The stresses of the world overwhelms perhaps almost everybody but for this millennial writer, she found a breather and life in one escape – roller skating. 

Sofia the writer

Sofia Patnongon, 28, enjoys a job that only a select few get to do – she writes books. Many may then wonder, how does anyone get into the industry of writing books? 

Just like most writers, Patnongon first discovered her penchant for writing in grade school and which she further honed growing up. 

But as she made a career in writing, she did not jump right away to publishing books. She first started as an online content writer for social story-telling platform Wattpad. Eventually, she found her way to grow her creativity by writing stories that fit the books. 

Since 2020, she has written over nine books averaging about three in a year. 

“Who am I during the day? I am a freelance writer,” she told republicasia. 

Saku the roller skater 

But come nightime she transforms into Saku the roller skater. 

Like most people who found an alternative career or newfound hobby during the down time of the pandemic, she too was able to channel her boredom by sliding on wheels. 

Roller skating did not only provide her a hobby or an escape, it became a form of self-expression where got to know another version of herself, one without worries or apprehensions and just living a carefree life. 

“At day I only have to focus on my work and so, from transforming from someone that’s super serious that’s a bit hard for me because then I have to go to the night version which is super more open,” she said. 

“When I’m on my wheels I’m able to be who I am, like becoming more creative and being more energetic,” she added. 

Just like other sporting or physical hobbies, roller skating too had influenced the formation of communities dedicated to it. One of them is Saku’s group, the Skatebomb Girls. 

“I don’t wanna say, ‘We’re the pioneers’ but we’re one of the first to come together, like girls who skate together,” she said. 

One of the things she and her girls like to do together is skating in fashion. 

“We would skate together, we were all wearing cute pants,” she said. 

They however refuse to call themselves a fashion skating group although they were already given recognition for it. 

Because of their growing popularity, they made an online community called Everywhere We Skate Ph which she said is now the central skating community in the Philippines. 

“From 10 members to a thousand. Now, we have over 10,000. There’s not really one word to describe the skating community cuz it’s like Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. It’s Everywhere. I think it’s like a big family,” she said. 

The Pink Skater 

Another thing that skating has done to her is influence her to have a bolder, edgier fashion. 

Prior to the pandemic, she dressed just very simply but roller skating helped her release creativity that enabled her to play with her looks but only using one color – pink. 

True enough, her Instagram profile is simply everything pink. 

“For me I like color pink, if it’s not obvious. My skates are pink, my accessories are pink. And it’s just how I connect with skating and myself,” she said. 

“I love expressing myself through clothes and accessories and what I do with my skates,” she added. 

Roller skating at night 

While roller skating can be done practically anytime of the day, Saku and her group prefer to do it at sundown because their wheels light up which fit the night vibe. 

“I feel like during nightime, it’s when we really come out and glow. Like I said we have lit-up wheels. And we love just seeing our colors come together. There’s this kind of different vibe to night skating ‘coz the lights are around you, and then just play the music, and we all just come together, and have fun, and skate together,” she said. 

For others, nightime is simply the best time to do roller skating because most people have work in the day and sliding on wheels is their form of stress-reliever. 

What’s more, roller skating for them is a place of peace, “there’s no negativity here.” 

Saku and her crew mostly meet up and roller skate in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) where all sorts of sporting, leisure and lifestyle activities take place. 

Managing Editor: Henrick Chiu
Creative Director: Sven Gaffud
Graphic Artists: Jadelyn Isiderio & John Dale Lacdao
Writers: Izel Abanilla, Gaby Agbulos, Joanna Deala, Joyce Remo, & Joshua Gerona

Production Staff:
Avin Dela Cruz
Gabriel Arevalo
Aqi Britanico
Michelle Grace Henriche
Gabriele Ann Nicolas
Pamela Monica Gonzales
Gabriela Angeles