Loving Alex Eala

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Alex Eala (Photo by Ronald Salazar)

It was a total lovefest.

When tennis phenom Alex Eala hit the court—and took the win—in Auckland, New Zealand earlier this month, the energy inside the stadium was unmistakably Filipino. The country’s 108,000-plus strong Filipino New Zealander community (or at least a significant number) showed up loud, proud, and all heart.

Our writer Ronald Salazar was there when Alex and her partner Iva Jovic clinched their first-round victory, and he felt the moment firsthand. Kababayans filled the stands, chanting “Laban, Alex!” nonstop—so loud and relentless that the umpire had to shush them more than once.

After the match, Alex made sure to show her appreciation.

“It’s so special. If there’s one thing I learned in 2025, it’s that home is the people and not the place.”                                                               

*****

Nothing—not age, not even brutal weather—can slow down Bella Bonner.

Always down to do something she’s never done before, Bella swapped Manila’s tropical heat for Mongolia in the dead of winter last month. We’re talking minus 26°C (minus 14.8°F) kind of cold—the kind where it feels like your fingers might actually fall off.

And yet? The week-long trip landed squarely on her list of the best experiences of her life (and she's had plenty). She survived, she thawed out, and yes—she lived to tell the story.

*****

If Filipino American history matters to you, this one’s a must-see.

Now showing at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the exhibition “How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories” traces the roots of the Filipino American community in Stockton from the 1910s to the 1970s.

Using the contents of long-forgotten steamer trunks, the exhibit brings our stories—migration, labor, family, and survival—back into focus. It runs through November 2027, so there’s time to plan that DC trip and see our history reflected where it belongs.

[Read It Again]

Six or Seven Meals a Day by Ralph Semino Galán

Which Comes First, the Chicken, or the Scruples? by Albert J. Lesaca

[Video of the Week] FilAm Vegan Chef Reina Montenegro

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Staff

Pathways that Dado Built

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Dado and Maria Banatao are the Hermano and Hermana Mayor for the Pistahan Parade and Festival 2025. With Philippine Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer (Photo by Raymond Virata)

This first issue of 2026 is dedicated to Diosdado “Dado” Banatao—the legendary Filipino American tech innovator who changed the way the world uses computers. Dado passed away on Christmas Day 2025 in Stanford, California, but his impact is everywhere we look.

A lot has already been said about his groundbreaking work in technology, and for good reason. Without the chip sets he pioneered, computers might still be bulky, overpriced, and painfully slow. His breakthrough in graphics accelerator chips helped unlock the multimedia-rich digital world we live in today—from gaming and streaming to design and storytelling.

But this tribute goes beyond the tech. In these pages, we spotlight Dado, the generous donor to community causes, and the mentor, the visionary, and the believer in young minds. Through heartfelt testimonials from people who worked closely with him at PhilDev and who partnered with him in supporting community projects, we see the human side of a genius—someone who, together with his wife Maria, dedicated his life to lifting others up. Their tireless mission was simple but powerful: to inspire Filipino youth to dream bigger, break barriers, and lead the future of STEM.

Dado Banatao didn’t just build technology. He built pathways. And the next generation is already walking them.

Here's a video intro to this great man:

In The Know

Many Filipino healthcare workers in the US live in fear of ICE: ‘This is my place of work. I should feel safe’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/filipino-healthcare-workers-immigration-trump?

Rewriting Reality: The Information War That Defined 2025

https://pcij.org/2025/12/31/rewriting-reality-the-information-war-that-defined-2025/?

70-year-old Filipino grandma faces deportation after 4 decades in US
https://usa.inquirer.net/186652/70-year-old-filipino-grandma-faces-deportation-after-4-decades-in-us

Pinoy nagsilbing lead float decorator sa Rose Parade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFfCaxPQT1s

New York street named after José Rizal in honor of Filipino migrants
https://usa.inquirer.net/185624/new-york-street-named-after-jose-rizal-in-honor-of-filipino-migrants?

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Staff

Masagana at Mapayapang Bagong Taon sa ating lahat!

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To say that 2025 was an unsettled year for both the Philippines and the US is, to put it mildly, inaccurate. The entire world knows what has been happening in the US but here in a nutshell is what has been going on in our homeland. PH in 2025: Calls for Urgent Reforms Amid Corruption Scandal and and Economic Woes

But we continue to hope and dream of a better year ahead. The wheels of history never stop churning and, from what we have witnessed and experienced from decades of living, bad times never last. They just hurt and disappoint us, and scare us into doing better. 

So cheers to a gentler and more consequential 2026. 

Your Positively Filipino family.

In The Know

Oscar-nominated Fil-Am cinematographer Matthew Libatique on his banner year
https://usa.inquirer.net/186387/oscar-nominated-fil-am-cinematographer-matthew-libatique-on-his-banner-year?

While most of the world is preparing for Christmas, the Philippines has been at it for months
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/21/asia/philippines-christmas-decor-traditions-intl-hnk-dst?

Best Diving in the Philippines | 20 Top Dive Sites
https://www.divein.com/diving/destination/diving-in-the-philippines/

The World Wants More Ube. Philippine Farmers Are Struggling to Keep Up.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/world/asia/philippines-ube-purple-yam.html?

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Staff