary news -- a war in Ukraine that threatens to go nuclear, a pandemic still not completely waned, a crucial election that will define the future trajectory of our motherland.

As we do our personal reflections in these 32 days until Easter, we can get some guidance from the art of Fr. Rey Culaba, a Redemptorist priest and artist who recently celebrated his golden anniversary in the priesthood. As a gift to his parish, Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City, California, Fr. Rey painted his interpretative version of the Stations of the Cross, and we have the images here.

A major what-if for political junkies this May: if the next president has a pending liability totaling $2.3 billion for a US court judgment in effect from 2005 to 2031 (currently preventing him, his mother and his elder sister to set foot in the US or they get arrested), what will it do to US-Philippines relations?

As for other questions, existentialist or not, that we have to ponder, political activist/academic Ed Garcia invokes Bob Dylan: "the answer is blowin' in the wind."

More stories on Filipino women who matter:

Paulynn Paredes Sicam on Gilda Cordero-Fernando http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/gilda-cordero-fernando-forever-groovy

Robby Tantingco on why women rule Pampanga http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/why-women-rule-pampanga

Gemma Nemenzo on the poet Angela Manalang-Gloria http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/gemma/the-enigmatic-poetess

 Cook It Again:

The Happy Home Cook: Pompano with Chili and Pineapple — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

Book Launch: 100 Poems for Leni

Video of the Week: Gayyam Ben

In The Know

How Juan Luna became the first Filipino art superstar in Europe
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/art/03/03/22/how-juan-luna-became-the-first-filipino-art-superstar?fbclid=IwAR3gDVRSfTihP8u590gbaGso3Q6tgl4dLmLaHeK9InpNngqe75ppZD7VO4k 

The Invisible, Afflicted Spy Who Led the U.S. Army Into Occupied Manila 
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/josefina-guerrero-spy-philippines-world-war-ii?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fa168b0448-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_03_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f36db9c480-fa168b0448-70947933&mc_cid=fa168b0448&mc_eid=15cc48d2de

The Fascinating Life of Nick Joaquin
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220306-fbnp--nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR046GOUTexCI96sdJXkj9r_k1SRPZWgcircJpfh1BPutSEzka1qXVt5MiQ 

FEAR AND LOATHING IN DUTERTE’S PHILIPPINES: AN INTERVIEW WITH VICENTE RAFAEL

https://fpif.org/fear-and-loathing-in-dutertes-philippines-an-interview-with-vicente-rafael/?fbclid=IwAR1-NNnyIhmTLYw7qs0iZmjrSwRXFbcHjJVJAeybZKLjrVLxen-H834lSw8

This Filipino Visited 160 Jose Rizal Monuments Around the World
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220301-fbnp--filipino-visited-160-jose-rizal-monuments-a00293-20201002-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2I1E6SN0TWGGNoUfjSer07q1QfnCIIACFiBwXlhSlJKK2LWzmeYdZleBg

This Filipina farmer turns heads in Canada—and not just ‘cause of her striking beauty
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/03/07/22/why-this-pinay-farmer-turns-heads-in-canada

Filipino visual artists showcase work in Paris exhibit
https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/04/22/filipino-visual-artists-showcase-work-in-paris-exhibit/?utm_campaign=sharedpost&fbclid=IwAR1PQ7Ru5pxOCpi1WhjcYvrJ50Uu0VMIP8gK1L_o0rgatX6s-Qr38ONxPQg

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino