Good People

It has only been 15 days since 2025 began and already our senses have been assaulted by the major disaster in the Greater Los Angeles and the impending doom of man-made disasters to come. Our ancestors believed that whatever happens at the onset of a new year portends what will happen in the year ahead. If we go by this superstition, we're in deep trouble.

But there's always a yang to a dark yin, the wellsprings of hope and optimism, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. When the going gets rough, good people always rise up to the moment of need and voluntarily do good deeds (as there are those who play the blame game -- however far-fetched their theories -- and do nothing). Canada, South Africa, Mexico and even Ukraine, among other states and countries, have deployed their firefighters to help quell the conflagrations. The LA fires have become sterling reminders of what global cooperation can do. 

GoFundMe, the app for donating money, is busy receiving donations for families who've lost their homes. A word of caution though: GFM, however well-intentioned, also attract online scams, so be very wary. If you wish to donate to a family you know, it would be best to contact them first and get their actual GFM address. 

As of yesterday, January 14, the Philippine Consulate has identified 150 Filipinos affected by the fire. We know this is a very conservative number and that's because the Consulate identifies Filipinos as only those holding Philippine passports. Those who have naturalized as US citizens no longer fall under the ambit of the Philippine government and are therefore not entitled to whatever assistance is available.

As Los Angeles continues to suffer hell on earth, we continue to storm the heavens for rain, respite and renewal. 



In The Know

Take these 10 Precautions Before Trump Takes Office
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/take-10-precautions-before-trump-takes-office-glenn-d-magpantay-qymze/

Philippines alarmed after China sends ‘monster ship’ to disputed shoal
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/philippines-alarmed-china-sends-monster-ship-disputed-shoal-rcna187557?

New report sheds light on why young Asian Americans are 40% more likely to develop allergies
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/asian-americans-pacific-islander-native-hawaiian-allergies-rcna186695?

Roughly 150 Filipinos displaced by LA fires
https://asamnews.com/2025/01/14/displaced-filipinos-la-wildfires/

Jollibee provides free meals to Los Angeles wildfire victims
https://asamnews.com/2025/01/14/pacific-palisades-eaton-relief-aid-natural-disasters/

Displaced Filipino Families Affected by the LA Fires with GoFundMe Links
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17hqZniTXSkz2xCXg06dLL3bV7NCnp-JROBPESwnjsgw/edit?gxpyLncJALv8_aem_yEnfWfaPJ_C6Q8722P2Mnw&gid=0#gid=0


An Icon of Human Decency

The President Jimmy Carter exhibit at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, GA.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, served from 1977-1981 -- an ancient time now for our young readers but halcyon days for those who lived through it. He may not have been the most effective president but he led at a time  of decency, courtesy, honor and civil bipartisanship in US politics. Remember those days?

It was after his presidency, however, that the full measure of Jimmy Carter's greatness emerged. From the time he left office at 56 years old until his last breath at 100 years old, he was an indefatigable fighter for democracy, human rights, international peace and economic development. He wrote multiple books, helped build houses with Habitat for Humanity, lectured, met with world leaders and basically showed the world what a real decent human being can be -- one who puts the greater good over and above self-interests, without the need for the trappings of high office. 

Let's extol President Carter today; we may not see the likes of him again in the coming years. 

*****

Positively Filipino has been unstinting in its coverage of the exemplary work of Filipino American nurses through our articles and webinars. It's gratifying to find out that even outside the US, Filipino nurses are winning accolades and positions of responsibility, as reported by our contributing writer, Jerome Babate who heads the Filipino Nursing Diaspora Network (FiND), in "2024: A Landmark Year for Filipino Nurses Globally."

*****

Much have been written about the [long-delayed] Congressional Medals of Honor that the US Congress has [finally] bestowed on Filipino World War II veterans but there's still one crucial benefit that has eluded them: getting their families who were left in the Philippines to the US. Seattle-based veterans' advocate Conrado (Sluggo) Rigor, Jr. describes the heartbreaking fate of Filipino vets who came to the US in their twilight years in "Forgotten Freedom Fighters."

*****

On the lighter side, how would you like your portrait done by an artist whose works are conversation pieces? PF Correspondent Rey de la Cruz writes about the portrait painter, Kim Canonigo.                                  

*****

For a story that will leave you breathless with shock, check out our first link (from the New York Times) in our In The Know section below.

Read Agains:

January Is Fiesta Time Staff

How Filipinos Got Their Surnames by Penelope Flores

[Video of the Week] The Last Traditional Sailboat in the Philippines


In The Know

Private Bruno R. Orig: Medal of Honor
https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/orig/index.html?

On the Run, a Hit Man Gives One Last Confession
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/world/asia/philippines-hit-man-confession.html

Edgar Matobato ‘currently safe’ after fleeing Philippines
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/edgar-matobato-duterte-whistleblower-safe-after-fleeing-country/

Best Filipino Restaurants in Chicago
https://www.facebook.com/reel/430328429798233

Why Filipino restaurants go out of business; 2 chefs offer their insights (Part 1)
https://thefilam.net/archives/42493?fbclid

May Your Wishes All Come True

We wish you a happy, healthy and bountiful 2025. May all your dreams and desires come true this coming year.

This issue marks our 12th year of publication and, as is our wont, we begin by thanking you for the support and encouragement you've given us through all these years. We are still the same group of four that ventured into the digital publication field after years of being in print media. It took quite a lot of learning and tweaking to gain confidence in this new arena. We can't really say we've mastered this; new technologies are coming up swiftly -- too swiftly -- for us to catch up. But we're still here and our goal of bringing the massive, complex Filipino diaspora together via our shared stories remains.

We hope you'll continue to be with us as we navigate the uncertain world that is upon us in 2025. Let's start our trek to the future by looking back to what we are leaving behind, what we've gone through and who we have lost in 2024.

And for a bit of whimsy, we're including some fun items from our first month of being-- January 2013.


This Week’s Stories

The Year of Breaking Up Badly by Ernesto M. Hilario

In Memoriam 2024 by Mona Lisa Yuchengco

The Most-Read Stories of 2024

Read Agains from January 2013:

“Opo Pinoy Style” Infects the Internet

Sex and the Senate by Marilen J. Danguilan

Come Join Me in Portugal by Tiago Gutierrez Marques

[Video of the Week] Chef Lord Maynard Llera