It's More Fun in the Philippines!

The Department of Tourism of the Philippines recently launched their new campaign on "It's More Fun in The Philippines" (You can learn more by clicking the link here). Since its start last January 6 2012, the campaign has gone viral over social networks and blogs, with numerous Filipinos sharing their own reasons on why Philippines can be a premier destination due to its places made more fun by its fun Pinoy people. Even my friend Rocky has created his own versions (memes) of the campaign for one of Manila's gay clubs (See link of his blog here). 

So how are gay bars more fun in the Philippines?  

Runways. More fun in the Philippines

Night Photo by http://shootingatnight.blogspot.com

Blind dates. More fun in the Philippines 

You get to choose your guy. But you get to pay for your date.

Gratitude (or gratuity or gratuitous showing). More fun in the Philippines

Thousand peso bills go a long way.

Stage Plays. More fun in the Philippines.

A half-naked man is always at the center of the stage.

Finding love. More fun in the Philippines

For matronas, lonely gay guys, bar girls and especially, the #1 tourists: Korean women

Just a few notes:

1. I am NOT promoting sex tourism. "Off-ing" the men or taking them out of the bar is very expensive, to restrain the customers. Some bars don't allow it at all. Besides, a lot of the guys working here don't see themselves as sex workers (they're only working there as entertainers).

2. The ones shown above are what we can claim as more fun in the Philippines. I've tried to consider others but failed. For example, "angry birds" can be fun in the Philippines, but it's more fun in the more risque gogo bars of Bangkok and in some cities around the world. Manila does not even have imitation sex on stage, sorry.  

What other ideas do you have? Is it really more fun in the gay bars of the Philippines? 

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com
twitter: @gbgoer

The Annual Mr. Gay Bar Title Competition

On a regular gay bar night, you always hear the gay bar DJ introduce some particular macho dancer onstage: "Up next is the 2010 Mr. Hot-Dream-God-Papa-Bird-King." And as you hear that single title, you turn your attention to whoever is coming next onstage. You ask yourself how this unique macho dancer might look like. As the song's first lines are played, your eyes are then expecting to see the most handsome, most muscular, and most talented macho dancer in that bar.  

Once you see the Mr. Gay Bar for 2011, you then ask yourself, how did HE win? 

It's already December, and to cap off the end of the year, most big gay bars would hold one of their biggest "Big Nights" (event) of the year. This event is the annual Search for the Mr. Gay Bar 20xx, a pageant held among the bar's existing macho dancers. This is supposedly the most prestigious title any macho dancer can hold, especially if the winner gets to carry the name of the bar for a year (as part of his resume for a future corporate job also?).  

"It's an honor", as the macho dancers say. "Makikilala ka talaga ng mga customer. Kahit sa mga first timer na customer, malalaman nilang ikaw ang pinaka sikat dahil may titulo ka."

So what happens behind these annual competitions? 

Inter Gay Bar Competition: Part 3

(Conclusion from Part 1 and Part 2)

As I couldn't take pics in the bar, let me help you

visualize what the dancers may have looked like.

I think the host bar deliberately placed the best performances at the end. They were both from Planet Xanadu, the bar from faraway Quezon City. Apparently, the bar is known for their grand production numbers, and they were expected to do well in this competition.

True enough, they didn't disappoint. The first performance had a lot of dancers: two tranny impersonators at the front, and five male dancers -- the macho dancer contestant in the middle (the tallest and most handsome), plus four back-up dancers. What impressed the crowd was their stage presence. Costume + props, check: They were dressed in loin cloths ala Machete outfits, with spears and bamboo props. Choreography, check: All were coordinated in their upbeat African-Ifugao inspired moves. It was so impressive that I didn't even notice if there was some "note"-worthy exposure, particularly at the time when the middle dancer had his seductive routine amidst the dancing back-up tribesmen. Siguro naman meron, for them to be well-applauded and cheered.

In contrast, the second representative from the bar, and the last among the contestants, had a slower, more dramatic performance. It involved a semi-nude jungle king, who was the macho dancer of course, and his supposed semi-nude queen, who was a drag queen performer, if you may. They were the only performance with set-props on-stage -- tall columns decorated with leafy vines. The couple's dance routine was similar to a lyrical performance from "So You Think You Can Dance". Or for more jologs-essence, the interpretative dance by a balleting couple to the romantic duet, sung in "That's Entertainment."

Past 4 AM, while waiting for the results of the competition, the host bar, Solution Gay Bar, had a surprise performance of their own. With the use of salakots as props hanging from the ceiling, with their own impersonators and the top tattooed macho dancers dressed in glitter g-strings, the bar made sure to outshine the production numbers from the other competing bars. In fairness, as the host bar, they gave a performance that was sure to impress even non-regulars of that bar.

When the substitute host gave a run-down of the competing bars, he mentioned in a sarcastic tone that other bars declined to send a representative, without naming specifics. Boys Next Door turned Adonis II turned back to Boys Next Door in Malate didn't send a contestant. Nor did Big Papa (BP) Gay Bar, which the host was referring to. According to "Russell", who was a former dancer in the said bar, Big Papa sent a contestant in Solution's previous competitions. However, a video of the representative, taken from a hidden camera, was uploaded online without consent of the bar (sorry, I couldn't find it). As the bar's owner discovered this, he refused to send anymore contestants to their rival bar's competitions after this incident.

After a few more modeling from the host bar's hunky men, they revealed the winners of the competition. Best in Costume went to the lackluster, tribal-caped Machette Bar. 1st runner up went to the bird-shower White Bird. Top prize, with P8,000 and bragging rights to be called the Jungle King 2011, went to the as-expected, obviously-prepared Planet Xanadu.

Conclusion:

As it was my first inter-gay bar macho dancing competition, "Russell", who's had 6 bottles of MD drinks already, gave me a little debrief of what happened.

He said, for the P300 entrance fee, the show wasn't worth it. Most performances earlier can be regularly seen in an ordinary "prime time" special of any gay bar. There were no spectacular performances from the usual great show-stoppers of before, like Big Papa or Valentino Gay Bar, who would really take weeks, money and effort to prepare. The only performances that stood out came from Planet Xanadu, as expected because, according to him, one of Planet Xanadu's managers was a former Big Papa manager, trained from its school of macho dancing production numbers. Even the surprise performance of Solution  Gay Bar was also a product of Big Papa, as one of Solution's managers also came from that bar.

Well, this is not the only inter-gay bar macho competition to be held in Manila. Gay bars do sponsor their own annual competitions, as part of their big night events, inviting their so-called rival bars to participate. I wonder when and where the next competition would be?


GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com

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Photocredits: http://www.123rf.com, http://www.thebaglady.tv/2009/03/topshop_tribal.html

Inter Gay Bar Competition: Part 2

(Continued from Part 1)

After the host's 30 minute blabbering on stage, at 2 AM, the DJ announced the names of the bars who were competing for the title of "Jungle King 2011." I remember hearing Machette Bar, Club Mansion, White Bird, Mankind, Hunks and Planet Xanadu. A total of 11 dancers were vying for the title, with some bars sending two contestants.

As I can't take pictures inside the bar, let me
help you visualize what the dancers wore...

The first representative, the one sent by Machette Bar, had two gay impersonators and three macho men as back-up dancers, all in animal print. Despite the amount of performers on-stage, the props used, the voracious dancing of the back-ups, the contestant failed to wow the crowd. He was just lackluster, standing there at the center, doing a very routine macho dancing. Fine, he had a leopard-print full cape on, kudos to his costume. But other than that, nothing spectacular. 

More so the second contestant, from Club Mansion. I couldn't even remember what he did. He wasn't even applauded after his performance (he even exited the stage before the slow song ended). But for sure I  briefly saw some cock.

The first representative of White Bird was a revelation. The dancer they sent, who was a newbie recruit all-the-way stripper, surprised the crowd when he revealed his "talent", right from the beginning of his first upbeat song until his second one. After a minute of vigorous dancing, he removed his loin cloth, leaving on him a tribal head gear, a few wooden necklaces, and feathered arm bands. He had the longest bird exposure (the exposure was the longest ha, and not the bird). He even had the only asshole exposure of the night... twice siyang tumuwad. He captivated the audience so much that he even got some sabit from a customer.

What shocked me was that I've been to their bar countless times, and never had I seen this kind of dance there. I even heard a few women from the audience wondering where the White Bird bar was, curious  to check out if this kind of dance was really performed there. I guess they might get disappointed if they knew how really "conservative" WB is.

Jungle King 2011?

After this performance, the following performers from Club Mansion, Mankind and White Bird were ordinary. Yes, they might have shown some "treasures", here and there. But for me, yawn, seen that before. According to "Russell", the dancer seated with me, the performances didn't look spectacular; any regular gay bar had these performances on a regular night. Dressed in as simple as a g-strip with skirt fashioned from cut-outs of white crepe paper or as elaborate as Aljur Abrenica's Machete costume, all of them were the same -- same type of solo macho dancer, same type of dancing, same expression on their faces. Good thing there was a 30 minute break after the 6th dance, or else, the crowd would've fallen asleep. It was already past 3 AM.

The last remaining performances were group dances.

The first nota-ble one was from Hunks, the supposed "revived" gay bar. Entertaining was how best to describe the performance that literally depicted "Jungle King". Their tranny impersonators dressed up in jungle animals: a Mulawin-like eagle, a white-horse-slash-donkey-slash-tikbalang-on-all-fours, and a lost, out-of-water mermaid-like-butete. They had a forest nymph, a diwata, who seemed to be the star of the show, prancing around the stage in an Enya-like song, together with all the un-tamed and un-coordinated animals. And where was the macho dancer? At the background, hidden underneath a large cloth, only to be revealed as their King at the second half of the song. But, again, nothing fantastic about his macho dancing. Oh, and yes, I forgot the most important animal: the King's pet cock... or was it snake?

(to be concluded)

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com

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Photocredits: 

http://www.mensunderwearstore.com/prod/male-power/CC-329030-BRNLEO.html,
 http://www.showbiz-portal.com

Inter Gay Bar Competition: Part 1

Imagine one gay bar, filled with macho dancers from various gay bars across the city. Each performs one after another, with his own set of props, costumes, or back-up dancers, revolving around a certain theme. The winner among them would hold a title, together with a cash prize and bragging rights for both the dancer and the bar.  


The only stolen photo I can get in this event. 

I can't even find where the banner is. 

Last Sunday, May 31, the lone gay bar in Libertad, Pasay, Solution Disco, played host to an inter gay bar competition. Entitled "Jungle King 2011", the event would crown the supposed "hottest and wildest macho dancer of the jungle." Okay. Roar.

Being the curious GB Goer, I was there to observe the competition. Good thing it was postponed to this date from its original date of May 18 due to a heavy rains and power failure (aka brown out), or else, I couldn't attend the event.

I arrived to the venue at 1130 PM. It was a good decision to be early, as I got a perfect seat near the stage. The bar wasn't full yet, but most of the clientele were the mature gays. The rest were women, with a few matronas, small groups of curious office-working ladies, and quite a lot of bar-working girls (the regulars of that gay bar).

While waiting for the event proper, we were entertained by the regular performances of the macho dancers working in the bar. I wasn't too bored, as I tabled my regular dancer, "Russell"*, who gave me a few tidbits about the competition. Apparently, none of the macho dancers working in the host bar is allowed to join the contest, for obvious reasons. So their task is mostly to entertain via dances before the event and during breaks.

The gay manager approached me if I wanted to judge the event. Of course, with much honor of being called a judge in this supposed prestigious event, I almost said yes. Good thing, I asked "Russell" what being a judge entailed. That meant "sponsorship", or donating some money or cash prize. Huwag na, I thought; I'd rather spend the money on "tabling" a guy, maybe even two.

At 130 AM, thank goodness, the event "Jungle King 2011" started.

There was a big and lengthy opening production number by the host bar, with their tranny impersonators in tribal attire and eight of their most good looking macho men in skimpy brown bikinis. By introducing these men one after another, the bar seemed to send a message to the crowd that even if this was a competition among the supposed best among the gay bars, they still had the best-looking men. Right.

To host the event, the bar invited one of their regulars, an out-and-out gay celebrity, "Venga Gay" (gay version of Vengaboys). For 30 long freaking minutes, he went around the room to do his stand-up comedy, akin to gay comedy bars. He reminded the room, "whatever happens in the bar, let's just keep it here. So what, if I go to a gay bar? Where do you expect me to go, in a beer garden? I might just barf." Noted, Venga Gay. 

(to be continued...)

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com

---

Photocredits: http://www.123rf.com/

Lord II Gay Bar: An Update

I wrote a few months back about a rumor that the hosto bar in Manila, "Neighborhood"*, would be turned into a full-fledged macho dancing gay bar "Lord, 2nd coming."* That rumor we actually confirmed, as my friend, Ringo, and I visited that bar two months back. We also found out that the gay bar "Lord II" was co-owned by the owners of "Neighborhood" and that of "Lord" in Quezon City; hence, the use of the widely popular gay bar name in this bar.

Rumor now has it that "Lord II" is already closed, and was re-launched into another bar. I first heard this from my hosto friends who we met in "Neighborhood", but were now working in "Answer for The Emotionally Needy (ATEN)" bar disco level. 

I wouldn't be surprised if this rumor would be true. Based on our first and only visit to this gay bar, the dancers working here were so-so. Not so good-looking. Mix of oldie-looking veterans and provincial-type boys. The venue and interiors were fantastic, fine. Modern. But even if the bar borrowed the name of the lord of all gay bars in Quezon City, it failed to achieve the mystique of the original gay bar. Add to that its hard-to-find location, it isn't surprising if "Lord II" would close down.

According to a macho dancer friend, the reason why "Lord II" was closed down was because it failed to obtain the right business permits from the local government (they didn't get approval, I think). Just like how the supposed new gay bar along Roxas Blvd couldn't operate because of business permits they couldn't get (and why some former "Home Base" dancers and managers are still jobless now).

When I passed by M.H. Del Pilar Street in Malate last night, on the way to ATEN gay bar, as I saw with my own two eyes last night, the gay bar where Lord II used to be located was still open. Except that the "Lord II" sign was already brought down. 

What remains is the "Neighborhood" sign, which was never taken down when "Lord II" occupied the spot.  

So it's true. "Lord II" Gay Bar was re-launched, back into the "Neighborhood" bar. Not just the hosto bar of before, but with macho dancing as part of the entertainment. 

Want clues about the actual name of the gay bar? Next time I visit, I hope to see a true neighborhood or village of good-looking boys, including those from next door, the next street, or the next town. 

Gay Club and Gay Bar in One

In Jakarta just last Friday night, my gay Indonesian colleague wanted to bring us out. As the gracious host of the night, he asked our group, composed of two girls and two gay guys (me and him) all at the age of late 20s to early 30s, what type of fun we wanted.

It was a Friday night, and naturally, I'd be in one of Manila's macho dancing gay bars. While I didn't want to broadcast to the whole group that I wanted to see some half-naked "macho dancing" men, I just suggested to take us to somewhere "sleazy."

The two tipsy girls, of course, giggled at the idea, as they were open to experience something new. My colleague thought I was joking. We've always gone out to enjoy the gay clubs during our business trips across various cities -- Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, Madrid. And he thought I'd enjoy these gay clubs like him.

So off we rode the taxi at 11 in the evening. He led us to this place where he knew all four of us would enjoy...

What it is, and how it surprised me, after the jump:

Another Heard Through the Gay Bar Grapevine

Three months ago, I had a series of posts about gossip I heard about gay bars in the south-west areas, specifically from Manila, Paranaque, Pasay (you can read through them, entitled "Heard Through the Gay Bar Grapevine" Parts 1, 2, 3). Most of them actually turned out to be true, especially the last of the series, about new gay bars that opened and closed.

So for this entry, I'd like to write about a particular gossip I've heard just last week. What I learned was too juicy not to be shared. Anyway, keep reading if you wish to know more:

Naisip Mo Na Bang Mag-Artista?

Guwapo. Check.
Maganda ang katawan. Check.
May talent, tulad ng pagsayaw. Check.
Hindi mahiyain. Check.
Magaling humarap sa tao. Check.
May potential magkaroon ng fans. Check.

Mga katangian ng isang artistahin? Pwede. Ngunit, sa listahang ito, mas iniisip ko ang mga katangian ng isang magaling na macho dancer. Check.

Kung iisipin, mukhang pareho ang hinahanap sa isang matinee idol material at sa mga MD. Sa guwapo ba nilang yan, syempre hindi ba't maaari silang maging matinee idol o kapareha ng love team o action star? Kaya’t hindi malayong maitanong ko sa mga macho dancers na aking nakakasalamuha: “Naisip mo na bang mag artista?”

A Macho Dancer's Solution

Russell*, a macho dancer in one of Pasay's gay bars, asked me if I could help him. He was not earning anymore in his bar due to low sales (which is being experienced generally in most big gay bars in the area nowadays). He was planning to transfer to another gay bar, the "Answer for the Emotionall Needy" (ATEN), which he also heard through the gay bar grapevine is really strong. And to enter the bar, he needed a customer to accompany him.

That's why he texted me: "Musta? Pwede mo ba ako samahan sa ATEN? Apply lang ako... (How are you? Can you accompany me to ATEN? I'll just apply...)"   

This was not the first time I heard that for a macho dancer to apply to that particular bar, he had to bring along a guest with him. Anyone can apply, I think, but it'll be easier to be accepted if the bar is assured of new revenue coming in, in the form of a customer.

Being the "ka-tropa" (a friend from a group or "gang mate") of the macho dancers I have encountered lately, I obliged to his favor. Besides, I was really curious how this unique set-up would work out. I haven't been used as a way to apply to a new bar.

What happened next, after the jump:

Weak Nights

Last night, my friend Mary was inviting me to come with her to “Home Base”, the gay bar. She intended to go to the bar, and was hoping that I’d join her.  The bar would’ve  gladly been graced by my presence, but I, the GB Goer, had to decline as I had early commitments the next day.

My commitments? Work. She invited me on a Wednesday night.

Just like any night out with friends, gay bar going is often a weekend activity. When friends ask themselves when they’d finally do their macho dancer watching adventure, they’d choose either Friday or Saturday. Or Friday AND Saturday, especially for boy-addicts like us friends. And in those freewheeling nights, the gay bars are expected to be packed.

But who goes on a weekday night?

“Us,” Mary would instantly answer, given the question. True enough, it wouldn’t be my first weekday gay bar adventure if I decided to join her last night. Since I declined the tempting offer, I just asked her to give updates on the events in the bar.

What “events”? Apparently, it happened to be an uneventful night in the bar, typical of weekday nights.

Like last night, as only about three or four tables were occupied, according to Mary. A group of lady office workers looking for an after-work night out. A lonely gay guy, on his 3^rd bottle of beer, who didn’t have access to porn. Two mature burly men who look more like undercover policemen or barangay tanod on their day-off. A trio of Caucasian male tourists who were looking for some gay action in Manila.  

Even if there were customers, they’d be mere observers of dancing men. Either they arrive way too early before midnight and just stay for an hour, or they’d come in and stay longer, but without “tabling” a dancer. These customers, termed by the bar as coming from a “Tanawan, Batangas (provincial town translated as ‘viewer’)”, might not want to spend the night with boys, as they might have next-day commitments (just like me), on a tight budget, or simply not interested.

On these slow nights, the macho dancers know that money won’t be flowing in. Out of the thirty or so employed boys, only about five would be lucky enough to be “tabled” on weekday nights. The others would just wait in the dressing room, watch TV, chat, text their lovers or customers, or sleep even if prohibited.

Thus, those who are “bangkay” (corpse / zombie) on consecutive nights would often feel too lazy to come to work. “Wala namang kita, bakit pa ako papasok? (There’s no income, so why come to work?)” would often be the real excuse of not showing up for work on our, the customer’s, work night.  

And to unwind is what we, gay bar patrons going on weekday nights, seek. Wouldn’t it be nice to grab two bottles of beer with a hunky man comforting you (or at least pretending to) after a stressful day?

Besides, there’s less competition on weekday nights. The more popular macho dancers are often “tabled” early by newcomers or their regular guests on packed weekends. So if one fancies a particular boy who was unavailable the first time he or she went to the bar, then maybe a weekday visit might open an opportunity for him or her to solo the boy for an entire night.  

Just how Mary felt last night – sitting relaxed beside her chosen partner, “Cap”, without the preying eyes of GB Goer and our friend Ringo. She could’ve even gotten our often-tabled “Beatty” behind our backs, whom she has been eyeing since we first saw his now-famous pole-dancing routine.

So now, as I am writing this post, I’m getting envious that she experienced being alone with her beloved last night. A simple invitation to go to the nearest gay bar bar can make any MD-addict weak, even on a weekday night. It’s already 9:30 PM on a Thursday night, and I am waiting for her call. But it’s still workday Friday tomorrow, I might debate. Yeah, as if it has never stopped me from going before.

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com

Macho-Go-Round in Manila

Musical Chairs with Macho Dancers, anyone?

 A year after going around the macho dancer gay bars of Manila, my friend Ringo and I couldn’t decide where to spend our night last Saturday. There was no question that we’d go to a gay bar; the question then was which.

We drove through Manila’s dark streets, as we crossed out each gay bar that we passed by – “Kingdom Come” lacked interesting boys, “Answers for the Emotionally Needy” (ATEN) didn’t have parking, Quezon City was too far, “Mexican Knife” too slasher-suspense-movie scary. We contemplated on going back to “Home Base,” but after four visits in the previous seven days, we wanted to explore other men in other gay bars.

Then we found out the new “Lord II” opened that night.

The story and realizations, after the jump:

Goodbye, Valentino Gay Bar

Dear Mr. Valentine,

Why?

I only got to meet you once after years of knowing about you. Though I wasn't fully happy with our first meeting, my mind was not closed on returning. Now, you've already closed down.

And I was shocked to see this when I visited your place yesterday:


What the site of the former Mr. Valentine / Valentino Gay Bar in Manila has now become

I thought you'll just close shop and leave the building structure. But your whole building was not only demolished, you've even destroyed the Mini-Stop Convenience Store beside you. And you left the motorcycles still parked there. Are those the macho dancers'?

Did you close down because of poor business? The bars nearest to you in the Pasay-Paranaque areas also had very poor sales during the July-Sept season. But to really cease operations and get demolished, while the others still remain?


Or was it because of the demolition job against you? "Full of male prostitutes who spread veneral diseases and possibly HIV among their gay and older women customers" was what one tabloid writer claimed in his article a few years back. The news bit had a very negative slant, as if someone paid them to write about this. From the article, the bar's customers apparently have filed complaints against the city government, which prompted the city mayor to "investigate the operations of Mr. Valentine and eventually shut it down." 

Or maybe of poor handling of the business? Not paying its share of amusement tax, as the tabloid article mentioned? Not giving enough under-the-table deals with the local government?    

Or the government just wanting to "clean" the city up? Your "Dirty Harry" mayor seems bent on acting on his vow of eliminating all bars or massage parlors which are prostitution fronts, as seen on news articles about other popular girlie bars closing down. Even Baywalk has been cleaned of the side restaurants that used to line that long stretch, which they say is also littered with call girls and hustlers. And it seems that you were also an easy target, being the lone, most popular gay bar in the area.

Too bad. I really thought you were one of the top bars in Metro Manila, almost always filled with the richest clientele in the gay bar industry. Even a local movie had a scene shoot inside your premises half a decade ago. It can even be found on youtube.

I am not sure if we'll meet each other again soon, via a re-launch or re-birth. But for sure, I'll meet your previous employees, both gay floor managers and male model macho dancers, in some gay bar somewhere in Manila. I've met a few of them already.

Adieu!

[UPDATE as of April 2011]
According to the grapevine: There was an apparent problem with the land where the bar once stood. If I remember the story, the owner of the bar wanted to buy the land, but the land owners didn't want to sell. Instead, the land owners even wanted the long-standing bar removed so they can build their own bar. They may have realized how lucrative the gay bar business is.

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com; Follow at twitter: @gbgoer

MD: An Unexpected Career Shift or Not?

When I request for a macho dancer to sit with me (or "table") for the first time in a gay bar or male strip bar, I usually do the typical rounds of questioning: age, where they live, how long they've worked here, etc. It's so tempting to ask them, at their age of early 20s, if they finished their schooling and which school they went to. But because I don't want to offend them by making them remember their sad "poor life" stories, I just wait until they bring up the topic or something related to it.

What I notice though is that when we do talk about their educational attainment, the most often mentioned course these MDs took up is B.S. HRM or Hotel and Restaurant Management. (No, MD does not stand for Doctor of Medicine, but macho dancer). It may be in x-y-zed school that's not in a top-tier university, here in Manila or in the province. All never completed the course, due to financial reasons or delinquency. 

The profile of a typical drop-out of HRM who's working in a gay bar: 19-22, slim, junjunin-looking. Just like "Thomas", the first-ever macho dancer I tabled last year, and "Routh", one of the latest in my list of tabled guys.

The common thread among these guys, aside from why they stopped schooling, is why they even took up the course in the first place. It's not a specialist course that typical Filipinos (or the older macho dancers) usually take, like computer science (popular in the late 90s - early 2000s due to the demand) or nursing (popular in the mid-to-late 2000s due to the high salaries abroad). The course has been available in any school's curriculum for some time already, but more and more, students are picking this lately. "Shine", a former-HRM student turned macho dancer, shared that in his school, enrollees for HRM have been growing the past years, and has now even overtaken nursing 3-to-1 in enrollment numbers.

Hmmm... maybe HRM is the "it" course now, and not computer science and nursing anymore. Thinking about it, the macho dancers in their mid-to-late 20s, whom I talked to, took up computer science before dropping out. That course was the "in" thing when these guys (who are the same age as I am) were entering college.

From talking with these MDs, there is a notion that majoring in HRM leads to much more opportunities than specialist courses. They say one can choose to work for a range of establishments in the service industry, hospitality industry, tourism, hotel, food service, and etcetera industries out there. Because of this wide choice, they say it's easier and more flexible to get a job anywhere.

Another reason for this choice is the opportunity to cook or be a chef, especially if they have the passion for cooking. Routh claimed this, as with "Derek" who's a working student, and also "Brian J" of Lord Gay Bar in QC. This growing trend of cooking may have been an influence of the popularity of upscale culinary schools in recent years, which has influenced even the less popular and less expensive schools to come up with their version of culinary training via HRM. But honestly, I am quite skeptical of their reason of "passion for cooking"; I doubt these boys even lift a finger to help their moms cook at home.

But the appeal is where the course leads them. "Dream ko talaga makatrabaho / makasakay sa barko" (What I really dream for is to work in a shipping line or cruise), admits many in various gay bars. To them, working in these international shipping lines pays well, as they heard from a sibling or a from friend of a friend.  It's a real, tangible opportunity to sail away and leave this country for something better in other countries (I don't blame them). And these boys think that HRM is a requirement in this field. Fair enough, as most job openings in these ships are for crew, kitchen staff, cooks, waiters, utility/custodian, and even entertainers -- similar to the type of work in Manila, but with higher salaries.

So where are these hotelier-hopers, chef-dreamers and shipping-cruise-aspirers, who stopped schooling because their single-parent-breadwinner could not afford for their education anymore or because they couldn't wait to start working for their income and indepedence at an earlier age?

Many are scattered in various service industries -- as fast food crew, shopping mall salesmen, restaurant or kitchen staff. In fairness, a requirement of the HRM course is to do on-the-job training (OJT) in a restaurant or hotel, so getting a job in this industry is easy. 

A few I've met already in another service/entertainment industry that I frequent. It can still be lucrative for them here -- easy money. Can this indsutry be considered a career shift for them, if where they are at now is even considered a career at all? Maybe, maybe not.

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com

Heard Through the Gay Bar Grapevine 3

This will be the last in a short series of posts about gay bars this part of town. Again, all these I heard from the gay bar grapevine along Roxas and Pasay. Some information may be true, some may not.

Enjoy!

When two bars close, two others open 

After long-time gay bar in the heart of Manila, “Mr. Heart of Manila”, closed down around Sept-Oct last year, another bar closes.

Hosto bar in Malate, “Neighborhood”, is now closed, after less than a year of existence. If the first one closed because of the new mayor’s policies on prostitution, as rumored by one macho dancer, the second one shut down due to “corpses and flies” (Bangkay na, nilangaw pa).

Even with the addition of macho dancers on its 2^nd floor late last year, Neighborhood just couldn’t get enough customers. I think their strategy was similar to "Answer for The Emotionally Needy" bar -- to have a floor dedicated to hostos and their hostess clientele, and another floor dedicated to macho dancers and their more affluent guests. Sounds logical. Most of the bar's dancers, including the lone gay floor manager, came from "Mr. Heart of Manila", when it closed down. 

So where did the customers go? Maybe to ATEN. But, don’t ask us. My friends and I left months before the bar’s demise.

Rumor has it, the “Neighborhood” space will be turned into a full macho dancer bar. But not just any other macho dancer bar. As the MDs who were privy to this information told us, the lord of all gay bars in QC will lend its name to the new bar: it's going to be called “Lord, 2^nd coming.” It's not confirmed though if it's a branch or an extension of the top QC gay bar. Or maybe just a copy cat.

That's good news for ex-Neighborhood dancers who were previously ex-Mr. Heart of Manila dancers. They can work again in the same area, but in a bar with a more popular name. 

However, just like Mr. Heart of Manila, the new bar may get into trouble again, because of new mayor's policy on prostitution, if that was true at all.

Coming soon: A new gay bar will open in the general vicinity of Airport Road, in Paranaque. Yes, that area filled with the cheap beergarden-type KTVs. There's an spot there with a building that's either being demolished or re-constructed, and turned into the only gay bar in that vicinity. Yehey, Miss Universal may already have her partner, a Mr. Universal perhaps.

And as heard from the grapevine, the place is gonna be huge. Even bigger than Home Base or Kingdom Come. One of the biggest in Manila, maybe.

When will these two bars open? Let's wait for the next news from the gay bar grapevine.


GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com; Follow at twitter: @gbgoer

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Photocredit: http://www.edupics.com/

Heard Through the Gay Bar Grapevine 2

As mentioned yesterday, this week, I will feature a series of posts, as I heard from the gay bar grapevine along Roxas and Pasay. All these are based on hearsay, gossip, chismis, not about macho dancers, hostos or managers, but about the gay bars in this part of town.

Enjoy!

Bar on the Rise

Long-time gay bar along Libertad, “Answer for The Emotionally Needy” (ATEN), is booming more than ever.

It has two floors for entertainment – the ground floor being the entrance, then the second floor for the macho dancers and the third floor disco for the models/hostos. That floor’s biggest draw? Cheap drinks, unlike the P400+ per drink of other macho bars. That’s why most of the clientele of ATEN are supposedly GROs from the nearby girlie bars in Manila. Ooh! Cheap drinks for cheap… skates.

Before, when macho dancers were forced to leave Home Base as they couldn't reach the monthly quota, they would always consider applying to ATEN. If we ask where certain ex-Home Base MD was working, the usual reply was "sa ATEN." So, my friends and I had an impression that ATEN was a run-down bar filled with "unsellable" MDs. In short, bagsakan ng mga MDs na laos o walang customer.

Quite the contrary now, apparently. Sources said the hostos here (the non-strippers) are frequently tabled, with around three girlalu customers per night. Never vacant; never bangkay. Each girlalu may afford to buy them just 2-3 drinks, but with more customers a night, an MD can easily reach 10 drinks daily. "Kahit na wala raw customer na mayaman na magbabagsak ng 20 drinks," as one MD said, "at least may kita naman araw-araw para maabot ang quota (Even if there's no rich customer to give 20 drinks, at least, there's income everyday to reach the quota)."

But lately, the bar's second floor, the macho dancing one, is also gaining ground. Apparently, more “big time” customers are going to the bar for its macho dancers. MDs of competitor bars are also wondering why. Parking is supposedly difficult (fine, they can take a taxi), the place a bit run-down, and the vicinity dimly lit and unsafe at night.

When asked if they are interested to transfer, an MD responded in the negative, reasoning "maraming awayan, siraan. Tapos ang pangit ng lugar. Feeling mo pwede ka masaksak kahit kailan. (there are lots of fights, backbiting. Then the place is unsightly. You get the feeling of being stabbed anytime)."

Maybe his mind may change about working for that bar, once he becomes unsellable in the bar he's working in now and fail to meet his monthly quota.

Apparently, it was the first gay bar to open in Pasay. This was according to an MD friend who rode a taxi to work one night, and requested to be dropped off at another gay bar. Nearing the gay bar, the taxi driver asked if he was working there, and the MD responded truthfully. That taxi driver who was in his mid-to-late 30s said he used to work at ATEN years ago. My MD friend wasn't surprised; that driver had an aged pretty face.

But if ATEN was really the first gay bar in Pasay, I wouldn't know. I was still too young when it opened. When I asked my more mature vecky friends, they also haven't heard of the bar before in the 90s or early 2000s.

Well, now ATEN is really making its mark. Just Google "gay bar manila", and at the top of the page, that is the only bar that appears on Google Maps.



Last: When two bars close, another two bars open

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com; Follow at twitter: @gbgoer

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Photocredit: http://www.edupics.com/

Heard Through the Gay Bar Grapevine 1

This week, I will feature a series of posts, as I heard from the gay bar grapevine along Roxas and Pasay. Been talking to too many gay managers, tranny impersonators, and macho dancers (current and former) the past few days.

For this set, no macho dancers, no hostos, no customers first. Only news (or rumors) about some establishments in the gay bar industry, this side of town.

Enjoy! Let's start with...

The New Player in Town

Recently opened gay bar along Roxas Blvd, “Mexican Knife” (MK), is starting to generate buzz in the gay bar industry in the area. It’s an oft-mentioned name during conversations with gay managers and their macho dancers: “May bagong bukas na bar dyan sa Roxas ah”, “Napuntahan niyo na ba yung MK?”, “Sa MK na raw nagtatrabaho si…”

But, the buzz has nothing good to say about the bar -- dimly-lit area, questionable location filled with tambays, no parking, difficult to locate, old macho dancers, etc. I heard all these from the gay managers of Kingdom Come and Home Base. Threatened? Or demolition job?

The bar generates their own buzz as well -- MK's new managers inviting their former customers from other bars. Even a former macho dancer I tabled, who at 23 has been employed in 2-3 bars already, texted me to visit him at their new bar.

They’re buzzing on the internet too. Their website featured pictures of their male entertainers, the first time I saw a gay bar’s website do that. There were a few recognizable faces (former dancers of various bars) and a lot of “who-the-f-is-this” guys I’d rather not know.

Demolition job explained that the macho dancers in MK were the least tabled where they worked before. That's why they left the more popular and established gay bars in the area, and joined this up-and-coming bar (sounds a lot like ABS-GMA-TV5 feuds nowadays). But I think the MDs in MK are just jobless former dancers looking for any source of income.

There's still a possibility for the bar to be raided, as it just recently opened (no payolas yet). But according to an MD, the city or police will wait around 3-4 months for the bar to become more popular, before raiding it. Higher payola for them, perhaps, rather than doing it now when the bar is barely a month old.  

Where is it? Thanks to Anonymous who put a comment on this post, it's at the interesection of Roxas Blvd and a street parallel to one of Makati's major avenues. Some MDs say it's difficult to find the bar; like one would need to pass through an eskinita just to get inside. I wouldn't know; I haven't been there. But what I know is, a not-so-popular yet visible 3-star hotel and girlie bar nearby serves as an important landmark to locate the bar.

Still don’t know which bar this is? You can ask Aljur Abrenica for the bar’s name. Then Google it. Make sure to spell it with the gay boy's favorite body part: two t's please.

Next: The Answer for The Emotionally Needy Bar

GB Goer
Learn more: Lessons from Gay Bars in Manila
http://machosandhostos.blogspot.com/
email: char.affairs@gmail.com; Follow at twitter: @gbgoer

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Photocredit: http://www.edupics.com/