Sunset at the University of the Philippines Diliman

UP Diliman, a top public university in the Philippines, is absolutely picturesque during sunset. Though it is not my alma mater, I like to pretend that it is. I own a maroon UP jersey that I got for P70 pesos from Divisoria (a large public shopping area in Manila for affordable goods). Besides bragging about how I get cheap knock offs, I also enjoy long walks at UP Diliman.

Before the pandemic, I’d frequent the campus often. I’d be there for work, bird watching or joining tree walks. Off work hours I’d be there jogging or biking, or simply walking around with my partner who would share stories of going to school there. Today though they’ve restricted access to certain times, to keep people from congregating in crowds.

UP nowadays is probably just as populated with outsiders as it is with students and faculty, given the pandemic and everyone’s need to be outdoors and to enjoy fresh air.

The main attraction is the UP Oval. A near 2 kilometer road that touches most of the main buildings and departments of the campus. It loops around on itself, making it perfect for joggers to run their laps, or bikers to speed around it endlessly.

There was a time in my life, sometime before I moved to Manila, that I wanted to attend the University. But I realized that doing another set of years sitting in classrooms after doing the same in high school, and even after dropping out of college in the US, was not yet enticing to me. It turned out that I’d be visiting the campus frequently all the same eventually.