Macho Maze In Manila

Pierre Tourneau, November 30, 2003

Maybe the Philippines invented ‘macho dancing.’ Macho dancers rotate their hips sensuously, the stomach undulating. You never see the equivalent in Thai bars. Director Lino Brocka filmed “Macho Dancer” in 1989, only to have the film banned in the Philippines. Six years later Mel Chionglo filmed “Midnight Dancers.” Macho dancing continues in a number of bars in Manila.

Gay bars pay the police. Two bars said the police came every night to collect money. There are periodic raids and closures. Big Papas reopened in 2003 after a closure for over a year.

Bars typically charge an entry fee after “happy hour,” which is usually 8 until 10. They close at 4 a.m., and are not open on Sundays. Usually there is no full nudity. Sometimes there is a cabaret show. The dancers are usually not “buff” by western standards. A bit of healthy fat is apparently valued by locals, though some dancers are plain skinny. Heavy-duty tall black leather boots, with buckles and studs, are the fashion accessory of choice used by all macho dancers.

Manila is huge. The Philippines is the most urbanized country in Southeast Asia. Metro Manila includes a dozen cities. In November, 2003, two of us non-Pinoys went on a journey through the maze of Metro Manila to five bars, with a local dancer acting as guide.

WHITE BIRD DISCO THEATRE AND KTV [KTV means karaoke], 715 Boulevard Galleria, just off the main waterfront freeway called Roxas Boulevard in Paranaque City, close to the popular Baclaran market, south of Malate.

On weeknights around 40 boys are dancers at White Bird. Around 50 are there on Friday and Saturday. This is the top bar in the city, and the dancers have good bodies. Dancers are rated A, B and C, and White Bird has only A boys. Each, in turn, does a solo macho dance. The bar pays the dancer 500 Pesos per dance. Dancers can expect to dance three times in an evening.

Customers pay 85 pesos for a drink. But when they buy a drink for a dancer, the price is 360 pesos. From that, the dancer gets 100 pesos. Bars make their money on entrance fees and drinks and food, and dancers will ask for drinks and snacks.

White Bird is not an ‘off’ bar. There is no ‘bar fine.’ Dancers said that if the management sees dancers going with customers, they will loose their jobs. There are VIP rooms that cost 2,500 or 3,500, but they are for karaoke, not sex. The VIP rooms get little business - used about every second night. Any arrangements for sex involves a deal with the dancer to meet the customer after 4 a.m. at his hotel, or perhaps the next afternoon. Some dancers are not interested in meeting customers outside the bar. Perhaps they are only interested in the female customers, who were there enjoying the show.

MR. VALENTINE ENTERTAINMENT BAR, 1439 Adriatico Street, Ermita, Metro Manila, across from Robinson’s Place mall, part of the Holiday Gardens complex (a very central location).

Mr. Valentine has 50 dancers on weekends and 35 to 40 on weekdays. The bar opened in June, 2003, and looks a bit like a warehouse inside. Two motorcycles were parked in front of the stage, at the edge of a dance area. The audience included (apparently) straight couples and women.

Drinks for customers are 85 pesos, and for dancers 350 pesos. Here there is a ‘bar fine’ or off fee - 1,600 pesos plus two drinks.

BIG PAPA, 2315 Aurora Boulevard, Pasay City, near the airport.

Big Papa reopened in May, 2003, after having been closed by the police for over a year. The bar pays several levels of police, a total of 40,000 pesos per month.

The bar is large and pleasant, less seedy than White Bird or Mr. Valentine. There are 25 to 30 dancers every night. A number of dancers perform at any one time. Here there was nudity - dancers showed erect cocks. A customer’s drink is 90 pesos. A drink for a dancer is 390 pesos. There is a VIP karaoke room for 1,000 pesos plus two drinks for the dancer. There is a bar fine of 1,500 pesos, plus two drinks for the dancer.

SUPER DOG, 848 Oregeta Street, Manila City.

Things got stranger as we pressed on from White Bird, Mr Valentine and Big Papa. Now we were traveling by taxi in the maze of greater Manila, through grey roads, under grey cement overpasses, no trees, few shops, a very downscale version of Bladerunner’s Los Angeles. Who would name a bar Super Dog? Maybe there was some local meaning that eluded us.

Fifteen to forty dancers. As before a price difference on drinks. 85 pesos for a drink for the customer: 300 pesos for a drink for a dancer. There is a bar fine. For a Class A dancer, 3,000 pesos. For a Class B dancer, 2,500 pesos. For a Class C dancer, 2,000 pesos. A gastly drag show.

LIPS, somewhere in the maze of Metro Manila.

Our final stop was an upstairs bar, with hip hop dancers, and a giant Geisha painted on the wall. I passed out, but my companion struggled on, paying a bar fine of 1,000 pesos. I will never be able to find Lips again. Just as well.