Katipunan is surrounded by universities with vast flourishing grounds for trees: University of the Philippines, Miriam College and Ateneo de Manila University. Even the high way is lined with trees, although some of them were cut off a year ago by the MMDA. It was even rumored that actress Chin chin Gutierrez, a known environmental activist, hugged a tree to stop the MMDA men from cutting it down. Alas, this time the MMDA did their operations, like many other government operations, in the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep.
But still, Katipunan is still relatively more tree-friendly compared to its counterparts in Manila and Makati. You can actually take enjoyable walks with your friends and family.
I also like how everything is so convenient without it having a mall. Nowadays, when people think of convenience, they think of malls. But not here in Katipunan. The streets are lined with a variety of restaurants, from the fancy expensive Cravings and Ninyo, to the artsy and homey Xocolat and Mag.net and favorite fast food restaurants, Jollibee and McDonalds. There's also Cantina, Meat Shop and Drew's for cheap liquor and 711 and Bat Cave for a quick snack. If I'm craving for fishball and kwek kwek, U.P.'s a jeep away.
After the binge eating, I can burn all the calories away with a jog. I usually run inside the sprawling Ateneo campus. But sometimes I also enjoy jogging in U.P. where they've dedicated half the streets to joggers and cyclists. One can also run in the nearby villages of La Vista and Xavierville.
But what I truly love about living in Katipunan are the people. You sit down in one of the many cafe's and just observe the variety of people running around, hugging each other, laughing or emoting away. There are the groups of Koreans clad in the most colorful of clothes. It's amazing that they don't seem to care that people ogle them. They're happy with themselves, with their orange hair and knee high socks and very loose shirts, and they couldn't care less. There's the conyo group, hanging out in Mc Donalds or in Starbucks, talking about their dates, their cars, their philosophy subjects. There's the future NGO worker, dressed down and ready to rally, just got back from area. Of course there's the academic enthusiast, with his nose always stuck in a book, sipping coffee in between chapters.
If someday I get to have a family of my own, I'd raise my kids in Katipunan. I do hope that when that happens, they don't build another SM condominium. One is enough, Mr. Sy, okay?
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