PinoyBuilt — Stories of Filipino America

92% Filipino, 8% China & Taiwan: Reading My AncestryDNA Results Through Filipino History When my AncestryDNA results came in, I wasn’t chasing a dramatic revelation or a foreign surprise. I wasn’t hoping for a plot twist that would somehow redefine who I am. What I received instead was something far more meaningful—something that confirmed not just identity, but history . 92% Filipino 48% Northern & Central Philippines 34% Luzon 10% Central & Southern Philippines 8% Eastern & Central China & Taiwan At first glance, these numbers might look like simple data points. But for anyone who understands the Philippines—its geography, its migrations, its fractures and continuities—this breakdown tells a layered story of movement, survival, and rootedness . This post isn’t about DNA as destiny. It’s about DNA as a map —one that makes sense only when read alongside history. Filipino Isn’t One Place—It’s an Archipelago ...

Philippine forces practised retaking an island in the South China Sea Wednesday in the first such combat exercise in the disputed waters as Chinese navy ships kept watch from a distance, the Philippine military chief said. South China Sea or West Philippine Sea??? As Chinese warships and maritime militia vessels watched from a distance, various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) engaged in interoperability exercises in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, simulating the retaking of an island from enemy… pic.twitter.com/5dNdiSwszl — The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) November 8, 2024 PHILIPPINES BEGIN TWO WEEKS OF ISLAND-SEIZING DRILLS Today, the Philippine military began two weeks of drills focused on seizing islands in the South China Sea. Over 3,000 troops from the Army, Navy, and Air Force are taking part in the exercises. The drills will include live… pic.twitter.com/rzU9AiuMSl — Knightsbridge Research (@KBR_Intel) November 4, 2024 ...

Hopefully, Peng Shuai turns up fine. One of China’s biggest sports stars, tennis champion Peng Shuai, appeared to publicly accuse a former top government official of sexual assault. As Stephanie Sy explains, there are now new questions about what happened, and the broader issue of the #MeToo movement in China. Thanks to Naomi Osaka for bringing attention to this on Twitter! The news media picked up the story after her tweet. Way to go Naomi! . #WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) November 16, 2021 The Women's Tennis Association is now involved. The head of the Women's Tennis Association has cast doubt on an email claiming to be from Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, saying it only raises further concerns for her safety. https://t.co/moucf4Br3J — CNN International (@cnni) November 18, 2021

The untold story of the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and how China responded. With leaked documents, secret recordings and firsthand accounts, the documentary "China's COVID Secrets" reveals the gulf between what Chinese scientists and officials knew and what they told the world. Tune in or stream 2/2 on @PBS . https://t.co/Oph3oRwPRu pic.twitter.com/95mfGVmbMJ — FRONTLINE (@frontlinepbs) February 1, 2021

Liu Xuliang sways menacingly as if spoiling for a fight after one too many drinks. But he is stone-cold sober and an expert in the Chinese martial art of drunken boxing. From Wikipedia: Drunken boxing  ( Chinese :  醉拳 ;  pinyin :  zuì quán ) is a general name for all  styles of Chinese martial arts  that imitate the movements of a  drunk  person.  It is an ancient style and its origins are mainly traced back to the  Buddhist  and  Daoist  sects. The Buddhist style is related to the  Shaolin temple  while the Daoist style is based on the Daoist tale of the drunken  Eight Immortals . Zui quan has the most unusual body movements among all  styles of Chinese martial arts . Hitting, grappling, locking, dodging,  feinting , ground and aerial fighting and all other sophisticated methods of combat are incorporated. I always loved watching this style Liu Xuliangan, an expert in several diffe...

What do you think of the new rendition? ⚔ ⚔ When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father. “Mulan” features a celebrated international cast that includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Cheng Honghui; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The film is directed by Niki Caro from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.”

‘There is no kowtowing’ to China,' asserts Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr as he maintains the Philippines's continued patrols in the West Philippine Sea.  Full story:  https://rappler.com/nation/locsin-if-china-attacks-philippine-navy-i-will-call-us China's "nine-dash line" used to claim most of the South China Sea is a fabrication, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, as he accused Beijing of illegally occupying Filipino maritime territory. https://t.co/GAhhoaxdoj — Yahoo Philippines (@YahooPH) August 24, 2020 BREAKING: China urges the Philippines to 'immediately stop illegal provocations,' following a diplomatic protest filed by Manila on Chinese Coast Guard's confiscation of Filipino fishermen's devices and issuance of radio challenges at aircraft patrolling the West PH Sea. pic.twitter.com/PdvpGPSk2c — CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) August 22, 2020