Gerald Genus (Sac-Town, Cali)
by Cross Creek Tattoo in NC
“Just because it can be seen while I’m in uniform.”

Who else can we think of when we see PINOY PRIDE inked on knuckles? No doubt, it’s just him; the people’s champ, Manny Pacquiao.

PacMan—a professional boxer, recording artist, actor, and politics enthusiast—is rated by the Ring Magazine as world’s #1 pound-for-pound boxer who has won five world titles in five different weight divisions.

Pacquiao also endorses several commercial products, print and broadcast. His biggest yet is Nike’s Fast Forward campaign wherein other sports moguls like Kobe Bryant, Liu Xiang, Maria Sharapova, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Roger Federer starred.

Ranking at 57th in Forbes Magazine’s Celebrity 100 list along with Angelina Jolie and Tiger Woods, who would have thought that this General Santos native used to be a porter who earns less than anyone else?

Indeed, he’s a real Pinoy Pride.

Gerald Genus (Sac-Town, Cali)
“For my Catholic Religion. To forever wear a cross on my neck.”

Getting inked is something. A tattoo of a seemingly-necklace with a cross as the pendant is another thing. It just shows devotion to Catholicism.

Despite being a predominantly Catholic nation, Philippines was able to produce just one saint in Lorenzo Ruiz’s persona.

He was born of a Chinese and Filipino parents, both Catholic. Ruiz’s devotion started out as early as his childhood days when he became an altar boy and later on a calligrapher for the Dominican friars.

Also known as San Lorenzo de Manila, Ruiz was beatified in the Philippines during Pope John Paul II’s 1981 Papal visit. This ceremony was the first beatification held outside the Vatican City. The saint was canonized due to his resistance of giving up his Catholic faith which lead to his gruesome death after painful tortures enacted by the Japanese.

Robbie (MPLS, MN)
Where I’m From by Tom Alvarado of Steady Tattoo
“Sun and Stars. Plain and Simple.”

For those who are not aware, did you know that the Philippine Flag may not be used as a tablecloth, as a covering for objects, as part of motor vehicles, as trademarks or label design, or as part of a costume or uniform? And that failing to do so will lead you to one year imprisonment with five to twenty thousand pesos fine? Well, it is just the Philippine Flag Law Section 34 who’s reminding us. Actually, the list goes on but we don’t want you to bombard with it.

Having said this, are you still thinking of getting inked with our very own three stars and the sun? Don’t be afraid that someone may arrest you for having a tattoo of what could be a resemblance to our very own flag. As long as you can justify the design and why you’ve chosen it, stand up and be proud.

Karding Satwa (Dubai UAE)
Christ Reaching Arms by Karding Satwa
“For those Filipinos who are in UAE and want to have a difference, call this number 0502469737 (Custom Skin).”

Philippines, being a predominantly Catholic country, celebrates Holy week, locally known as Semana Santa or Mahal na Araw, as one of its most important festivities.

The week starts with Palm Sunday wherein reenactments of Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem are present in almost all Churches celebrating the Holy Mass. Continuous chanting of prayers of Jesus’ life called Pabasa occurs from Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday. Maundy Thursday involves Church visits or Visita Iglesia while Good Friday is commemorated with street processions. Black Saturday should be observed with solemnity but ironically, this also happens to be the best time of the year for family reunions and outings. The week ends at Easter Sunday with a ceremony called Salubong featuring kids dressed as angels who are lifted up into mid-air.

We wonder if the tattoo was done as a form of penitensya, another peculiar activity by the Filipinos during Holy Week.

FiestaFilipinaUSA.net

Philippine Independence Day Celebration
Organized by Fiesta Filipina USA

CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
1 DR CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

June 13 & 14, 2009 (Saturday & Sunday)
10am – 6pm
(For Driving Directions, please go to Site Layout)

(Take BART to go the Festival)

DONATION: $10.00
” Early Bird Prize Eligibility for the first 2500 attendees”
(1 MacBook and 1 iPod touch each day)

CHILDREN
(12 years old & under): FREE

Jon Juan (Vallejo CA)
3 Stars and the Sun and the Philippine Eagle by Allied Ink

Considered as critically endangered, with only 180 to 500 species remaining, the Philippine Eagle still holds the crown of being the national bird of the country as proclaimed by then President Fidel Ramos.

First called as monkey-eating eagles as they were believed to have preyed on monkeys when first discovered, the Haribon belongs to the Accipitridae family—world’s largest eagle. They can also be compared to human beings sharing the same practice of monogamy. Once paired, they’ll be partners for the rest of their life cycles. Life expectancy for these birds is calculated to be from 30 to 60 years.

One of the famous captive-bred eagles to be released in the wild was named Kabayan. Unluckily, he was electrocuted. Anyone caught killing this endangered specie will serve twelve years in jail with hefty amount of fines.

Randy Mack (Hawaii)
Love My Roots by Eguy Ipalari, Waipahu, Hawaii
“Thanks Homeboy. I’m proud of where I came from wherever I may lay down”.

Did you know that the first Philippine map, which was 27 inches wide and 42 inches long, was drawn by Nicolas dela Cruz and Francisco Suarez back in 1734?

Pinoy, a demonym for Filipino people, was first used in the 1920s by Filipino-Americans who were part of the first wave of Filipino migration to the United States. Take out the last four letters of Filipino, pino, and add up the letter Y to form the word. For many, Pinoy is similar to Mexican-American’s usage of Chicano.

No need for us to discuss who forms the roster of the Pinoy Pride. We might want to divert our attention from these already-known Filipino celebrities into the nameless heroes who are continuously giving out their best for the country.

Francis E. (San Diego, CA)
Culture, Born, and Raised by Tiger Jimmy’s Tattoo

According to statistics, a massive number of 46,000 Filipino Americans (Fil-Am) within a community is located in the county of San Diego making it second to top of the places in the United States which constitutes the most number of Fil-Am. But how did the migration of these Asian Americans started? Let’s do a short recap.

The first wave of migration started way back 1973 when some Filipino seamen who were part of the Galleon Trade and located in Acapulco crossed the Gulf of Mexico to a bay in Louisiana called Barataria. These Manilamen started the establishment of a number of villages in America.

Mass migration occurred at the beginning of the 20th century when demand for laborers in Hawaii and California increased and when the US Navy recruitment started

Aside from SD, Filipino-Americans are most distinctly visible in the states of Hawaii, Washington, New York and New Jersey.

Noel F. (Manama, Bahrain)
Pinoy Pride by SpillN-ink Tattoos
“The design was originally for my right forearm. One day, a Fil-Am asked me that he wanted a tat to represent his roots. I showed him the sketch and there it was.”

No it’s not the grouper fish. It’s the great Lapu-Lapu, then king of Mactan, whom you can see in the middle.

Regarded as the first Filipino hero, Lapu-Lapu is the first native who resisted Spanish colonization by Spanish soldiers when its leader—ironically, a Portuguese—Ferdinand Magellan set foot to the Philippine Islands year 1521. Though the Muslim chieftain was killed along with his men during the Battle of Mactan, he will always be remembered as a hero.

Having sad those, Lapu-Lapu can be seen as a central figure in the official seal of the Philippine National Police. His figure was also use in one of the now-defunct one centavo coins. A type of grouper fish which can only be found in the country is named after him. Believe it or not, but an alcoholic drink was also named in his honor.

So when you say Lapu-Lapu, it isn’t only the fish. He’s a hero worthy of admiration.

We really can’t get enough of the three stars and the sun. Here are more FYI-must-read about flags, flags, and more flags.

The Philippine flag has been known worldwide as the only flag that is displayed upside-down when the country is in war being the color red on top and the blue at the bottom.

It isn’t only the human being who underwent an evolution, the Pinoy flag did as well. The first flag designed by Andres Bonifacio was called the Bonifacio flag. Then came the Katipunan flag, Llanera’s flag, Pio del Pilar’s flag, and the Magdiwang flag. When finally, then President Manuel L. Quezon standardized the PH flag’s appearance through an executive order in March 25, 1936.

The floors of Aguinaldo Shrine is made up of jigsaw-puzzled flags. The 2003 Oakwood Mutineers wore the Magdalo flag, one of the earlier versions of the recent flag, as an armband.

Stay tuned for more.

James Bryan (Honolulu)
Flip Pride

Filipinos’ firm religious belief has long surpassed the colonial period it underwent and never was shaken by any threats of imperialism. Now, with 81% of its population as Roman Catholics, Philippines is known as the third largest Catholic nation in the world next to Brazil and Mexico.

Catholicism is a good object of discussion of debates for its controversial beliefs and practices. Pressing issues on veneration of saints, opposition to contraception, and its separation from the State are among others. Despite all of these, Filipinos remain steadfast to its teachings.

On what makes Catholic a subcategory of Christianity or what’s the difference between Catholicism and Christianity is still a mystery for the author and an amply vague topic to be discussed.