OFF THE BEATEN PATH A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, says the philosopher Lao Tzu. For driving enthusiasts, there comes a point when the mental journey ends and the actual driving begins. Last June 22, I started a long overdue trip from Manila to Dumaguete City. I had a...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Seldom do you hear barangay and SK elections being discussed at length, unless postponement is on the table. Last week, the Supreme Court issued a resolution with regards to the cases filed questioning the postponement of the December 2022 barangay elections (G.R. No. 263590,...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In a road trip, the heart of the journey, is you, the driver. No matter how well you’ve planned (think maps, gadgets and itinerary) and despite having the most thoroughly curated list for your comfort, nothing beats being in your best shape right before the ride. Simply put,...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH After numerous requests from readers to complete and exhaustively discuss my carefully “curated” tips from road trips that have led me to exciting adventures and minor mishaps, here comes the third in a series of guides that hodophiles could learn from and improve, tweak or...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH You’ve planned out your road trip. Marked the spots on the route that you want to visit. But what do you use for your road trip? You don’t need a special vehicle. You don’t need to get an SUV with giant mud tires. You don’t even need a vehicle with a RTT (roof...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Since my last article about doing road trips in the Philippines, more and more people come to me, asking more information about driving around the Philippines. Many are excited to do road trips themselves. It’s impossible to summarize everything into one column, so I’ll...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH As the world returns to a reinvigorated normal, we find ourselves eagerly looking forward to trips long missed but never deleted from our must-go-to list. We revisit travel plans and plot new ones as we eagerly escape the heat and traffic of Metro Manila. I often find myself...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH I have been a cyclist all my life. Even the lure of law and elections failed to diminish my enthusiasm so much so that I would make it a point to drop by the bike shop at least twice a week after work. I have long attempted to justify my passion for the sport, but to this day,...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH The thing speaks for itself. Lawyers have a way of expressing disbelief when what should be patently clear suddenly morphs into a re-interpreted state of being. Such is the case of the much talked about ₱6.7 billion drug haul video. Amazing how one man, DILG’s Secretary...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH With revenge travel in full swing, destinations are fast getting filled up with all kinds of travelers. Some prefer to travel in style and luxury, while there are those (such as myself) who like to rough it up a little. I am a “long drive” kind of person, which makes me...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH *“Democracy is only as good as the education that surrounds it.” – Socrates* Voter education is something I and many others believe to be very important in strengthening our democratic institutions. The goal of integrating it in the educational system has been an elusive...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH I was fortunate to be invited by Comelec Chairman George Garcia to the 2023 National Election Summit held just last week. It was a three-day event attended by officials of the Commission on Elections, various government agencies and stakeholders from the private sector. The...
