Young Blood: ‘Patintero’ on the streets

I got my second Young Blood column published last Tuesday. This piece had been lurking around in my brain for a few months and finally came spilling out after I was almost hit by a bus while walking along EDSA (I just typed this in my phone notes while at the back of a FX shuttle). The title is a reference to Jane Jacobs‘ “ballet on the streets,” but I replaced ballet with patintero (a Filipino street game) which is not only relatable to because it’s local, but because the game is exactly what happens to Pinoys’ behaviour in transit. I guess I just wanted a shoutout for public spaces, mobility, and social behaviour.

Before the next game, let us establish the rules as a team.

Dear drivers, this is about how we park just about anywhere that is convenient.

Young Blood: Willing to walk, or to leave your car at home?

My piece got published on the Young Blood opinion column of the Philippine Daily Inquirer today, and I’m thrilled. My original title was changed, but I’m happy there were very minor edits in the article. The link to the original publication is cited after the post.

Here’s the column:

My Young Blood Column

ONE RECENT afternoon, I was able to attend Usad Edsa, a multistakeholder consultation held by the technical working group of Cabinet Secretary Jose Almendras. The group presented its efforts, facts on traffic problems, and proposed solutions on making Edsa free-flowing, thus reducing the probability of having a daily “carmaggedon” in Metro Manila.