Happy AANHPI Heritage Month!

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AANHPI refers to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, an expansion of the original AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islanders), the segment of the US population that is honored in May. According to the latest census, there are approximately 24 million Asian Americans, the fastest growing demographic. At 1.6 million, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are the third fastest growing demographic.

With such formidable numbers, AANHPIs' contributions to American society cannot be ignored. From high tech to health care to public service, social services, arts and entertainment, we are a force to reckon with. And we are here to stay even if anti-Asian hate (the buzzword for racism directed at people who look like us) is on the rise. 

We celebrate this month by honoring the generations of AANHPIs who came before us and who had to suffer and struggle to find their place in the American tapestry. To them who paved the way, we offer our undying gratitude.

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As the pandemic wanes and summer approaches, the world is now open for travel. Help us spread the word about good places to visit. Send us your story about your favorite destinations, your most memorable travel experience, the places you will always remember all your life. For queries and submissions, you may write to PFeditor@yahoo.com. 

In The Know

Biden Meets Marcos in Washington Amid Tensions with China

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/us/politics/biden-marcos-philippines-china.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&fbclid=IwAR3JAp1SkC5hcQhg2QWv5dgd6tT1aTbS5c01BFNlzZMbDxuvQHzm-oZ38Uw

What to Know About the U.S.-Philippines Alliance

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/world/asia/us-philippines-alliance.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

U.S. Groups Caution White House on BBM Official Visit

https://usa.inquirer.net/127760/u-s-groups-caution-white-house-on-bbm-official-visit?fbclid=IwAR391WUGk9tRiQyaGiIQJYb3zgbej0L4o4j5LrKzR-OfxMGfaiR03_wyZ-s

Philippines: The paradise islands caught in the US-China crosshairs

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65370413?fbclid=IwAR1Z0BanXBDzwtnbhK-2kFODinVyxkDCyKA5BEbvdlY1st1ZS308KZhhiO8

[ANALYSIS] Legalizing plunder: Confidential and Intelligence Funds in the 2023 National Budget

https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/analysis-legalizing-plunder-confidential-intelligence-funds-2023-national-budget/?fbclid=IwAR1McXnEo5_XnUA4-OR9yzMW4SXz3d_LsJ57NMwg0d-shyrXgM8yHwQGYTY

Batok (traditional tattoos): A revival here and elsewhere

https://verafiles.org/articles/batok-traditional-tattoos-a-revival-here-and-elsewhere?fbclid=IwAR1OInlFOJlHXEr0aZf7qk03bpYe5RhSWKVLRpano0rTrZMJ7l1ezUYvhvE

This Filipino Movie About Real-Life Catfishing Is Making Waves In International Film Festiivals

https://nylonmanila.com/filipino-movie-real-life-catfishing-making-waves-international-film-festivals/

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Staff

Warriors and Remembrance

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We end this month that marks the 81st anniversary of the Bataan Death March with a rare first-person account by the late Lt. Col. Federico Peralta who survived the cruelty, the extreme hunger, malaria and severe exhaustion, and was later released as POW #24. Peralta served in the Philippine Armed Forces for 26 years and was able to write down his story and leave it with his daughter before he passed on in 1995. This is a riveting, heartbreaking recollection of the insanity of war and a testament to the valor of what has been called "the greatest generation."

In another WWII story, anthropologist/author Thomas McKenna's recently released book Moro Warrior documents the little-known valiant resistance of Moro guerillas against the Japanese army. The focus is on the unlikely friendship between a Moro boy and his American teacher which exemplifies the bond between the Muslims and the Americans in fighting a common enemy. PF Correspondent and Mindanao advocate Criselda Yabes reviews the book. 

If a centuries-old tree could talk, what fascinating stories it would tell. At the Lichauco ancestral home in Sta. Ana, beside the Pasig river, the balete tree which has given the Lichauco children so much joy, has been officially declared a Heritage Tree by the Philippine government. Two Lichauco daughters, Sylvia and Loretta, pooled their childhood memories for this article.

And speaking of warriors, once upon a time, in the late 1970s, an esteemed Kalinga chief named Macli-ing Dulag led his tribe's resistance against the Chico River Project of the national government. The damming of the river would have wiped out the vestiges of the Kalinga way of life. Macli-ing was assassinated on April 24, 1980 by government troops. Since then, April 24 has been designated as Cordillera Peoples Day. Read Again Ma. Ceres P. Doyo's story on this valiant warrior: The Unforgettable Macli-ing Dulag — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

It's summer in the Philippines, and traditionally the season brings about a rite of manhood for Filipino boys. Read Again: 

Circumcision: Writhe of Passage — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

Summer also means mango season in the Philippines and now, even here in the US. Visit your Asian store so you can taste again this delicious treat from PF Correspondent and foodie, Elizabeth Ann Quirino: The Happy Home Cook: Mango Refrigerator Cake — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora

[Video of the Week] Why Is The Filipino Calamansi Being Left Behind?

In The Know

LIST: Premium buses to drive you through a relaxing out-of-town trip in PH

https://philstarlife.com/living/312762-list-premium-buses-baguio-ilocos-bicol?page=4

Coloring the Margins: Pacita Abad

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/arts/design/walker-pacita-abad-minneapolis.html?fbclid=IwAR1ATyWLHeUWYAgvfbG7ooJsZerqmUqlrQmEtRLfov3W9DP1sp2PEQ9pYbU

Goodbye, tilapia surprise: Selecta’s transparent ice cream container goes viral

https://www.rappler.com/technology/internet-culture/selecta-transparent-container-viral/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwAR0go2TlC_xvwYsIh2sjn4dbswlnAYnz3ttwpzDEpo9RAThfI006JBRIzL4

IN PHOTOS: Why Chef Tatung’s Azadore might be the coolest-looking new restaurant in QC

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/food-drink/restaurants/04/21/23/this-might-be-the-coolest-looking-new-restaurant-in-qc?fbclid=IwAR1zq7ZidToM2uplawqJtEThpTaaPralDoWUmhd1oYTSCap9uYBQ0c2Mdj8

The Fascinating World of Caroline Kennedy

https://anankemag.com/2016/10/18/the-fascinating-world-of-caroline-kennedy/?fbclid=IwAR1nj-LlPycni9avD8nLVBXh72A0Eh4RKYyv5Gvk6SovR9TZU_wsHpeI1SU

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Staff

Listen to Mother Nature

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Before anything else, we join the Filipino nation in paying tribute to an exemplary public servant, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario who passed away Monday aboard a flight from Manila to San Francisco.

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Snow and tornadoes in California. Unrelenting rains and flooding in the south. Unseasonal typhoons and more frequent earthquakes in the Philippines. Drought, melting glaciers, warmer oceans, heat waves -- the list goes on. If there's ever any doubt that Mother Nature is sending an unmistakable message to humankind to shape up, banish that thought. This year's Earth Day (on Saturday, April 22) is both a reminder and a call to action.

Climate change, environmental degradation, global warming -- however it's called -- requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. And that means each one of us can do our part. Every little action helps. If volunteering for a seashore cleanup or planting saplings in denuded areas is not your thing, your throwing your soda cans and/or bottles in the recycle bin, or setting aside your food scraps for composting are just as consequential. 

While Earth Day is a proclaimed annual celebration, Saving the Earth is a commitment and a lifestyle. No public announcements necessary. 

Our lead story this week is about how one family parlayed its ecological way of life into certifiably sustainable housing developments. PF contributing writer Chiara Cox begins by telling us about how it is to grow up in a green household.

Chocs N' Boxes, a Filipino-owned gourmet chocolate shop in a Chicago suburb, is the only chocolate maker and seller in the U.S. that sources its chocolate from cacao beans grown by farmers in the Philippines. PF Correspondent Rey de la Cruz reports.

And if you're still wondering if Filipinos have established their place in the American tapestry, check out our ongoing list of  FilAms Among the Remarkable and Famous, already on part 46. Our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, who does the compiling, sees no end in sight.

[Video of the Week] Claude Tayag

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Staff