Is Filipino Food Unhealthy?
Is Filipino Food Unhealthy?

Ah yes, Filipino Food- tastes so good but hurts so bad! Our culture’s dishes are high in flavor but they’re also high in blood pressure and cholesterol. A majority of our cuisine is composed of fried dishes, fatty sauces and innovative uses for every part of an animal. And while high blood pressure and diabetes are the leading illnesses found in Filipinos, most often these are tied to our eating habits. Because not every food we have is a hospital bill on a plate, y’know? Because if there’s dishes like Lechon Kawali, there’s also Pinakbet. But what makes Filipino food, “Filipino”? And are they healthy or unhealthy?

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Why We Need More Filipino Cartoons
Why We Need More Filipino Cartoons

Every Filipino becomes a nurse or an animator and no, these two options aren’t as far off from each other as they sound. Because just like healthcare education, there are a number of western animation studios and schools in the Philippines that train talented Filipino artists and designers and bring them into the film and TV industry. From Inside Out to Finding Nemo, The Incredibles to other Disney and Pixar classics, Filipinos helped write, direct and animate these iconic films. But while our people and our culture are active contributors to the production of cartoons, we don’t really get to see animated characters that explicitly represent our community. Why do Filipinos get to create stories for other communities but have little to no opportunity for their own?

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Filipino Representation in Reality TV
Filipino Representation in Reality TV

In terms of reality TV, we commonly see Filipinos as participants on televised competitions and we are without a doubt, excellent at it! We however, have a long history of being perceived as reserved and lacking in personality, but we know well enough that just like the Kardashians our community is also capable of being entertaining while remaining genuine. It seems that our representation in reality TV remains an issue considering how we have other shows that highlight Filipino culture. It’s about time we too are recognized outside our competitive vocal and dance abilities and more on our chaotic Titas, our diverse cuisine and our many languages!

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Can Filipinos make it in Hollywood?
Can Filipinos make it in Hollywood?

Hollywood has finally gotten out of its phase of representing Asian culture as just plot points or settings for action films. Because now, there’s a rise in more authentic Asian stories portrayed by actual Asian casts. When Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite'' had an Oscar sweep and Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” won 4 of its 11 nominations, they were big accomplishments for the Asian community- we were finally being paid attention to. With all these going on, one might seem to think that Hollywood, with all it’s racist past, is finally being inclusive- but that’s not entirely true. Because what about us, Filipinos?

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Are Filipinos Funny?
Are Filipinos Funny?

From YouTube skits to stand-ups to lead roles on comedy shows, Filipinos have been exposing international audiences to our culture through the use of humor. We see comedians like Jo Koy host Netflix specials about his mom’s tough love and how funny our family customs are in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. But it doesn’t end there because we continue to find meme-worthy content from Filipino comedians all over the world on any social media platform. We laugh because we relate and even to other communities, there is a sense of familiarity in some of our experiences growing up as Filipino. Is this finally our ticket into better representation?

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