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The Culture Corner
Fall 2019

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Hi everyone, I hope you had a good time at retreat, or a restful weekend! I stumbled across an old favorite video of mine on YouTube called 100 Years of Beauty in the Philippines and wanted to share.
From the 1900s to the 2010s, we can see the progression of what was considered “beautiful” in the Philippines at that time. Influences from indigenous cultures, nostalgic portraits of Filipino women pre-colonial era, fashion trends during WW2, the effects of colonial mentality on makeup and skin tone, and the images of strength and female empowerment through this decade are displayed in an impactful way. I have the link to the original video and the behind the scenes research video below!
For the culture,
Regina
100 Years of Beauty- Philippines
Research Behind the Looks


Yesterday was Veterans Day and some Troy Phi members went out to the streets of Hollywood to march. Why did we?
During World War II, the Philippines was a US territory and Filipinos were considered US nationals. 260,000 Filipinos were drafted or volunteered to serve in the US Armed Forces to defend the United States against Japanese Imperialism. Just like the American soldiers, they were promised full benefits - including medical benefits, pensions, even citizenship, and more - in exchange for their service during the war. However, only 10,000 Filipino soldiers were given full equity in their benefits.
While the US granted the Philippines independence, the Rescission Act was signed in 1946 exclusively denying Filipino soldiers the military benefits rightfully owed to them, their wives, and their children. 73 years later, this injustice has continued to affect hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families. With more of our elderly Filipino Veterans and their widows passing away year after year, justice delayed is justice denied.
The founder of Justice for Filipino American Veterans movement was a Filipino-American veteran himself, the late Manong Peping Baclig. He once said, “Nothing is free. You have to fight for your rights. And when you have that right, you have to fight to keep it.”
Let us continue to fight for justice and equity for our Filipino American Veterans and their survivors!
For the culture,
Johannah
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Happy first week of November!! Since we have APASA’s Cultural Art Expo this upcoming Thursday night, I wanted to share another art form that some of you might not be as familiar with: spoken word! Spoken word is a poetic performance art that is word-based. It is an oral art that focuses on the aesthetics of word play such as intonation, voice inflection, rhythm, and improvisation. Spoken word performed at slams is called slam poetry. Here is my current favorite slam poem from a Filipina artist for you to check out!
Patricia Lipana - "Kumanta" (Get Lit) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_msiskXVhCs&t=7s
Here’s another spoken word poem by our very own Eddy Gana Jr., and his wife, Stephanie Sajor!
Same Question - Filipino Identity Spoken Word Poem by Steady: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLwc_kreRsA
For the Culture,
Regina


Filipino culture is as rich as it gets. One of the long-lasting, never-changing aspects of Filipino culture are the superstitious beliefs that have been passed down through countless generations. Philippine folklore is filled with mythical and supernatural creatures. While invisible in Western culture, these creatures are widespread in Filipino literature and films.
The most common of Filipino monsters is the aswang. Aswang is an umbrella term to describe shapeshifting evil beings similar to vampires, werewolves, and witches. There are a lot of different kinds of aswangs since they are able to change their forms to dogs, pigs, bats, snakes, and more. The type of animal they shapeshift to depends on the legends prevalent in that region of the Philippines. Even though their main form is very human like, they break into funeral homes and steal recent corpses. They are also infamous for entering homes to drink human blood and turn people into aswang by tricking the human to bite them in return. The aswang are especially hungry for human fetus so some of the more superstitious stories include neighborhoods patrols set up in front of the home of a pregnant woman to protect her from wandering stray animals in case they are the aswang in disguise.
Come out to this week’s PAHM Halloween GM to learn more about Filipino myths & monsters!
For the love & for the culture,
Johannah
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To kick off our conversation about Filipino identity this week, this Culture Corner highlights Filipino representation in animation! Representation of cultures in media is so important in fostering cultural pride and identity formation at a young age, and for many of us, there seemed to be a lack of Filipino figures in the cartoon/digital world during our childhood. Luckily, we are now starting to see Filipinos working in these industries and pushing for greater representation for our community through globally-acclaimed platforms, such as Marvel and Pixar.
The Marvel Universe is introducing a new FILIPINA superhero- Wave! Wave is portrayed as a young morena with shiny black hair and brown skin tone, wearing a black and green wetsuit adorned with golden armor and ethereal green wings. She is described as “a mysterious Filipino heroine” who will be part of the “crazed world of War of the Realms,” according to the Marvel website. In her latest design, Wave is shown holding a pair of single-edged longswords believed to be inspired by the kampilan, a type of blade which originated in the Philippines.
As for Pixar, a Filipino-American story artist is tapping into his roots as he creates the first ever Filipino-American characters for a Pixar short film. Pixar Animation Studios story artist Bobby Rubio is delving into the director's seat with Pixar's upcoming short entitled "Float." Rubio has revealed on his Twitter that it will be starred by two Filipino-American computer-generated characters. Rubio says, "I am proud to tell our stories. I know what it means to see our culture represented on screen! #RepresentationMatters"
Be sure to watch out for these films to support our Filipino American artists/creators!
For the Culture,
Regina


Indigenous People of the Philippines
Yesterday, we celebrated National Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Through this holiday, we stand in solidarity with Native Americans in reclaiming their history, exposing the injustices & oppression they endured, and honoring the resilience they have shown. As Filipino-Americans, we must recognize and acknowledge those who are native to the lands we now call our homes.With this in mind, I wanted to highlight the rich indigenous population back in the Philippines. It is a culturally diverse country with an estimated 14-17 million Indigenous Peoples belonging to 110 ethno-linguistic groups. Many of the larger indigenous ethnic groups adopted the ways of the Western world through a long history of colonization by Spain and the United States. However, other indigenous ethnic groups, mostly those who live in the highlands, were never heavily influenced by the outside world and managed to keep their traditions and customs alive. This is due to the inaccessibility of the mountains that discouraged the colonizers to come in contact with them.There are two main ethnic groups in the Philippines. The indigenous people living in the northern part of the country are called the Igorots, whereas the non-Muslim indigenous tribes living in the south are referred to as Lumad. The Igorots, which comprises numerous tribes in the northern part of the country, are mostly residing in the mountain ranges of the Cordillera Region. They are popularly known for being rice cultivators and especially for building the Banaue Rice Terraces – frequently called the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. In the southern part of the country, indigenous tribes are mostly found in Mindanao and Western Visayas. In Mindanao, these existing non-Muslim indigenous groups are collectively known as the Lumad. Their tribe is generally known for tribal music produced by musical instruments they’ve created. Other major tribes in the Philippines are the Bajau, Mangyan, and Aeta. All these indigenous groups are spread out across the country as seen in the map above.I encourage you all to learn more about the indigenous people of the Philippines. The traditions and customs across the many groups show just how rich the culture of the Philippines is! We also must help ensure that their stories are not erased.
For the love & for the culture,
Johannah

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Welcome to the second week of PAHM! If you haven’t heard already, the PAHM/FAHM theme for this year is recognized by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) as “Pinay Visionaries: Celebrating Filipina American Women” and their contributions to history and the Filipina/o American community nationwide. I hold this theme so near and dear to my heart, and I am so inspired by both the strong Filipina women that have paved the way for female empowerment in our past, and also the ones I am blessed to be surrounded with in my everyday life.Throughout history, Pinay (Filipina American women) leaders, laborers, scholars, scientists, and activists have been the backbone of the Filipina/o American community. These Filipina Americans have overcome racial and gender discrimination, and have persevered to contribute to their respective fields. This year, we celebrate Filipina American women across the United States, including one very special Pinay in particular: one of my role models, Fe Del Mundo.Fe del Mundo was a Filipino pediatrician who was the first woman to be admitted to Harvard Medical School in 1936- over ten years before the school officially began admitting women. When she applied, the Harvard officials did not realize Fe’s gender based on her name, surprising them all when she showed up as a woman- but her record was so strong that it was not a valid enough excuse to revoke her acceptance!She was also the first woman to be named National Scientist of the Philippines in 1980, and founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. Del Mundo revolutionized Philippine medicine, making major breakthroughs in immunization and in the treatment of jaundice, and providing healthcare to thousands of poor families. Since she sold her home to fund the opening of The Children’s Medical Center in 1957, Fe took up residence on the second floor of the hospital. She continued her public service- which spanned 8 decades- until the twilight years of her life. “The angel of Santo Tomas” was still making rounds to check on patients when she was wheelchair-bound at the age of 99.This month, I ask of you to honor all the Filipina women in your life. Make it a mission to lift each other up in a world that often limits our power and passion - to women and our Filipinx community alike.
For the culture,
Regina
 


WELCOME TO PAHM
Pilipino American History Month is here! If you are feeling pleasantly shook by the fact that there is an entire month dedicated to our people, you are not alone! I remember feeling the exact same way last year.In October 1992, the first annual Filipino American History Month was celebrated as proposed by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). While FAHM is the official name, many universities today have used PAHM to reclaim our native alphabet since it does not include the letter ‘f’.The reason why PAHM is celebrated in the month of October is significant. The first Filipinos in the United States arrived on October 18, 1587 as they landed in what is now known as Morro Bay, California. Yes, we have been here for THAT long. Additionally, October is the birth month of Larry Itliong - a Filipino American farmworker and labor organizer who was a prominent leader of the Delano Grape Strike despite much recognition being given to Cesar Chavez.FANHS has also pointed out the significance of specifically celebrating our “history” as it allows us to holistically honor the events, experiences, and lives of past and present Filipino-American people and how it has impacted our community and beyond. Regina and I are so excited to celebrate PAHM with all of you! It is our hope that we provide various spaces for you to deepen your connection with your culture with our month-long programming. Happy PAHM!
For the Culture & For the Love,
Johannah

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I was filling out an official form a couple of days ago, writing my full name in the given boxes letter by letter when I suddenly ran out of space. My full name is VERY long, and I’m sure some of you can relate to my experience… but why do Filipino names tend to be extremely long? For the most part, Filipinos abide by the Spanish naming system of using both paternal and maternal surnames, the latter constituting the "middle name". If you’re lucky, you also receive a two-part first name as well, if your parents want to include a “second name” the way that the Western naming system uses middle names. For example, my full name is Regina (first name) Alexandra (second name) Gonzales (mother’s maiden name) San Andres (paternal surname). It is also very common for Filipino parents to combine their given names to create a name for their child. For example, Maria + Carlos = Maricar. One fun name combo that is truly Filipino is Jejomar, which is a combination of Jesus, Joseph, and Mary- reflecting both Filipinos’ creativity in choosing names and their strong Catholic faith! Filipinos are also fans of cute monikers or nicknames when they don’t want to pronounce their lengthy full names, like Boy, Nene, Girlie, Baby, etc. Many of these nicknames stem from the propensity of Filipinos to have large, tight-knit families and are terms of endearment for those they love. Next time you are at a family party, be sure to ask your Titas and Titos where their names/nicknames came from!
For the Culture,
Regina - C&C


Hi everyone!! I’ve been listening to a bunch of throwback songs from a lot of Filipino-American artists lately, and I thought I would share a list of iconic Fil-Am songs that many of us in Troy Phi know and love! It’s important to show support to our fellow Filipino-Americans when we can, and one way to do so is to stream their music. These are my personal favorites:
-By Chance - Jr Aquino
-First Choice - Gabe Bondoc
-Lemonade - Jeremy Passion
-She was Mine - AJ Rafael, Jesse Barrera
-Ms. Seductive - Jeff Bernat
-Filipino Thang - DC Sings
-Gentlemen Don’t - Gabe Bondoc
-Try - Melissa Polinar
(If you like these songs and want more, follow my Spotify playlist ‘fil-am jams (+friends)’ hehe)
For the culture,
Regina - C&C 

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The third week of school is starting and for many students the feeling of homesickness is continuing to grow stronger since saying “Good bye!” to their loved ones or it is starting to creep up. Family is a big part of Filipino culture. With often large extended families, people you call “cousin” even when they really are not, and meeting titos & titas (aunts & uncles) you’ve never seen before, many Filipinos and Filipino-American grow up with a high regard for tight-knit families and a good understanding of the respect we give to our elders.    One of the main ways Filipinos show respect to our elders, whether they be family or strangers, is through a gesture called mano or pagmamano. This gesture is done whenever you arrive or leave a place where the elder is at. In order to mano, you press your forehead to the elder’s hand. While completing the gesture, sometimes you say “Mano po” which translates to asking the elder for a blessing (Tagalog Tip: “po” is always added whenever interacting with elders as a sign of respect). Then, the elder replies with “God bless you”. However, more often than not, the mano is completed without the dialogue. This gesture is done whenever you arrive or leave a place where the elder is at.
For the culture,
Johannah


Troy Phi’s staple Bahay Kubo X Dollar Hits Social event is this Thursday! While dishes such as lumpia, bistek, and adobo may ring a bell, Filipino Street Foods are a whole different ball game. At Dollar Hits, the seemingly endless unfamiliar options to choose from may be overwhelming. If you do not know where to start, here are my Top 3 Favorite Filipino Street Foods:
1. Isaw
Isaw refers to barbecued pig or chicken intestines that are thoroughly cleaned before being boiled, skewered, and grilled and frequently served with a spiced vinegar dip. This is personally my favorite!
2. Kwek-Kwek
Kwek-kwek is a hard-boiled quail egg that’s coated with an orange batter and deep-fried until crispy. It is served with a sweet and sour sauce and/or the spiced vinegar.
3. Barbecue
If it is your first experience with Filipino Street Food and you are a little hesitant, this is the best way to start. A favorite for many, these marinated pieces of pork or chicken are skewered on sticks and grilled over coals. They’re savory-sweet and smokey and often charred in parts. A small piece of fat is typically the last piece at the end of the stick for those who either want to avoid them or save the best part for last. If you see me at Dollar Hits or Bahay Kubo, feel free to ask for recommendations! I’ll be happy to passionately share my opinions. We hope to see you all there!
-Johannah Suegay

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As the new school year rolls in, Johannah and I would like to say… MABUHAY Troy Phi! Mabuhay comes from the root word buhay, meaning “life.” This word is used as a toast during gatherings or parties, akin to “viva” in Spanish, “aloha” in the Austronesian languages, and “long live” in English. A more modern usage of mabuhay is used to greet newcomers or foreigners to one’s humble abode. Our Tagalog word of the day is not only our country’s way of saying “welcome” to new visitors, but it also acts as a symbol of hospitality in our Filipino culture. This greeting encapsulates our way of embracing and giving love to even new strangers to our beautiful country. We always treat others like family- both in our homeland and our homes away from home. To me, I found a family in our vibrant Filipino community here at USC. We hope you can find a home in Troy Phi too.
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For the Culture, Regina - C&C Co-chair


Spring 2019

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​Hey everybody!

In honor of Pilipinx Visibility Week, for this week's culture corner we'll be highlighting "Float", an upcoming Pixar short film written and directed by fellow Filipino-American, Bobby Rubio!

"Float" is set to showcase Pixar's first Filipino characters, hopefully opening the door up for more Filipinx directors and stories to follow!

A release date hasn't been set for "Float", but here's a brief synopsis:

"In FLOAT, a father discovers that his son is different from other kids in the most unusual way. To keep them both safe from judgement, Dad covers him and keeps him out of sight—but when his son’s ability becomes public, Dad must decide whether to run and hide or to accept his son as he is."

Mahal ka namin,
Richelle & Judge - Community & Culture Chairs

Since this week’s GM revolves around self-care and mental health, we wanted to focus on a big problem in the Filipino/American community that greatly affects our mental health:

Colonial Mentality = a prominent form of self-hate & internalized racism in the Filipino community that stems from the preference for all things foreign over our own

Since the Philippines was colonized by Spanish, and then later by America, Filipinos were forced to assimilate to these different cultures to which they were shamed for their traditional Filipino ways. Forms of this includes:
- Being ashamed to eat Filipino food and accepting American food as “better”
- Using papaya/whitening soap to have lighter skin and satisfy western beauty standards
- Being embarrassed to speak Tagalog
You can learn more colonial mentality and how it negatively affects our mental health here 

We don’t need any of that colonial mentality here -- we’re all beautiful and amazing BECAUSE we are Filipino. Love yourself, you’re amazing for who you are and don’t need to give into the colonizers <3

Brown is beautiful,
Richelle & Judge - Community & Culture Chairs
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Members of the Family
Since this week is KAA reveals, we want to focus on the different members of the family.
Pamilya = family
Tatay = dad
Nanay = mom
Anak = child, son, or daughter
Kuya = older brother
Ate = older sister
Ading = younger sibling
Lolo/Lola= grandpa/grandma
Tito/Tita = uncle/auntie
Pinsan = cousin
Pamangkin = niece or nephew
Ninong/Ninang = godfather/godmother

Also in Filipino culture, everyone is pretty much considered family to the point where you may not even know who your “real” titos/titas are. They may be your parent’s siblings, but at the same time your titos/titas may be your mom’s best friend’s sister who she went to nursing school with -- and that is still okay! In the Philippines, you can also call random strangers, (i.e. jeepney/bus drivers, Jollibee waitresses, cashiers, etc.) who may be older than you, Kuya or Ate. In the end, we’re all pamilya.

Mahal ka namin,
Richelle & Judge - Community & Culture Chairs
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For many Filipinos, street food is a pretty popular and easy way to make money because it doesn’t require too much equipment to set up and its an easy to sell for a profit.
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Some of the more popular street foods include BBQ skewers, Isaw (intestines), Kwek Kwek (quail eggs), and balut (fertilized duck egg).

Street foods not only highlight “filipino ingenuity” by using ALL parts of the animal, but are an important staple at parties and get-togethers in the Philippines! So although some of the foods may be a bit intimidating at first, they’ve been enjoyed by generations of Filipinos, so don’t be afraid to try something new this Thursday!

For more on different pinoy street foods, here’s an article on some of the most popular ones:
http://www.pepper.ph/the-secret-origins-of-6-pinoy-street-food-staples/

“Hugot” is a Filipino term that literally means “to draw out”. It’s mainly used today in Filipino slang to describe moments that draw out deep emotions. (aka simping, sadboi/girl hours)

Looking at modern Filipino culture, you can see that #hugot is a pretty common theme. Whether it be through teleseryes (Filipino TV Dramas), music, or corny facebook posts, it seems as though there’s never a bad time to get in your feels!

And in case the end of January has you already in your feels (shouts to all the seniors), here’s a Spotify playlist to help you out:
https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX12Zn55QZM3w?si=6qOYT9nkSG6UJ0UXncEW0A

As a bonus, here’s a compilations of Jollibee ads that are CERTIFIED  hugot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtVgFU7caOs

“Mano po”
Mano or pagmamano is an “honoring-gesture” used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to elders and as a way of requesting a blessing from the elder. Similar to hand-kissing, the person giving the greeting bows towards the hand of the elder, says “Mano po,”  and presses his or her forehead on the elder’s hand. “Mano po” literally means can I ask for your blessing?, and the elder may respond, “God bless you” or “May the Lord have mercy on you”.  Mostly “Mano Po” is done when someone is leaving or arriving in the place and they ask for the blessings from parents, grandparents, uncles, aunt, and godfather and godmother (ninong and ninang).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrjY85QhLz9/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Mahal ka namin,
Richelle & Judge - Community & Culture Chairs

To start off the spring semester, our first Tagalog phrase of the week will be “kaibigan”
*ka·i·bí·gan*
(n.) friend
Hopefully you’ll all be able to make new *KAIBIGANS* this semester in Troy Phi! We’re definitely excited to welcome some new *KAIBIGANS* into the club and to help cultivate the sense of *kapwa* (togetherness) with both our new and old members!
-Richelle and Judge
Community & Culture Co-Chairs

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​This week, we’ll be highlighting “It’s Showtime”, one of the most popular Filipino shows on tv! Showtime is a live variety show that airs weekdays and Saturdays, and highlights Filipino music, arts, and humor all in one. The show has different competitions ranging from best lookalikes to best hypebeasts, and an actual singing competition!

Watching showtime always keeps us up to date with the latest in modern FIlipino culture, so if you ever see a re-run on TFC, be sure to check it out!


Get ready for a lil throwback to your middle school days, because we’ll be highlighting some of the most popular Fil-Am youtubers for this week’s culture corner!
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During the early days of youtube, icons like AJ Rafael, JR Aquino and Jeremy Passion were part of the wave of Filipino and Asian American Youtubers that helped bring more representation to Asian-Americans as a whole in mainstream media.

We’re willing to bet that you’ve probably heard some of their songs like “We Could Happen” (AJ Rafael), “By Chance” (JR Aquino), and “Lemonade” (Jeremy Passion)!

We Could Happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgselUm89YA

Lemonade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRQLdPO0x24

By Chance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IlvQVbsaiE

​As some of you may have noticed, we’ve been calling it “Pilipino” instead of Filipino, so this week we’ll be discussing the difference between the two!

In baybayin, the native script of the Philippines, the sound/letter F did not exist. Because of this, spaces have used the letter P as a way to decolonize ourselves from colonial influences, and bring it back to our original Pilipino roots!

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This week’s culture corner is dedicated to the kubig! This is a jaw harp made with bamboo and is one of the more well known traditional musical instruments. Found all throughout the Philippines, the design and name of the instrument changes from region to region. Meranao and other groups in Southern Mindanao call it the Kubing, while the Tagalogs call it Barmbaw. It’s the Kuláing for the Kapampangans, and Kinaban for the Hanunoo Mangyans.  The Ibaloi and Kalinga calls it Koding, while it’s known as the Aroding in Palawan. This instrument is known to be used as a way for our ancestors to communicate through song, especially during courtship. The Kubing is played by placing the instrument between the lips and the end is plucked to create different notes and sound, depending on the tempo and rhythm of the plucking.


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Sinigang

This week, we’ll be giving a little sneak peak at our first GM with a Filipino classic recipe: Sinigang! We won’t spoil too much though, so if you want to learn more about the history or even try cooking it yourself (or other pinoy classics), come thru to our GM THIS THURSDAY!!!



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Ingredients:
* 2 lbs. pork belly sliced into cubes
* 2 to 3 cups kangkong leaves
* 3 pieces long green chili pepper siling pansigang
* 2 pieces tomato quartered
* 1 cup sliced daikon radish labanos
* 10 to 12 pieces snake beans cut in 2 inch length pieces
* 1 piece onion quartered
* 15 pieces okra
* 2 pieces taro peeled and cut in half (gabi)
* 8 cups water
* 2 packs Sinigang sa Sampaloc Mix (or more depending on how sour you like it)
* 3 tablespoons fish sauce patis
* ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Pour water into a cooking pot. Let boil
2. Add onion and tomato. Boil for 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Put the pork in the cooking pot. Boil for 25 minutes.
4. Add the taro. Cover and continue to boil for 30 minutes.
5. Add Sinigang mix, fish sauce, and ground black pepper; stir.
6. Put the daikon radish in. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Add the chili peppers, okra, and snake beans. Cook for 7 minutes.
8. Add the kangkong. Cover the cooking pot and turn off the heat. Let it stay covered for 5 minutes.
9. Transfer to as serving bowl. Serve with a small bowl with patis and spicy chili.
10. Share and enjoy!


Tagalog Phrase of the Week

“Bahala ka sa buhay mo.”

Roughly translated in English to: “Whatever, do what you want. It’s your life.” If you ever heard your parents or grandparents tell you this, then you know you really fluffed up. This phrase is typically used as a warning/scolding by your parents when you want to do something you shouldn’t. Basically they’re telling you, “Fine, suit yourself. Don’t come crying back to me if something bad happens.”

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Current Event - Typhoon Ompong
Just recently, the motherland has been hit with a Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut). Typhoon Ompong roared through the Philippines this past Saturday, September 15th, after tens of thousands of people evacuated their homes ahead of the 550-mile-wide storm. The storm arrived at 1:40 a.m. local time with maximum sustained winds of around 120 miles per hour. 65 deaths have been reported since while the areas including Cagayan Valley, Isabela, Abra and Benguet, Mayoyao, Ifugao, and Ilocos Norte are under a state of calamity due to Ompong.

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We hope for everyone’s safety as our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected, including the family members of our very own TP members.  We’ll be releasing more info later on about opportunities and resources for how we all can give back and contribute to typhoon relief efforts, so keep an eye out for that!


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​For this week’s culture corner, we’ll be highlighting “The Beatles of the Philippines”, the Eraserheads!

Formed in 1989, the Eraserheads captivated Filipino audiences throughout the whole of the 90’s with their new alt-rock style and relatable lyrics.

They found so much success that they ended up being the most commercially successful Filipino band of all time, cementing themselves as kings in the OPM (Original Pilipino Music) genre.

If you ever find yourself in the Philippines and looking for a song to sing in karaoke, you can’t go wrong with one of their Filipino classics!

“Ang Huling El Bimbo” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lajnSJZpI34

“Pare Ko” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgXEBQWlj-4

“With a Smile” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtqAUOxwh-k


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#TPcooks! This week on Culture Corner, you will get to learn how to make chicken adobo! For those of you who may not know, chicken adobo is a traditional Filipino dish that originated in Ilocos as a part of indigenous cooking methods of using vinegar and salt to preserve food. The word adobo is even derived from the Spanish word adobar, which means “marinade” or “pickling sauce.” This dish is a classic, and super duper easy to make if you follow the recipe below:



Chicken Adobo Recipe:
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Ingredients:
3 lbs of chicken (cut into serving pieces)
½  cup of soy sauce
⅓ cup of white vinegar
⅓ cup of water
2 tbsp of cooking oil
1 large onion (sliced)
3 bay leaves
5 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 tbsp of whole peppercorn
1 tbsp of granulated sugar sugar
Salt

Directions:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides.
Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until they soften and brown for about 6 minutes.
Pour in vinegar and soy sauce. Add black pepper, bay leaves, and sugar. Increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
Once at a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through
Add salt for taste.
Serve with rice and enjoy! :slightly_smiling_face:

Stay tuned for more #TPcooks, where you get to learn how to make delicious Filipino food, in addition to learning about the history behind them!!




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Thursday at 7pm

Location: TBD
 


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