Cashless Week... Day one!

Today, I begin an experiment to see whether in today's cash-dependent realities one can survive, remain productive and creative for a week without the need to carry and use hard cash nor credits (credit card... dummy!)

At dawn, Bel and I were already up preparing the kids to school. Their school was only about 3 kilometers away (the nearest public school we can find from our house). But since we could not ask the kids to walk all the way and end up with sweating kids going to their classrooms, the three of us took a tricycle to school. Bel gave my son Hadj some money for the fare.

On my way home, i walked. It was a nice 15-minute stroll and an excellent way to observe the early morning routines of Montalban residence who were just about to open shops or cleaning their frontyard. Several parents were also walking home after dropping off their kids.

The tricycle one way cost P 40. So by simply walking home, I already save P40 that morning.

Since we have a wireless internet connection at home, I spent my morning doing some work (emails, writing articles/reports) all morning. I was able to finish my daily desk work requirement.

I had brunch with Bel. We ate a fried bangus from Dagupan, a gift from a visiting friend who came earlier to survey our local cave here in Montalban. This cave is a special one and in the future ill dedicate an entire blog entry on this.

By midday, I was already riding my mountain bike with my mini-laptop tucked away in my backpack. It was a bit hot being midday buy the fact that air pollution is at its lowest at this time of the day, somehow that compensated for the inconvenience of midday heat. I wore a sleeveless jersey, a sub glass to protect me from the UV lights.

The usual 45 minutes travel if I had taken the FX PUV only took 30 minutes by bike. Perhaps its because most of the motorized vehicle get caught in traffic jams in many points from Montalban to Quezon City via Marikina. (more... to be continued)

localizing and greens alliances...

Today I "worked" from our house with my wife Bel and my two children, Hadj (7 years old) and Imam (6 years old). My youngest; Imam had a slight fever and did not want to go to school. Bel and I decided to also give Hadj a break as close as both my children were, we were sure he would not want to go to school on his own.

My son Hadj is in grade 2 and Imam is in the first grade. Since we moved to Montalban a year ago, Bel and I have both decided to "localize" in this new found community and one of the first thing we did was moved the kids to the nearest public school from our house.

My wife is also in search for a new job. I hope she will find one just within Montalban or our local province, Rizal so that we can all be consistent with our efforts to localize.

She recently resigned from her 17 year-long employment in a private educational institution in Quezon City in urban Metro Manila.
(to be continued...)

Starting this blog

Today I am starting this blog to chronicle my life daily for my own reflection and so that others might learn from it.

I consider myself with typical capacities and situation to many middle class, almost middle-aged, family man living in suburban Rizal near Metro Manila in the Philippines.

However, having been involved in the environmental, greens and nationalists movements in the Philippines; I have come to realize a deeply frightening reality of our current environmental and social problems. One that no Filipino who loves this country and their family can turn their back from.

We must all do our share. Mine is a small contribution. If I inspire others to our cause; then my life will have meaning.

It is possible that we will not enjoy the fruit of our struggles in our lifetime. But as I look at my very young children and think of their future; I know we have to do this.... NOW!