“The biggest achievement a Filipino can have… is to fly out of the Philippines, for good.”

We all have different metrics for success, and I believed that to move abroad is the greatest thing that can happen to a Filipino. Understanding this sentiment isn’t hard, just look at the traffic, pollution, and corruption in Metro Manila.

As someone who graduated mechanical engineering from UP Diliman, my family had high hopes for me—that somehow, my degree would be the key for me to move abroad and live a good life.

However, after I got into cycling and started working, I realized that migrating isn’t the end all be all, nor is it the silver bullet that will magically get rid of life’s problems.

The Allure of Travel

What I enjoyed most about traveling was being able to move freely. There were sidewalks where I could walk in peace. I didn’t even need a bicycle because public transport was accessible, efficient, and far more convenient than renting a car.

I’d walk for kilometers and use whatever means of transport was available. It was tiring, but worth it because of the views and scenery I was rewarded with. Through my travels, I learned that one can go far and see great landscapes if they were willing to put in the time and effort.

If I move abroad, then I would be able to enjoy this everyday, right?

Rediscovering the Joy of Travel Through Cycling

The pandemic completely changed things. I couldn’t even walk outside my house for fresh air without raising eyebrows. Yet this made getting into cycling even sweeter.

I didn’t expect this myself, but I was really glad the moment I did. It started because I had friends who were into biking, and I wanted to join them. I started by riding a folding bike around Kapitolyo to get comfortable on the road.

Next thing I knew, I joined the “Padyak for Leni” critical mass ride, and even biked to Makati on my own for Leni’s miting de avance. Commuting wasn’t a big part of my plan but the freedom it gave became the very reason why I fell in love with cycling.

Bike commuting felt nostalgic because I got to rediscover the joy of travel by pedaling my bicycle, experiencing a sensory overload while seeing changing landscapes unfold before my very eyes. Sure, Metro Manila isn’t the prettiest city. But I never felt more connected and immersed, to the point that I started to care about the place.

Connecting with the Cycling Community

While I appreciate the freedom of cycling, it was the community that got me in the door. I still remember the first time I walked up to 1C Coffee after a friend recommended it to me.

It was quite the sight with all sorts of bikes parked outside, and the owners happily socializing inside. This was a big deal for me because I only met with people because I had to (usually for school or family get-togethers), not because I wanted to.

Even if I were a total outsider, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. It didn’t feel like I was intruding in someone’s house party. I didn’t know much about bikes or biking, yet they happily conversed with me. The enthusiasm and excitement of the cycling community was more infectious than Covid itself.

No wonder I couldn’t help but get into cycling.

However, more than just finding a new hobby, I was thrust into an advocacy I didn’t know I was already a part of. We all hate traffic and how hard it is to get around Metro Manila. Traveling abroad gave me the experience, reading about mobility explained the theory (especially on How’s your byahe, bes?).

Coincidentally, I started working as a writer for VISOR almost the same time as when I started bike commuting. And this gave me the platform to voice out for the community. There was a greater purpose and meaning to what I was writing about.

Life’s Greatest Pleasure Are the Simplest Ones

More than three years have passed since I started cycling and working. A lot has changed, not just with society, but also me as a person. Traveling abroad let me experiences the world’s luxuries. On the other hand, biking showed me how life’s simplest pleasures can also be the greatest ones.

I didn’t mind if my life was mostly confined to Kapitolyo, since I could bike leisurely ride around the neighborhood, meet with friends and have coffee at a cafe, or hang out at Tambay Cycling Hub. There doesn’t have to be anything grand if I could be content with the ordinary.

My work experience at VISOR and Popcycle also showed that a boring peace is better than unhealthy stress, as long as the job pays the bills. Even if my family took care of travel expenses, I couldn’t enjoy it like before because now I had to count my leaves and plan them before I could even book a ticket.

To move abroad and live the good life might have been appealing to my college self. But now that I’m a working adult who was to deal with adulting problems, I can see through the smoke.

When you have to think about providing for yourself, living in a foreign country doesn’t sound so dreamy anymore. The standard of living is already high in Metro Manila, and it’s even higher in developed cities. Sure, you can earn more, but everything else is much more expensive, too.

Who’s to say you won’t encounter workplace issues if I move abroad? Also, just because a country is considered first-world doesn’t mean it doesn’t have problems (take a look at the USA). Once you’re there, you can’t just decide to pack up and overnight.

You Don’t Need to Move Abroad for a Good Life

Although I’d still move abroad to greener pastures if given the chance, I don’t consider that my life mission. Metro Manila may be a shitty place, but after interacting with so many people across different communities because of bike commuting, I see no reason why things can’t be better.

I wouldn’t stick around just for the mobility advocacy, but I’ll do what I can while I’m still in the Philippines.

More than anything, cycling showed me that there’s more to life than earning and consuming. Those are important but it’s the human connection that gives depth to the ordinary and everyday. And you can only experience that when there’s a sense of community.