Glory Day on Ice

A 24-year-old Fil-Am ice skater Isabella Gamez and her partner Aleksander Korovin achieved a feat that has never been done before: be the first Pairs figure skaters representing the Philippines to quality for the International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships that starts today in Saitama, Japan. PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia provides us a primer on Pairs vs. Ice Dancing, explains how a Russian skater came to represent our homeland, and introduces Gamez who has illustrious athletic creds: she's the granddaughter of basketball legend (and former senator) Freddie Webb.

Sure to make your mouth water and get you in the kitchen is Chef Claude Tayag's The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories Through the Ages, a cookbook and culinary history book that serves up luscious stories about our national dish. PF Correspondent Elizabeth Ann Quirino, herself a cookbook author, stirs up our palates with her review of this must-have foodie treasure. 

Sidney Sheldon? Literature? You would think the name and classroom subject couldn't be used in the same sentence but popular PF contributor Ian Layugan did just that in his recall of his high school reading choice, "How Sidney Sheldon Taught Me How to Read."

More women stories and writing for Women's History Month:

A woman shines in Spain:

The Stunning Isabel Preysler — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

Women Reign in Pampanga:

Why Women Rule Pampanga — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

A famous Filipina artist writes about her adopted hometown in France:

Limeuil — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

It may not be adobo but only a Kapampangan chef can do a genuine Sisig:

The Happy Home Cook: Sizzling Sisig — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

[Video of the Week] 'Lihim ng Casa Sulipeña,' dokumentaryo ni Kara David | I-Witness



What You May Want to Know About Positively Filipino

For those who are just now discovering Positively Filipino, here are some answers to questions that may be percolating in your mind:

*We come out with new stories for the week on Wednesdays (Thursdays in Manila).

*We are a magazine, thus we don't cover news stories, ongoing events and breaking news. What you will get from us are in-depth reports, features and profiles, opinion pieces and the always popular historical stories. 

*Overseas Filipinos (meaning those outside the Philippines) are our target audience, and our choice of stories reflect these. Since we are based in California, a large portion of our readership are Fil-Ams or Filipinos living in the US.

*We have a very small editorial staff, thus we rely on and continually welcome contributing writers from all over the world. If you want to be part of our pool of writers, please send a query to PFeditor@yahoo.com.

*In addition to our collection of new stories on Wednesdays, our newsletter also provides links to previously posted stories and a recipe  by a Filipino chef, or those who have original recipes to share. (We also welcome recipe contributions.)

*Our Global News Briefs section provides quick takes, with links to the full stories and their sources, on what's happening in Filipino communities worldwide. 

*Our Community News section features press releases from non-profits, community groups and charities. Those who want to market products will have to request for our advertising kit.

*The In the Know section at the bottom of this newsletter lists links to Filipino- and Philippine-related stories in other publications ICYMI. 

*Our Video of the Week provides visual entertainment from online sources. 



In The Know

INTRAMUROS GUIDE: New things you can do in 'Old Manila' in 2023

https://philstarlife.com/living/203760-intramuros-things-to-do-2023?page=6

The Wealth Of The Philippines: An Introduction To Locally Grown Superfoods

https://vogue.ph/beauty/wellness/filipino-superfoods-adlai-malunggay-forbidden-rice/

These 7 women are the pioneers of Philippine design

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/style/style-profile/03/29/19/these-7-women-are-the-pioneers-of-philippine-design?fbclid=IwAR0W7ovMBGpyyK7oBv2GBxoPvsP_hdd4zj_yqwY1kh8cJVjlSwGLuwuqBE8

11,103: The nation’s soul has memory

https://www.thediarist.ph/11103-the-nations-soul-has-memory/

Manila in Milan

https://www.rawmags.com/single-post/manila-in-milan?fbclid=IwAR1ua8uT86YITXep42yZxtUNdGyM_MZEp0AwU29Z_MAQSsO2LtYWrnOJfuw

Modern jeepney to retain iconic look

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/03/06/news/national/modern-jeepney-to-retain-iconic-look/1881450?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1mh4G3LKr9J59WBEF0r8H5YdI8YOlW6vUz_LyrZHBum4eP5FQehhdpDag#Echobox=1678047536

For the love of lumpia: This famous Filipino food truck has evolved into a San Diego restaurant

https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/for-the-love-of-lumpia-this-famous-filipino-food-truck-has-evolved-into-a-san-diego-restaurant/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR2kGpjwyaHH_p7azpDbi5_ZLMBx1-y38Hx8kxU9TBEodpmBsQQ0bZfTaS0

A nun’s way to live beyond 100: ‘I am happy’

https://www.thediarist.ph/a-nuns-way-to-live-beyond-100-i-am-happy/


Women Today

Today is International Women's Day, a yearly event that celebrates the contribution of women to society in various fields. The day also puts in focus the continuing fight for gender equality.

Philippine law likewise officially marks March 8 as National Women's Day, with the same goal of putting a spotlight on the achievements of Filipino women in all fields including science, technology, medicine, education, politics, literature and the arts, and various aspects of nation-building.

One arena that used to exclude -- but has since been breached -- by women is sports writing. Just over 40 years ago, there were only three Filipino women journalists who covered sports and one of them is Tessa Jazmines, a professor of communications at the University of the Philippines, whose spunk and love for basketball enabled her to break the gender barrier in covering sports events. 

Filipino women of course have long dominated the culinary arts although gender equality has leveled the field just within the last few decades (definitely a welcome development). Young, innovative chefs are giving traditional Filipino recipes new life. One of them is Abi Balingit (profiled here by PF contributing writer Claire Mercado Obias) whose recently published cookbook puts an interesting twist to Filipino desserts. 

We are also reposting two stories from our archives of brave Filipinas who found themselves in unusual circumstances and emerged triumphant.

Community organizer and Manila-based contributor Rochit Tañedo shares the story of Marlinda, a Lumad, unfazed by pregnancy, weather and political danger as she joined a Mindanao-to-Manila march to protest human rights violations in their indigenous communities. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/birthing-in-the-time-of-el-nio-marlindas-story

Our publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco wrote about how Filipinas saved a small town in Japan from natural extinction. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-filipinas-saved-a-town-in-japan 

Read more stories about Filipino women in our In The Know links below.

A treat for dessert and coffee lovers and the Happy Home Cook: Abi Balingit shares her creative concoction: Sago't Gulaman Iced Coffee.

Our Video of the Week features the inimitable Apl.de.Ap, one Fil-Am we can all be proud of.