As a student of Ateneo, I barely have the time to chill and relax because of how requirements keep…read morepiling up on me. Most of the time I just stay in the library to study for an exam or to finish a presentation for one of my classes. With all the responsibilities I have to deal with, there are times that I just wish I could relax in one of the really nice places in campus to temporarily relieve myself of stress. One of those places is the Zen Garden. Ateneo Zen Garden is based on the Japanese rock garden. It is a stylized landscape that uses small rocks, bushes, gravel, and sand to recreate an image of a peaceful and calming symbolic garden. At first, I didn't really appreciate it because a lot of students stay there during lunch time and sometimes, organizations would use it for their activities. But when I was finally able to view it without the people and the noise, I realized that the Zen Garden can actually make you feel a sense of inner peace (WOW DEEP).

The Zen Garden of the Loyola Schools will always have a special place in my heart. Being a graduate…read moreof Ateneo, i have some fond memories of this place where i would walk everyday to get from one class to the next. It is also where some of my toughest days in college took place as i joined group study sessions with my classmates. The Zen Garden, for me, is a trademark of Ateneo's dedication to molding their students and giving them the utopian society that taught us how to value rules and policies which keep our surroundings clean and green. It is also meant for their students to value reflection and discernment when facing challenges or simply contemplating your existence and purpose. Zen Garden is one of the many places in Ateneo where students seek refuge as they face daily challenges. This is where they get to spend time with their friends and have conversations with some of the brightest minds of today's youth.

Located right at the entrance of the Assumption school campus, the PACEM Eco Park is part-garden,…read morepart-museum, and part-mini zoo. It was established by the school to raise concern for the environment for its school community and for visitors who can visit the eco park for just a minimal entrance fee. It's amazing how this little pocket of green in Antipolo houses some amazing animals endemic to the Philippines like the Monkey-Eating Eagle or the Philippine Eagle, the "Pilandok" or Philippine Mouse-deer, the Flying Lemur, the Palawan Bearcat, and the Calamian Deer among others. There's also a cheeky myna bird somewhere in there that keeps asking, "Kumain ka na?" Lol. It's a well-maintained park so you can easily walk through the mini-forest inside, peek into the pond and this wishing well at the front, and stop by the butterfly garden and mini museum as well. It's pretty cool to have something like this in this area. Makes for a great environmental education trip with family, especially for those with little kids!

Marikina has many small parks featuring benches and some greenery. One of the many is the Marikina…read moreFreedom Park located across the city hall and the post office. Here, benches outnumber the trees and the ground has been covered with concrete. Yet these features allow the park to host activities people won't normally do on a soil-covered ground. In fact, this park is often always busy. Groups of students come here to practice dances and other kinds of presentations. It makes sense because in the Freedom Park they can sit on the benches when they get tired practicing. The solid ground allows them to jump and move around. The Freedom Park is also the venue for the yearly Sapatos Festival, a tiangge where various Marikina shoe brands are sold. Recently, it made the news for hosting a free viewing of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

I always pass by the Marikina Freedom Park (almost everyday) pero lately ko lang napansin na may…read morepangalan pala siya. Kaloka! Hahaha! Kapag park kasi ang naiimagine ko medyo grassy tapos may playground kahit maliit lang siya at may mga naglalampungan sa gilid. SIGE, MABUNTIS KA NIYAN ATE. But the Marikina Freedom Park is different, it's a small "park" na aakalain mong daanan lang sa una pero may mga benches naman na pwede pa rin tambayan. (Marami pa rin naglalandian dito. Choz!) Very useful yung park na 'to lalo sa mga students kasi madalas siyang gawing venue for practices ng sayaw, etc. Para sa mga may kumikitang kabuhayan naman, alive na alive rin kayo dito kasi maya't maya nagkakaroon ng bazaar/ tiangge sa area! Although the park is small, I think malaking tulong siya kasi malapit sa palengke, Sports Center, schools at maraming tindahan kaya may place para makapahinga yung mga tao kapag pagod na sila kakaikot at pwede rin gawing venue for meet-ups, why not diyan tayo mag-date diba! The best part ng park? MAY Wi-Fi!!! ANSABE NG PHONE MONG WALANG LOAD PANG-NET GIRL.

I swung by Ayala Triangle Gardens after a long day at the office last week, and man, it was exactly…read morewhat I needed. Grabbed a spot on one of the benches under the big trees, cracked open a book, and just let the city noise fade into the background while kids ran around laughing and joggers zipped by. The air actually felt fresher in there compared to the rest of Makati--huge green escape right in the middle of all the concrete. Ended up staying longer than planned, got an iced latte from one of the cafes, and watched the sunset hit those colorful "Make it Happen, Make it Makati" letters. Felt so peaceful and alive at the same time. Five stars, no question--I'll be back whenever I need to recharge without leaving the CBD.

Just got back from a quick evening stroll through Ayala Triangle Gardens and honestly, it never…read moredisappoints. After being stuck in back-to-back meetings all day, I needed somewhere to clear my head without fighting traffic out of the CBD. Found a quiet corner near the fountain, plugged in my favorite playlist, and just watched the lights start twinkling as the sun went down. The place was alive but not chaotic--couples walking hand in hand, groups of friends laughing over takeout, a few serious runners circling the paths. Grabbed a cold calamansi drink from one of the stalls and sat there longer than I meant to, feeling the stress literally melt away. That big colorful "Make it Happen, Make it Makati" sign glowing against the skyline is such a vibe too. It's the perfect little pocket of calm in the middle of all the hustle. Easily five stars--can't wait to swing by again soon.

I used to run a lot, and then life happened, and now I'm a bum. Luckily, I live near UP and I could…read morewalk there, which can serve as my warm up before I do a round or two around Sunken Garden. PROS: It's not a garden at all, but it is a sunken field. UP legend says it sinks a few inches every year because of the mosh pit and rocking and jumping that occurs during the UP Fair; Traffic's one way so it makes it safer for pedestrians crossing the road. Also, there's a bike lane and jogging path which people who attempt to get fit like me (and those who are legitimately fit already. WEYW.) can frequently use; Start at the Oblation in front of Quezon Hall as your inspiration to look better naked as you begin your run. Then, you see the breathtaking acacia trees lining Sunken and it does look like a leafy tunnel. CONS: Pets and skateboards are not allowed, according to the signs. But I still see the occasional pooches which I am always tempted to pet; I'M SORRY I COUNTERFLOW WHEN I RUN! Yes, I even make eye contact with those coming past me. It's just that if I run in the same direction as the cars and jeeps like everyone, the smoke from the vehicles hit me smack on the face. By the time you reach Vinzons where all the jeepneys are, it gets hard to breathe so I'd rather run against the tide of people and vehicles. If you happen to see me, and you have to run around me as I pummel towards you, I apologize in advance. TL;DR: I can exercise without having to pay anything! Also a good place with relatively clean air for general tambay and walks.

You can take the probinsyana dog out of the province, but you can't take the province out of the…read moreprobinsyana dog. Born and raised in the boondocks of Misamis Oriental, I had to take my poor Storm to the big city so she can see a proper vet. She was literally fresh off the boat and was missing the green, green grass of home terribly so we decided to take her to UP Sunken Garden. After a gruelling two-hour cab ride where Storm was literally shaking in fear (so many metal beasts!), we finally got to UP, where there were free-range grass and tall trees for miles around. I could see my little doggy tear up at the sight of all the green, and she wasted no time running around and taking it all in (translation: she started peeing all over the place, claiming the entire garden as her territory). It took a lot of coaxing and passionate promises of regular trips to her new kingdom to get her into a cab and back to the concrete jungle of Makati, but at least she had her day of fun. Here's to more days of fun in her doggy future.

This is one of my favorite parks in Makati. While they are more strict than other public parks…read more(like Legaspi Active beside it or Salcedo Park), it is really well maintained. They have areas where you can quietly sit and draw or listen to music (with a headset, of course), grassy areas where kids can run around or appreciate the artsy structures, there's also a gazebo on top of a man-made pond with koi. This park closes at certain hours of the night and has a guard roaming around (so it's pretty safe), it has three entrance doors and piped in music when it is open. Smoking is not allowed inside the park as are pets. This is a great stress-reliever when you feel like taking a walk in a peaceful setting in the middle of the work day.

I'm a big fan of parks. I grew up in the province, and there are days when I miss seeing green…read more This verdant oasis in the middle of Makati was a welcome sight, I tell you. I used to work in the Asian Institute of Management, and I used to take long walks during my lunch break because I didn't have any friends and I didn't want to spend an hour alone in the office. Eventually I stumbled into Washington Sycip Park, and started going there everyday, with my lunchbox and drink, to sit on a bench and enjoy another great day to be alive. It didn't matter if it was sunny, there were great big trees forming a leafy canopy over the park that kept things fresh and breezy.

La Mesa Eco Park has been on my activity list for quite awhile and I've finally decided to go with…read moreMr. V for a Sunday outing. We were really excited to go there (although the drive is a little far from Makati) after reading quite a few reviews. We were looking forward to doing some outdoor activities on a beautiful summer day. The Park is smaller than expected but I must say the flora is beautiful. But what a disappointment for the activities. I agree it was a Sunday, but boy the place was crowded and noisy! It was packed with people gathering over food, loud music and screams at the picnic area. And there was only one food stall in the whole park. We were looking forward to rent a bike so we could ride around but you are actually not allowed and the track is basically a circle around a tree. How many rounds can one do for an hour around a tree! The zipline, boating in a lagoon, wall climbing were nowhere to be found (I assume they closed those activities). And the pool was so crowded it would be impossible to swim in it. As for fishing... Well it's in a small pond full of garbage and I doubt anything can be caught. It's definitely not a park where one can enjoy walking around and relax. There is a small trail in the forest but it's really small and takes not more than 10 minutes to walk around. We were really disappointed because we expected a park with nice activities and it really wasn't so. And definitely not a place to have a relaxing and peaceful day.

What elements are essential to make a paradise?…read more Different people would have different lists, but surely a constant feature would be flowers and trees, available food or meals, and fun activities. La Mesa Ecopark has all those three things together. First, flowers and trees. The Ecopark is a forest garden, meaning it's not a garden planted and arranged by a hired gardener but a garden growing out of a natural forest. The land area is quite vast, accommodating various species of plants and flowers such as Ipil-Ipil, Narra, Waling-Waling, Dancing Lady, Dendrobium, Birds of Paradise, and many other indigenous flowers. Second, you wouldn't go hungry walking around the vast space that is La Mesa Ecopark. No, you don't have to eat the flowers. There are many concessionaires stationed in strategic spots, offering to the hungry visitor foods that are close to the Filipino's heart such as inihaw, halo-halo and ice cream. Lastly, since every person is a child at heart, there must be fun activities. The Ecopark features zip lining, target shooting, paintball, bungee jumping, and trampoline. These activities would surely leave you breathless or shrieking from mixed excitement and fear. So come to Ecopark if you wish to recapture the wonderland of youth!

My 2 and a half year old daughter calls this the My Little Pony playground because it's vast enough…read morefor her to pretend she's Apple Jack or Rainbow Dash. There is a large green space with trees lined about so she can pretend there's a forest. The playground features a kiddie gym with slides and a bridge. She can play on it for hours thinking it's a castle. There are also a few other playground sets surrounding the gym and feature seesaws, rocking horses/trucks, smaller slide sets and a pair of swings. The place also has a basketball court in the back, clean bathrooms because of the rentable clubhouse and well yeah, a clubhouse you can rent for parties. The park is also fairly empty except in the late afternoons but it's never as chaotic as the one in Salcedo. There's a mini grocery nearby and a branch of Becky's Kitchen so you can grab juice and brownies after a tiring afternoon of playing.

My daughter and I have been spending a lot of time in Valle Verde 1 since my boyfriend moved into…read morethe neighborhood. The park is one of the things my daughter and I love about the move because of the playground. Situated in the middle of greenery, the playground features padded flooring and a nice jungle gym set. My daughter loves the slides and the rope bridge. At first, she was hesitant to cross it because the spaces between the ropes were too big for her little toddler feet. She started out by crawling across, then she got more confident and started walking on it. Me and my mommy milestones! *tear* There are a number of parent-child or yaya-child tandems that hang out here, too. It usually doesn't fill up until around 2 or 3 pm, but coming by earlier isn't too hot as well because of all the trees that shade the playground. Aside from that, there are jogging and biking paths around the park. The main function hall, which can be split into two smaller areas or opened up to become one big room, is located by the driveway. It seems like there's a birthday that happens there every weekend so if you plan to rent the place out, make a reservation well ahead of time. Sunday masses are also held here. There's a basketball, tennis, and badminton court on the premises as well. There's a convenience store, a tutorial center, laundry service, and a Metrobank ATM, too. The convenience store closes at around 8 pm, from my observation.

This is one of the nice but not-so-well-known places in UP - I'm not even sure all UP students know…read morethis place. I found out about this through a friend, and we went there when, on a whim, we walked from the Acad Oval to Sarah's, the popular drinking place in UP. When my friend mentioned "bonsai," I imagined tiny, delicate, and perfectly sculpted plants. But when we went there I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bonsai here was huge (well, compared with the image I had in mind, at least - you know, the tiny tree with statues and other ornaments beneath it), as they are usually waist-length in height or taller. But yes, the bonsais here are perfectly trimmed and look like small trees. Yes, the place is open to the public and the people there are nice, but it might be tricky to find, so ask the people in the neighborhood in case. Last I went there, they also had other kinds of plants for sale.

I've recently been playing this game called Cities: Skylines, and one of the most interesting parts…read moreof its gameplay is the crazy high requirement for parks and gardens in the city. Without a park on every other block, the land value and happiness of my citizens drops, making it less desireable to tourists and new residents. It's a toll on my budget, but I wish that things were like that in real life as well. You won't find a garden or park on every other block in Metro Manila; in fact, really nice public gardens are deemed notworthy given their rarity. One of the best gardens in the city is the UP Bonsai Garden, which displays all sorts of beautiful miniature trees from Mr. Modesto Manglicmot. The garden is open to anyone, and it's quite unique due to the number and quality of the bonsai on display. Anyone with a green thumb--or just an appreciation for plants or art--should make this a stop if you're ever in the area.