June 12 is Philippine Independence Day. It’s when the Philippines declared itself independent from Spain in 1898. It’s taken different meanings through the decades. In 2020, it’s a potent reminder to never take the freedoms we enjoy for granted. We can’t afford to be silent if we see injustices happening. Speak up. The Philippines is not for sale to those more powerful. We are our own country.

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It’s mid-June in the year of the coronavirus. Four and a half months later, Singapore leads Southeast Asia in total pandemic cases which is short of 40,000. Neighbouring Indonesia is past 36,000 with daily increases reaching new highs. Singapore’s circuit breaker and phase 1 have seen cases that reveal a gradual drop in cases. It used to be in the 800-1,000 a few weeks ago. We’re now seeing 400-500. The country is observing community transmission since circuit breaker ended on June 1. The Philippines is seeing 25,000 and that number is increasing too – with protests happening on Philippine Independence Day and quarantine measures being lifted by the government.

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I’ve started my new job working for a media intelligence company. I’ve completed my first training week. I’m eager to quickly learn the ropes. I have an affinity towards media professionals and journalists. I studied broadcast journalism in university and I’d jump on any opportunity to provide support to media professionals and journalists back home.

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Weather in Singapore has been a mix of humid afternoons and fierce thunderstorms. You can spot the tops of buildings across the length of Bedok Reservoir from our living room window in Tampines. In the distance, you can see the Singapore skyline. This includes Singapore’s tallest buildings like Guoco Tower, One Raffles Place, and the UOB Building. I’ve sat in the living room long enough to notice when the sunlight reflects off some of the downtown buildings or when the water at Marina Bay bounces light onto one of the hotels there. Wild.

I try to jog at least three times a week. On alternate days, I’m exercising at home with the help of these videos and Just Dance 2020. I’ve noticed I’m getting larger in the belly area — likely due to being stationary at home the past three months. The new job I have means I’ll potentially be client-facing. I want to ensure I look sharp. 🙂

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Music I’m listening to…

Lady Gaga’s Chromatica album is a blessing for 2020. Every song is a hit. I love Free Woman, Plastic Doll, and Sour Candy (her collab with Blackpink). Since 2018, I’ve been listening to more K-pop. It’s bubbly, upbeat, and well-produced. I’m obsessed with SUNMI – who drops music like tap water that was switched off 10 minutes ago. TWICE, I thought was a duo. BTS, an explosion of creativity and inspiration (really, if you haven’t caught up with BTS, listen to their music… there’s so much heart in it and in their performances). Then there’s ITZY, adding color to the monsoon season.

Shows I’m watching…

PJ and I completed The Good Fight — meaning we’re CURRENT. Legit we subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch The Good Fight but the fourth season wasn’t available so we had get creative. I completed Westworld season 3, which has numerous scenes filmed in Singapore. The season’s rehoboam supercomputer sits in Marina One which was next to my old office. Marina One houses the offices of Facebook and Netflix in Singapore.

Speaking of Westworld, I’m confused by it lol. But I keep watching. Weird.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 was a highlight of the past two months. The season is lighthearted and the stories are inspiring. It’s different from some of the drama of past seasons. I understand some fans live for that drama. But with the coronavirus, we needed a season that doesn’t feel too petty.

We’ve moved onto RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 which brings us back to some drama. Derrick Berry, who I thought was a questionable addition to RPDR All Stars 5 initially… is gold. Absolutely proven wrong. He brings reality drama back to the show. Spoiler alert coming up. He is the first to be eliminated from All Stars 5.

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I’m taking two online writing courses on Udemy. I’m hoping to finally complete at least one of them today.

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I’m working on launching a website called Singapore Kuya. It’s a resource for Filipinos living and working in Singapore. Do visit and follow. 🙂