Blank is #BetterByBicycle

Ah it's that time in Filipino's lives again when a promise of new beginnings in Philippine governance rests upon the hands of "we the people". Today the Filipinos headed to precinct polls to cast hopefully  new leaders who will shape the country's political landscape for years to come. I went to my assigned precinct as early as 6:30 AM, by bicycle of course, to avoid the kilometric queue in this very hot weather. The bicycle is always the best choice to get to there because I get to be spared from getting stuck when traffic builds up as I approach the precinct. But I ended up queueing for my turn to vote anyway (as anticipated). That's why I always have my bag, so I can bring a book, a notebook and a water tumbler. I should've been enjoying the cool weather and pristine environs of Melbourne by now, I was supposed to join my parents on their vacation but I decided to delay my flight schedule for over a month so I can participate in the elections. I take m...

One of the things I love about being a teacher is that I am exposed to so many learning opportunities. I just have to pick the ones that are aligned with my interests and values. So last week I got fortunate to get a slot to the International Conference on Environmental Humanities in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.  Jointly organized by the Department of History at UP Diliman (UPD), the Department of History at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and the Department of History at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the conference served as a platform to bridge the humanities and sciences in exploring pressing issues related to the evolving natural environment in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. It showcased 24 paper presentations designed to encourage dialogue on various environmental concerns. I managed to secure a slot for the 2nd day, which was held in Escaler Hall of ADMU. It's about 39 km from my house, so naturally, I did a bimodal  commute. I took a jeepne...