Some Hides Their Filipino-American Heritage- NOT ME

Heritage can be something you love and still feel unsure about showing in every room.

In a nationally representative U.S. survey conducted in 2022 and 2023, 16% of Filipino American adults said they had ever hidden part of their heritage from people who are not Asian. That could mean food, clothing, cultural customs or religious practices.

The word ever matters. The finding can include something a person did once in the past, and it does not mean 16% are hiding their heritage today.

It also does not give us one Filipino American reason why. The survey did not publish a Filipino-only breakdown of causes, so we should not turn the number into a story that everyone was bullied, ashamed or trying to fit in.

What it does reveal is quieter: for some adults, there has been at least one moment when sharing less of themselves felt like the choice they made.

I keep thinking about how much a person can edit without anybody noticing: a food left at home, a tradition not explained, a part of faith kept private. None of those choices makes someone less Filipino American.

Belonging should leave room for the whole person, not only the parts that feel easiest for everyone else to understand.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2022–23 survey of Asian American adults

Meanwhile, Here's my Take Why I am super proud of Filipino Heritage

I am super proud of my Filipino heritage because it is the foundation of who I am. I was born with my roots in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, and spent the first 26 years of my life surrounded by the Filipino language, culture, family traditions, and values that shaped me. My first language was Hiligaynon, and later I learned Tagalog and English. My Filipino identity has followed me throughout my life from my education at the University of the Philippines, to my years as a chemist and scientist in America, to my marriage to Macrine, my children and grandchildren, great grandchildren  and my lifelong connection to Marinduque. Even after more than six decades in America, I never felt that becoming an American meant giving up being Filipino. Instead, I became both: a Filipino by heritage and an American by citizenship and experience. Philippines give me roots, America give me Wings! 

At nearing 92,  I realize that heritage is more than a name, a birthplace, or a collection of old photographs. It is a living memory that we pass from one generation to another. That is why I continue to write about Filipino food, Marinduque, my family, Philippine history, and the experiences of Filipino-Americans. Recently, displaying my Philippine wood carvings and jeepney collection at my senior community for Philippine-American History Month made me think about how these simple objects have become symbols of my past. My blogs have become my own little time capsule-a way of preserving the stories, values, humor, faith, and memories of the Filipino boy from Iloilo who eventually became a scientist, husband, father, grandfather, great grand father and now, at almost 92, a blogger looking back with gratitude. I am proud of where I came from, proud of what America allowed me to become, and especially proud that after all these years, the Filipino in me is still very much alive.

Finally, Did You Know how October became officially designated as Filipino American History Month?

Why "History" Matters

Official Title: The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) established the observance in 1992, and the U.S. Congress officially recognized it in 2009 as Filipino American History Month. 
The Distinction: While often called "heritage" by mistake, organizers emphasize historybecause the focus is on recording and honoring specific historical events, struggles, and the socio-political impact of Filipino Americans in the U.S. 
Historical Significance: October marks the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, when "Luzones Indios" landed at what is now Morro Bay, California, on October 18, 1587. It is also the birth month of labor leader Larry Itliong




Reminder: Tonight is Special Filipino Dinner Night here at THD. If you responded to My-Email, our group of 12 has a two tables reserved at the Comet Room, Newtons Restaurant at 5PM.   

A Preview of Our Special Filipino Dinner Tomorrow Night - The Milk Fish

I had a special preview ( tasting) of one of the Dishes that will be served at our Special Filipino Dinner tomorrow WED, Oct 7 celebrating Filipino-American History Month. A few weeks ago, Joel asked me what fish dish I may suggest for the special Filipino dinner he has been planning for weeks. Without hesitation, I told him 💚Bangus or milk fish, unofficially the national Fish of the Philippines. I suggested, he purchase the deboned and all ready-marinated fish, so the kitchen can just fry it and served hot. He did and I tasted it tonight. 

It was exactly the taste that reminded me of my younger years in the Philippines. Thank Joel and THD for making my stay here at THD, the happiest years at the last stage of my life here in Planet Earth. The photo above is my dinner tonight. I did not need any lemon, since the fish is well marinated with vinegar and a little garlic. For Preparation of the Fish see bottom of this page. 

To residents who may not like the Fish, other Filipino Dishes, Chicken Adobo,  Giniling ( ground beef with vegetables) and Filipino mixed vegetables ( eggplant, okra etc..) is available. Joel said the dessert is leche flan ( filipino custard) and puto ( rice cake). I believe there is lumpia for appetizer and a side dish.    

 

The following is more information about the Deboned and Marinated Milk Fish.    

Contrary to popular belief, bangus (milkfish) is not the official national fish of the Philippines. While it is widely celebrated as a cultural and culinary staple, there is no Philippine law that officially declares it or any other fish as a national symbol.

The Difference Between Cultural Tradition and Law

• The Popular Myth: Because bangus is deeply woven into the country's aquaculture industry, economy, and everyday meals (like sinigang or daing na bangus), schools and textbooks have long referred to it as the "national fish".
• The Legal Reality: The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has clarified that its status is completely unofficial. 

What Are the Official National Symbols?

According to Philippine heraldic laws, only a select few icons are legally recognized national symbols. These include: 

• Narra (National Tree)
• Sampaguita (National Flower)
• Philippine Eagle (National Bird)
• South Sea Pearl (National Gem)
• Arnis (National Martial Art and Sport) 

Even other popular cultural symbols like the carabao (water buffalo), mango, and ** Rizal** (as the singular national hero) share the same status as bangus-they are beloved cultural icons, but lack official legal proclamations. 

Meanwhile, here's the Preparation for the Fish

💚Marinated deboned bangus, commonly known as Filipino daing na bangus, is a savory butterflied milkfish soaked in a mixture of vinegar, crushed garlic, salt, and peppercorns before being pan-fried until crispy.

Ingredients and Preparation

Milkfish (Bangus): One whole medium-to-large bangus, scaled, gutted, and butterflied with the backbone and small bones removed.
Marinade: ½ to 1 cup of cane or white vinegar, 5 to 6 cloves of crushed or minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of cracked black peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Process: Coat the fish in the marinade and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flavors soak into the meat. 

How to Cook

Drain: Remove the fish from the liquid and pat it dry with paper towels to prevent excess splattering.
Fry: Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the fish skin-side down first and fry for 4 to 7 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook the other side.
Serve: Enjoy hot with garlic fried rice (sinangag), a fried egg (bangsilog), and a side of spiced vinegar for dipping
Finally My Photos of the Day- The Flowering Calamansi Tree in My Patio: 





The calamansi fruit is an excellent substitute for lemons, as a souring agent. 
Personal Note: When I was a teenager in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo my parents owned a small fish pond (not commercial ) raising bangus. We harvest from about 100 to 200 bangus per year for our personal consumption. We preserved most of it by drying in the sun ( bislad), as well as marinating it in vinegar and spices.   During this Harvest Season, we will bangus every day for almost a month.     

The Science Behind the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine

The human brain remains one of science's greatest mysteries. The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognizes the scientists whose work made it possible to use light to control individual nerve cells-a remarkable development called optogenetics. 

The Science Behind the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine

This morning I came across an interesting scientific story that immediately caught my attention.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries that led to optogenetics.

When I first saw the word optogenetics, I had to stop and ask myself: What exactly is optogenetics?

I have spent much of my life around chemistry and pharmaceutical science. I received my PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Illinois Medical Center and later spent many years in pharmaceutical research and at the U.S. FDA.

But optogenetics is a wonderful example of how modern science can combine several different fields, biology, chemistry, genetics, neuroscience and even light physics to answer one of the oldest mysteries in science:

How does the brain work? A light switch inside the brain

The simplest way I can explain optogenetics is this:

Scientists have found a way to use light as a switch for individual nerve cells.

Our brain contains billions of neurons. These nerve cells communicate with one another through electrical and chemical signals. For many years, scientists could observe brain activity, but it was difficult to determine exactly what a particular group of neurons was doing.

Optogenetics changed that. Scientists can introduce a gene into selected nerve cells that causes those cells to produce a special light-sensitive protein. When light of the appropriate wavelength reaches those cells, the protein acts somewhat like a microscopic switch.

The neuron can be turned on or turned off. That sounds almost like science fiction.

But it is real science.

The surprising beginning: a tiny alga

One of the most fascinating parts of this Nobel Prize story is that it did not begin with the human brain.

It began with a single-celled alga.

Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel studied light-sensitive proteins known as channelrhodopsins. These proteins are found in microorganisms and can respond to light by allowing ions to pass through a cell membrane. 

That discovery eventually provided neuroscientists with something they desperately needed:

a biological light switch.

Karl Deisseroth then helped transform this discovery into a powerful method for controlling nerve cells with light.

The three scientists' work eventually gave birth to optogenetics as we know it today. 

How does it work? Here is my simplified explanation.

First, researchers introduce a light-sensitive gene into a particular type of neuron.

That neuron then produces a light-sensitive protein.

Next, researchers deliver light to the selected cells, often using very small optical fibers in experimental animals.

When the light reaches the light-sensitive proteins, the electrical activity of those neurons can be controlled.

The remarkable part is the precision.

Instead of stimulating a large region of the brain and wondering what happened, researchers can manipulate particular populations of neurons and observe what changes.

It is somewhat like having a microscopic electrical control panel inside the brain.

Why is this important?

The human brain remains one of nature's greatest mysteries. How do we form memories?

How do we experience emotions? Why do we become frightened?

How does addiction develop? How does depression affect the brain?

How are movements controlled? How do different parts of the brain communicate?

These are enormously complicated questions.

Optogenetics gives neuroscientists a new way of asking them.

The Nobel Committee explains that the technique makes it possible to investigate how individual nerve cells contribute to memory, feelings and behavior in a living brain. 

In other words, scientists are moving from simply observing the brain toward experimentally determining cause and effect.

That is a major scientific advance.

From basic science to possible medicine

Whenever I write about an important scientific discovery, I like to make one distinction.

A scientific breakthrough is not necessarily an immediate medical treatment.

Optogenetics is primarily a research technology today. It has transformed neuroscience laboratories around the world by allowing researchers to investigate neural circuits with extraordinary precision. 

But researchers are also exploring possible medical applications.

One particularly interesting area is restoring vision in certain forms of retinal disease. Research groups have been investigating ways to use light-sensitive proteins to make remaining retinal cells responsive to light.

There is still much work to be done before such approaches become routine medical treatments.

That distinction is important. Science moves forward one experiment at a time.

Why this Nobel Prize interests me

At nearly 92, I have lived through an extraordinary period of scientific progress.

When I was studying chemistry at the University of the Philippines in the 1950s, computers were nothing like the machines we use today. The structure and function of the brain were still largely mysterious.

Later, during my pharmaceutical career and my years with the FDA, I saw how basic science could eventually become medicines that help patients.

Today I watch another scientific revolution taking place.

We have artificial intelligence, gene editing, mRNA technology, advanced imaging and optogenetics.

Each field is giving scientists a new way of looking at life.

And sometimes the most important discoveries come from places that initially seem unrelated.

Who would have imagined that studying a tiny light-sensitive protein in an alga could eventually help scientists understand the human brain?

That is one of the beautiful things about science.

A lesson from a Nobel Prize

The story of optogenetics reminds me that we should never underestimate basic research.

A scientist may investigate something simply because it is interesting.

At the time, nobody may know exactly where the discovery will lead.

Years later, another scientist may take that discovery and connect it with an entirely different field.

Then, perhaps decades later, the combination may change medicine.

That is essentially what happened here:

Algae → light-sensitive proteins → nerve cells → neuroscience → possible medical applications.

Three scientists followed different pieces of the puzzle, and eventually those pieces came together.

Science keeps surprising me

I have written many times in my blogs about how rapidly science and technology are changing our world.

Now I can add another word to my growing list: Optogenetics.

It is a complicated word describing a surprisingly simple idea:

Use light to control living nerve cells so that we can better understand the brain.

The 2026 Nobel Prize reminds us that we still have much to learn about ourselves.

At 91, I find that exciting rather than frightening.

I sometimes say that I am no longer afraid of growing older. What I fear is losing my ability to remain curious.

As long as I can still ask: “What is that?” and then search for the answer,

I am still learning. And perhaps that is one of the best ways to grow old.

Keep asking questions. Keep learning. Keep wondering.

FROM The Headlines 

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Karl Deisseroth — United States
Peter Hegemann — Germany
Georg Nagel — Germany

Awarded for: “discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”

AI Impressions on this Topic: 

I think this topic is very well suited to your “David at nearing 92” science series because you can explain a highly technical Nobel-winning discovery through the eyes of someone who spent his career in chemistry and pharmaceutical science, rather than writing it like a textbook.