March 28, 2023

Breaking Barriers

March 28, 2023/ Staff

If you had watched a play or two at Fort Santiago's Rajah Sulayman Theater, consider yourself privileged. The open-air venue located in the former barracks of Spanish forces was the perfect setting for original stage productions of PETA, the Philippine Educational Theater Association, which is the first national theater group in the Philippines. PETA was the brainchild of Cecile Guidote-Alvarez. So was Rajah Sulayman. For these achievements, Alvarez is tagged by PF Correspondent Rey de la Cruz the "Mother of Philippine Theater."

A young Fil-Am accountant who used to be a DJ was decisively elected to the post of Controller of the city of Los Angeles in last November's election. Kenneth Mejia's feat broke barriers and deserves to be saluted, as PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela writes.

How was it to grow up a colegiala in the late '60s? It was way before the wave of permissiveness permeated Manila society and makes for a funny, poignant story now. Veteran writer Neni Sta. Romana Cruz who went to St. Scholastica discloses the skeletons in their closets.

To cap off International Women's Month, let's revisit the stories of two Filipino women of different generations who made their mark in Broadway and Hollywood.

Enya Gonzalez played Cio-cio San in the 1938 production of Madame Butterfly and landed in the cover of Newsweek.
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-bold-soprano

Marya Coburn was a bit player in Hollywood in the late '60s and had some interesting tales to tell.

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/she-kissed-elvis-and-lived-to-tell-the-tale

To prepare for Holy Week, Watch Again movie star Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo cooking her favorite Semana Santa dishes.

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-happy-home-cook-holy-week-dishes

Our Video of the Week: 20 Must-Try Street Foods in the Philippines

In The Know

Today in Philippine history, March 23, 1895, Encarnacion Alzona, the first Filipina to complete her doctoral studies, a pioneering suffragette was born in Biñan, Laguna

https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2741/today-in-philippine-history-march-23-1895-encarnacion-alzona-the-first-filipina-to-complete-her-doctoral-studies-a-pioneering-suffragette-was-born-in-bi-an-laguna

These Were the Badass Senators We Should Look Up To

https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics/opinion/filpino-senators-statesmen-a00293-20190517-lfrm?utm_source=izooto&utm_medium=messenger_notifications&utm_campaign=20230319-filpino-senators-statesmen-a00-izold&utm_content=

Budji Layug’s Next Big Vision: Community Design

https://vogue.ph/lifestyle/art/budji-layugs-next-vision-community-design/

This Woman Crawled Out of Poverty and Bought Her Parents a House at 26

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/winnie-talosig-rebancos-coca-cola-interview-a00293-20210329-lfrm2?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20230313-fbnp-long-reads-winnie-talosig-rebancos-coca-cola-interview-a00293-20210329-lfrm2-fbold&fbclid=IwAR3obZTxtll0WASD958duEXqVJ_UQuooMPDNu04Ot9H0hF-1TpPcLLhp7hc

Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo on becoming a food industry success

https://mb.com.ph/2023/3/18/ana-lorenzana-de-ocampo-shares-her-recipe-to-become-a-food-industry-success?fbclid=IwAR3IC__EhikqfbOwt9N0OzleVTJAA5_3gi0nB3j0x6KMPc_6wp4dUqbpNk8

Hapag: A genuine love for Filipino food and the people you work with can make a big difference

https://fnbreport.ph/hapag-a-genuine-love-for-filipino-food-and-the-people-you-work-with-can-make-a-big-difference/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3w6izsVa9Tb2vu049QDqyw41nGFwH9I5uVUJjnK9-crDNrYROrzQcxtwg#Echobox=1679361107

March 22, 2023

Glory Day on Ice

March 22, 2023/ Staff

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

In The Know

Introducing the Filipino Creative Class

https://www.elle.com/culture/a43340458/new-filipino-creatives-2023/?fbclid=IwAR31UJVctsYiqDhYKn5pRz5Ns1dV-fo3tjii4sAAxtiZZMowLiuXnQ24WXo

Rest, recovery and larb tofu: a startup to remedy our postpartum care problem

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/03/chiyo-postpartum-meal-service-entrepreneurs?utm_source=social&utm_medium=fb-anyword&utm_campaign=MailchimpNFSB&kwp_0=2247245&kwp_4=6372362&kwp_1=2737414&fbclid=IwAR2fqm_0tBoK_FlUdhbV6PuOD2oHWxazUIt95Lwf69vRgHc6_jH6oGdI5Dk

H.E.R. dedicates Billboard Impact Award to Filipina mother

https://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/h-e-r-dedicates-billboard-impact-award-to-filipina-mother/?fbclid=IwAR2JHVUlx6NzOoJvuwsFFPQDUiRZS24ASBRvs5oyqc2-8aw8J6A_aFhIKnQ

SF's Queer, Filipina-Owned Chocolate Shop Celebrates Love Year-Round

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925984/kokak-chocolates-filipino-lgbtq-castro-san-francisco?fbclid=IwAR2TxwoNDbAE1JB5eETm7a5Chbd4B-pLHpMabCelhwmA3kP4dNVtt2jmoVE

Filipino Student Who Went Viral for His Name “Drink Water’ Becomes Gatorade Ambassor

https://nextshark.com/filipino-named-drink-water-gatorade-ambassador

March 14, 2023

What You May Want to Know About Positively Filipino

March 14, 2023/ Staff

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.