Small changes and big gains amid an energy emergency
Nobody expected the United States and Israel to launch major strikes against Iran and start a war that has stoppered the Strait of Hormuz. The chokehold on the global energy route has sent oil prices rising, with the per-liter price of diesel climbing P18.80 pesos as of writing.
With rattled global markets, the blockade has pushed the Philippines—our developing home country that imports 98 percent of its oil from the gulf—into a state of national energy emergency.
At present, life is more expensive. Inflation has surged to 4.1 percent in March from 2.4 percent in February, and the oil shocks aren’t easing. In effect, grocery bills are creeping upwards, and costs of living are set to rise and rise.
For the Lifestyle.INQ team, our compassionate employers have changed our setup to largely work from home, which has given us a chance to rethink daily habits. What were initially adjustments made out of necessity have become, to our pleasant surprise, rewarding.
We asked the team what small changes they’ve made, and they shared the unexpected benefits they’ve discovered—from finding how cutting aircon use has created more family time to learning new skills in the kitchen.
Cooling down the bills
For most of the team, air conditioning has been the first casualty, as it’s usually the first to jack up electricity bills. Editor in chief Ria Prieto recounts how she now sleeps with her three kids in one room to make a single aircon unit stretch further across the household. Though she sheepishly admits the shift in sleeping logistics has had its upsides, as she shares, “I’m honestly happy we’re staying together more.”
Graphic designer Zoe Sabandal has taken a similar approach by using air conditioning only at night and electric fans during the day, while also establishing an unofficial co-working area with her family, which has inadvertently led to more time spent together as a unit.
Managing editor Pauline Miranda similarly limits aircon usage and opts to use electric fans as much as possible. She and her parents have also gone one step further by coordinating trips to save on gas and tolls. “If all errands, work, appointments, or meet-ups can be done in one day or within one city, we just do that, so that we cut down on making multiple trips,” she explains.
And then, there’s copy editor Diane Nicole Go. “Even before the insane oil price hikes and inflation spikes on day-to-day essentials, my family and I have generally been frugal with our use of electricity.” She shares how a construction mishap resulted in having connecting doors in all their bedrooms, and how it “proved to be a happy accident… Instead of running multiple aircons at night, we only use two and open these doors and let the air circulate across all rooms.”
Back to the kitchen
Ordering in and dining out are slowly losing their grip on most of us, too. For multimedia lead Mikey Yabut, the shift has meant “cutting down on ordering food online, choosing to buy at the marketplace, and learning more recipes to cook.” He’s even started to plant some vegetables that can be easily grown at home.
For brand marketing associate Janina Olfindo, cooking for herself has turned into a skill she’s genuinely glad to be building. “Staying in helps me be more mindful of what I have, need, and just want,” she says, “and it teaches me to learn to cook for myself.”
Go, who regularly writes about food, uses the kitchen as a creative outlet. “With an abundance of recipes on social media, and inspired by food I’ve had in restaurants and abroad, I’ve taken to cooking more at home,” she shares. “It’s both practical and personal—I’ve always been a frustrated cook who once wanted to take up culinary in college but didn’t, so this has been a good outlet for me to experiment around the kitchen, cook based on my cravings, and recreate dishes that I love.”
Transportation done differently
With gas prices being what they are, moving around the city has become a more deliberate process. Graphic designer Ella Lambio has stopped taking ride-hailing apps and started walking to places instead. Sabandal has also been walking home from work instead of booking motor taxis, and has gotten more steps in through the simple form of movement that feels good after a desk-heavy workday.
Our photographer, JT Fernandez, has also started carpooling more consistently, which ensures everyone arrives at the office and shoots on time.
Meanwhile, sales and marketing specialist Julia Elaine Lim has made public transportation her default—not just to save, but to support the public transportation sector, adding that she gives “the drivers extra tip when I can or I let them keep the change.”
A more holistic life indoors
Spending less time outside has helped the team reconnect with home. Videographer Claire Salonga has been spending more time in the kitchen with her mom and with the family dog, even joking, “I’m the favorite this month!”
Designer Kristine Paz-Yap has let go of her gym subscription and started working out at home, even buying an elliptical that doesn’t require electricity to work. “It keeps my mental health stable and is better for my wallet,” she says.
Personally, I have canceled my Pilates and yoga memberships in favor of using the free, 24-hour gym in our apartment building. I’ve discovered that the simple, fat-burning magic of weights is more time-efficient and effective. I can count three fried chicken ads on a 15-minute walk home from my Pilates class, and working out in the condominium gym has kept me away from the post-class temptation of eating out.
Silver linings
Even with the tenuous state of the world, with every cloud comes a silver lining. And while saving money was the initial goal, the benefits beyond the wallet are just as valuable—from home-cooked meals to extra steps, and aircon-free evenings spent with the people we live with and love. Perhaps these are just as good of a lasting return on investment.
