Since returning from master’s studies in London, I’ve worked on a few projects with different UN agencies, and got to immerse deeply with many communities in the process. I’m going to share some memories of my work in this post. Characterizing informal settlements In 2021, I became the National Researcher for UNDP’s Philippine study under the programme ‘Leaving No Migrants and Displaced Persons Behind: Integrated Development Approaches to Migration and Displacement among the Urban Poor in Asia and the Pacific.’ I immersed with four communities in Valenzuela City and Quezon City to study how we ..read more

In this essay, fellow urbanist April Valle and I criticise the proposed Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) as a means to re-engineer our metro’s fabric for bypass-implant urban development. We also dwell on international precedent projects and strategies that can better and holistically approach the existing city, most esp. the Pasig river environs. Thank you to Rappler for publishing our work. Read the full article here: https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/opinion-parex-sacrificing-urban-vitality-traffic-solution Illustration by Nico Villarete ..read more

The community pantry movement in the Philippines is a phenomenon, and it’s something I’ve been dwelling on for more than a month. I published the article ‘Community pantries are a form of placemaking’ in CNN Philippines Life, where I dwell on how the movement counters the rigidity posed by pandemic measures in the country. I’m also fascinated by how much the spaces where the numerous pantries are located. Initially, I created a collage to understand this: Now, I’m further researching about the pantries and writing about it as a case study for our research project at the Max Lock Centre, Unive ..read more

Recently, I’ve been coaching aspiring Chevening applicants and a number of young professionals who are seeking higher studies on urbanism, the built environment, planning, and other themes in urban studies. After a number of conversations, I decided to write about my own experience, and create a simple guide for anyone who needs it. What’s the difference between studying planning in a developing country and in a London planning school? I took up an urban and regional planning master’s programme in the Philippines (though I didn’t finish it) and several years later, took up International Planni ..read more

This has been a long time coming in my mind, but I finally found courage to write it. Leslie Kern’s Feminist City really resonated with me when I read it a year ago in London, and now that I wade through Philippine cities and battle with patriarchal space, words just came out pouring, and I finished writing this in a few minutes. CNN Philippines Life published this in time for International Women’s Day, and within two hours of this being online, I received so much “Me Too” feedback on having to find clean public bathrooms while menstruating, keeping safe at night, and just generally, making it ..read more

I’m glad to share that a copy of my dissertation from my graduate study at the University of Westminster is now a free resource. Exhibition and Full Paper An abstract is available at the School of Architecture and Cities’ MORE 2020 online graduate exhibition (click here for the print copy), while the full dissertation is uploaded to the Kanlungan Filipino Consortium website and ResearchGate. Presentation I presented my research in the event, SAAN KA LULUGAR: Conversations on Space in a Post-Pandemic World, Webinar 3: Palit, Lipat, Lapat, last 12 March 2021. This was hosted by the Philippine N ..read more

Rethinking our urban fabric has floated in my thoughts since the pandemic began; there is so much we could do with what already exists in our cities. I cannot emphasise enough how my being in London’s parks for most of 2020 brought me sanity to cope with so much stresses during that year — research, international travel, and, well, simply managing to all the changes. I could only wish I had access to blues and greens while I’m staying in Manila now. In this essay, fellow Chevening alumnus Julze Alejandre and I share our thoughts about blue spaces, mental health, and COVID-19. As always, thank ..read more

We started a video series at UP Plano to talk about COVID-19 and Planning in the Philippines. As a starter, I talked about spatial inequality and critical public spaces, which are crucial points of discourse in understanding how we spatially respond to the pandemic. I briefly go over what has happened so far in the quarantine, look into what the crisis yields, and provide suggestions on how we can frame our response in moving towards more equitable cities, as against what used to be ‘normal’. Watch the video here: This was originally posted at the UP Plano Facebook page. Keep safe, everyone ..read more

With COVID-19 threatening the world, many countries are challenged with how to deal with informal spaces, congested areas, and communities with low or no capacity to deal with the pandemic. I recently worked with INKLINE to publish a guide on how we can better brace our communities to have a fighting chance. This guide looks into more tactical and affordable actions on protecting families in crowded areas. Read the article here. If you know friends who work with informal communities, kindly share the guidelines with them. Keep safe, everyone ..read more

It’s been a while since I’ve written for the media, because university life has been keeping me with academic essays and design work, but when CNN Philippines got in touch for an urban perspective on COVID-19, I found myself writing non-stop. Click here to read the piece. And stay safe, everyone! Let’s be responsible enough to stay at home and follow medical advice. All the best from London, Jean ..read more