If You Want to Know Who We Are

For those of you who have just Subscribed to get this Positively Filipino newsletter in your Inbox every Wednesday, you can go to our website, positivelyfilipino.com to get the lay of the land, so to speak. PF as you know, is purely online and we've been around since 2013. Thus, we have a rich collection of Filipino diaspora stories from our impressive roster of writers. Click on Collections and Series to peruse our archives. And if you want to know who we are, here's the link: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/editorial/ 

In addition to this week's lineup of stories, you can also check out our In Brief section http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/in-brief for quick updates on news about Filipinos worldwide. Our Community News section http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/community-news links you to events you might want to join or support.

Don't miss out on our curated In The Know links to significant stories from other publications below. The links are accessible only through this newsletter, in the same way that our chosen Video of the Week can only be accessed below. 

As always, PF strives to be the unifying thread that links us through generations, to our motherland, to Filipinos wherever they may be in the world, to our history and culture, and to each other via the vast variety of stories we have gathered and continue to collect.

Like PF contributing writer Lourdes Sobredo's kwento about her late grandpa, Perfecto delos Santos, who was one of the manongs who arrived in California in 1929 and worked the farms along with thousands of young, Filipino males who left the Philippines to seek better opportunities in the US.

From Japan, long-time resident Amadio Arboleda gives a synopsis of his book about his decades-long search for Atsuko Nambu, a gold medalist in the 100-meter relay during the Asian Games of 1954. The teenage athlete unwittingly softened the hearts of Filipinos still bitter over the Japanese occupation just a few years before.

From Washington D.C., historian Erwin Tiongson tells of his visit to the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center, where he saw the Boeing P-26, a short-lived war plane that nonetheless played an important part in the WW II history of Philippine aviation.

From the Netherlands, Maya Butalid -- leftist, revolutionary, feminist, community activist -- chronicles her journey from "true believer" to one who had to leave, in her recently published memoir reviewed by our regular contributor, Patricio Abinales. 

And for those who missed last week's webinar on the "HANAPEPE Massacre Mystery 1924," here's the link to the recording. 

There is never a dearth of interesting, heartwarming and provocative stories from Filipinos, and if you have one, we encourage you to write and share. 


More This Week

[Cook It Again] The Happy Home Cook: Sizzling Sisig

[Video of the Week] The Rocky Fellers “Little Darlin’”


In The Know

Pucker Up for Filipino Vinegar

https://www.globalcarinderia.com/articles/pucker-up-for-filipino-vinegar/?fbclid=IwAR3UFV4VXEYYgCr7Gurco8OPg1AnB30gGJSvKaKi31rbuNWBjiW1bPCyDwQ

Ateneo debuts in THE World rankings as top PH school, places in 351-400 bracket

https://www.ateneo.edu/news/2022/10/12/ateneo-2023-the-world-university-rankings?fbclid=IwAR07fMcoiUdDShfpvQ8IXNGhSvddxOPEBRuHcXQ8pPlQDI2FPE6y0Rv4C7g

Welcome to Dollywood: Meet the Scene-Stealer of the Year’s Most Outrageous Film

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/10/awards-insider-dolly-de-leon-triangle-of-sadness-interview?fbclid=IwAR1g6Jqn0MUaAxDbxtiow-ip34C27J1k4xABBkXIqS97viL1xUoxrKWrfhs

Global Shipbuilder Austal Launches Its Largest Ferry Ever, And It's Made in the Philippines

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/austal-largest-ferry-philippines-a00203-20221007?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20220907-fbnp-long-reads-austal-largest-ferry-philippines-a00203-20221007-fbfirst&fbclid=IwAR1xGhf5vpPU52GP9Ht9ZCu7cBTVECR9OiqdssRKAYqH9cJXHtAamQybJ60

How L.A.'s Little Manila Disappeared Without a Trace

https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/los-angeles-little-manila?fbclid=IwAR1eeZd6zz2SDrvYHSDf5KXMpVA9m0lLp4TdljndUrCqoxol0RunX72tJSc

How a Teacher in Davao Finally Met Her Japanese Father Three Decades After WWII

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/half-japanese-teacher-davao-finally-meets-father-a2328-20220922-lfrm3?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20221009-fbnp-long-reads-half-japanese-teacher-davao-finally-meets-father-a2328-20220922-lfrm3-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2YAcdSQeSBkxeuFktICVWm8HWG4vp38hZMBfqcKHVYB0632WY7QCx3vZI

Rights group: 59 lawyers slain in 6 years in Philippines

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rights-group-59-lawyers-slain-years-philippines-91547288


Timeline of Our Life in America

Positively Filipino's FilAm History timeline is the most comprehensive available. With this issue, we have added updates (in red) that hopefully keeps up with the constantly increasing number of milestones the community has chalked up to firmly establish its presence in the US. But timelines are always a work-in-progress, so please alert us if there are items missed or to be added.

Meanwhile, FilAm achievers continue to create history as they excel in their respective fields. Making the list in PF's "Fil Ams Among the Remarkable and Famous, Part 39" compiled by our publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco, are a sportswriter/ESPN host, Miss USA 2022 and a U.S. Ambassador.

Tarmo Peltokoski, a 22-year-old Filipino-Finnish conductor is the current sensation among orchestra fans in Europe. Cultural writer Pablo A. Tariman profiles this amazing classical music star.

October 7 marks the 100th day of the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. How has he fared so far? PF's Manila-based analyst Ernesto M. Hilario writes a report card.

Here's a story that brings us back decades, to WWII and one man's harrowing experience in Fort Santiago. PF contributor Harvey Barkin has the written account of Enrique Fernandez, a Nueva Ecija tradesman, as shared by his son, Manny Fernandez.

Our Video of the Week features FilAm Ben Scharlin digging up the fascinating story of a little known revolutionary/babaylan named Papa Isio in Negros Occidental, the heart of the Philippine sugar trade. 



In The Know

How Filipino Americans could decide the balance of the Senate

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/08/filipino-americans-voters-senate/

Undiscovering the Hidden Histories of California’s Filipino Community

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-education/2022/10/04/undiscovering-the-hidden-histories-of-californias-filipino-community/?fbclid=IwAR155nPAC6P9yCV3XFLVrNbDNY3PZStr71Litvlhi9J-XefUlwbPYg_gFMY

10 Award-Winning Filipino Movies on Netflix You Should Have Watched by Now

https://www.clickthecity.com/tv/article/129988/netflix-award-winning-filipino-movies/

Rhuigi Villaseñor Has Earned It

https://www.gq.com/story/gq-hype-rhuigi-villasenor?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=spotlight-nl&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_mailing=thematic_spotlight_092122_2&utm_medium=email&bxid=620a27d6813922770b3bd8a9&cndid=68611519&hasha=05ddf22f422e66287df84d4b55ef48a5&hashb=ce49ef3437bce21746d36352988bb7db8952786c&hashc=ae79b0e4adf2c0ab70bcc4e01da4fd8713d5081e7281775da76c12a1dd74ca53&esrc=spotlight_2022_07_01&sourcecode=thematic_spotlight&utm_term=Thematic_Spotlightt

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=20221001-fbnp-long-reads-nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm-fbold&fbclid=IwAR2qYv7s4iUIO-t58TYlDbiAKM5HWmS1iXbl2W1BUvB2Dgh3T-05hPcnirc

This charming Filipino restaurant in Berlin has gained local fans and even television fame

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/food-drink/restaurants/10/02/22/berlins-pinoy-restaurant-has-gained-fans-and-tv-fame?fbclid=IwAR0MzuizWWgOcGDfGXM-WAWqdTiQcy50S1DJfti1nU7KfrSVHvXccqrpsrM


FilAm History: The Past As Prologue

Positively Filipino strongly condemns the heinous assassination of our media colleague, the popular radio broadcaster Percy (Mabasa) Lapid on Monday night, October 3, Philippine time. We hope the Philippine authorities will expeditiously identify the perpetrators and the mastermind(s), and bring swift justice for the Mabasa family. 

We send our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. 


October is here again and with it, the annual celebration of Filipino American HISTORY Month, not Heritage month, as some publications have mistakenly named. There's an important distinction between these two terms, as explained by the late, beloved historian, Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon:

Why October? It was the month of the first known landing of Filipinos in America, specifically in California. Though they were not yet known as Filipinos, but rather as Indios Luzones, these men were aboard the Spanish frigate, Nuestra Señora de Buena Esperanza, which started its journey from the Philippines on July 12, 1587, with Acapulco, Mexico as its final destination. California was its three-day stopover. Read Again about this history in Abraham Ignacio Jr.'s article, "Where Exactly Did 'Filipinos' First Land in California?"

October as Filipino American History Month is a nationwide commemoration, legislated by the US Congress and the California Legislature in 2009. It took 18 years of hard work to achieve this official designation and we owe the victory to the relentless efforts of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). 

In the early 20th century, when Filipino farmworkers began arriving in California in hordes, the farming region of Pajaro Valley was the initial destination of most of them. Today, a group of community researchers, the Watsonville Is in the Heart initiative in partnership with The Tobera Project, are unearthing and documenting the stories of the manongs. Christina Ayson Plank and Kathleen Cruz Gutierrez, both of the University of California Santa Cruz, tells us about their work.

Ponce Cazem of San Jacinto, Pangasinan, was one of those who sailed to America in 1929 to seek better opportunities. He didn't go the farmworker route, however. Instead, he got employment as a houseboy and chauffeur to some Hollywood stars and later, a rich family in Illinois. Cazem later distinguished himself as part of the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment in WWII. His son, Mark Cazem, writes about his father's interesting life.

A young FilAm, Mikko Jimenez, pays tribute to his aunt who immigrated to the US in the late '60s and, in the process, reflects on his dual identity as American and Filipino.

Sumalee Montano is one FilAm to be proud of. She created, co-produced and stars in "The Deal," a sci-fi thriller inspired by her Filipino mother, currently showing on The Roku Channel. PF's LA-based Correspondent Anthony Maddela reports. 

Check out the FilAm History Month celebrations in our Partner posts below and in your communities. This month we gather and connect. 



In The Know

That’s how we roll! Lumpiang Shanghai is 2nd Best Street Food in the World, according to TasteAtlas

https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/food-drinks/lumpiang-shanghai-ranking-best-street-world-tasteatlas-2022/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0y_lsvNL-W5C-sjjEQcrP9MYPeH4pSYtfBhFqh3yfvO6g9y_Sx9VYJxZI#Echobox=1664374781

The enduring legacy of Talisay’s Balay ni Tana Dicang

https://philstarlife.com/geeky/698178-enduring-legacy-talisay-balay-tana-dicang?page=6&fbclid=IwAR0_gv-Macb0jgToblI3xTESuHOQngQNd9CPbeyqTVIk6G4PJoB46cUocPA

These are the Best Serviced Apartments in Metro Manila

https://www.tatlerasia.com/homes/property/best-serviced-apartments-in-manila

Overlooked No More: Maria Orosa, Inventor of Banana Ketchup

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/obituaries/maria-orosa-overlooked.html?unlocked_article_code=RN3uDQrAvDGxkqFN4Va3CxOwRqLiJhPLVEST2e9-2wCHjErR2II5TY9EVwqmVu4tDw5MV9spKicEKGFAkDQZMxjaNEoAM8kI2D2R7diGTb8a07Iu3SgW44d1EkCP9xlSJLPAz8yK8PvMFUpDD_szTblYzbgD2EKHITQCIQv9Dokfovgk_bmrwWa6GrZicvetHG9AiAoevggXbvVv2lBIzDfJJQn1tp-vsdb-iaH5WrS8xwtszMF0x446NRDCH9Aa1T3ktRQMEHKjj_A7kZPl0nzVK9iNNl9UanH_3s_F2gFINqywNYiOTgfgXHCqUl6MTK5_4uUshysyS6Pffg1f6cjS5w&smid=share-url

This Family Is Putting Filipino Food On The Map In London

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lelalondon/2022/09/27/this-family-is-putting-filipino-food-on-the-map-in-london/?sh=6a6caa4c4aaf&fbclid=IwAR1AuDhk4gCDl9O6HymIFamTtyF8pvVO8MY5n2mNkXsS121cO7UDBhMAcM0

Filipino fan art inspires BTS’ Park Jimin’s tattoo

https://www.thediarist.ph/filipino-fanart-inspires-bts-park-jimins-tattoo/