Young Blood 7

I’m really excited to share about my first book ever: Two of my essays were included in Young Blood 7!

It’s really an honor to be a contributor for the column, so receiving news of being part of the book was really thrilling. Here’s a news feature on the book launch, where I got interviewed.

The two essays that made the cut are Patintero on the Streets and Unethical Nation. To show support for young Filipino writers–and democracy in our country–please buy a copy of the book. It’s available at National Bookstore, P500.

With Ruel S. de Vera, Gibbs Cadiz, and Pam Pastor, editors of the book.

That’s me, beaming at my mom, who took the photo, and waiting for my stuffed Guyito. 🙂

Some of the 76 writers and the Inquirer editors during the book launch at National Bookstore, Shangri-la Plaza. Photo from Inquirer.net.

Here’s the printed copy of the launch news.

Youngblood: Proving unity

This is my fifth Youngblood column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Thank you to the editors for letting me voice out what I believe is crucial in the recovery and rehabilitation of Marawi City. It’s not always about infrastructure, and the built-up environment. There are issues that require us to remove our biases and require fuller, sincere understanding of conflict to strategically address root problems.

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.