What's On & Expat - Philippines

GRINDING MY TEETH: If I wore a hat, I would gladly tip it for Shelby Payne, an expat living in Manila who recently and rightfully complained in a Letter to the Editor about one of my pet peeves. It’s called “double pricing” and it’s practiced frequently in the Philippines as well as in many Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand and others. So what is double pricing, you ask? It’s the insidious business of charging a foreigner, whether expat or tourist, more than they would charge a local Filipino. Shelby cited his recent experience when he tried to visit the Grande Island Resort at Subic Bay. He was on holiday with his Filipina wife and wanted to spend a few days there. He was shocked when he was given a much higher price than his wife. Can you imagine the idiocy in this? Infuriated at this blatant nonsensical practice, he left in disgust after he was told that it was the resort’s policy to always charge foreigners more than Filipinos. This, of course, makes no sense and is just plain discrimination–the same sort of discrimination that would make any Filipino’s hair bristle if it happened to them while they were in a foreign country.
 

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IN SHELBY’S OWN WORDS: “If the Philippines wants to attract tourists as well as businesses here, they need to put a stop to such discriminatory practices. If the country wants to move forward, they need to stop once and for all such policies of companies like Grande Island Resort. I am sure if this happened to a Filipino overseas in another country it would be heard around the world as discrimination against Filipinos.” And to prove Shelby’s point even more–imagine how much business this resort lost and will continue to lose from those foreigners who will not put up with such discrimination? And the Grande Island Resort is not the only business that does this. If you have other examples of double pricing, please send them to me in care of this newspaper. If you want to be anonymous, just say so and it shall be. Need I say more?
 

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BUSTING BUTTONS: I was recently at the LTO office at the MRT station of Ayala in Makati to renew my driver’s license. As much improved as it is over the “good old days” when it was a nightmare just to fight your way into the door, it is still somewhat confusing trying to follow the numbered instructions on the wall. But what impressed me was the helpfulness of those Filipinos who were already waiting. Most of them eagerly offered to help all of the newcomers who, like me, staggered from one room to the next trying to figure out where to go. One young guy, jumped up when he saw my wrinkled face and slumping knees and offered me

his seat. “Do I look that old?” I asked. “Oh no sir,” he politely replied. “Not really.” I sat down, pride a bit bruised, but appreciative of his consideration (and the seat) and even more impressed with how many people he and others helped find their way in the labyrinth. The Filipino spirit of camaraderie was clearly evident and it made me feel damned good to be living here.
 

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YOU’RE AS OLD AS I AM if you remember the old New Orleans Cajun and Creole restaurants in Greenbelt in Makati, Quezon Avenue in Quezon City and Shangri-la Plaza at Crossing in Pasig. New Orleans introduced baby back spare ribs to this country and started the avalanche of what has now become one of the most popular choices of diners in the Philippines. Well, loyal fans will be happy to know that a brand-new, modern version of New Orleans is reopening on or about October 1 at Bonafacio High Street (which is a continuation of Serendra at Fort Bonafacio, known as “The Fort.” This time the legendary restaurant will not only serve its famous ribs, but will be a steak and oyster house as well. Many of the original New Orleans employees will be back again and the kitchen will be under the tutelage of the very young and talented Chef Peter Ayson who is introducing many new and modern menu items as well as the old N.O. classics. Sharing the large premises and serving as a twin restaurant, will be “Clawdaddy, the Great American Picnic,” a branch of the highly successful crab and rib restaurant on the 6th floor of Shangri-la Plaza. “Claw” will be a family-oriented restaurant with particular emphasis on the kids and New Orleans will be more adult-oriented. Management promises fantastic food, fine wines, spirits and service as well as very affordable prices.
 

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ENDSVILLE: Speaking of Bonafacio High Street, Bill Stelton has opened another branch of his booming Italiannis chain of Italian restaurants in that same location, right next door to what will be New Orleans/Clawdaddy. Stelton, who has become one of the biggest restaurateurs in the Philippines (along with Larry Cruz and Raymund Magdaluyo) is also the managing partner of TGIFridays and he recently opened a new, modern version of TGIF on Bonafacio High Street. He will soon unveil his latest restaurant project, “Flap Jacks,” an all-day breakfast restaurant located next door to his Greenbelt 2 Italiannis… And that, dear hearts, has made me hungry and I am off to feed my fat face.
 

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MURRAY’S COLUMN CAN ALSO BE READ ON THE INTERNET AT www.whatson-expat.com.ph
 

By virtue of Proclamation 1081 which was announced by former Senator (then information minister) Francisco Kit Tatad on September 23, 1972, on television, the Philippines was put under martial law. The proclamation was said to be antedated on September 21 but was only announced two days after, on a Saturday, to prevent organized protests of students and workers on a school/work day.

The declaration came at a time when the country was going through a series of lawlessness and reports of rising civil strife, including the attack on then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile’s vehicle, one of the authors of the proclamation. He later admited that it was part of a grand scheme of deception perpetuated to justify the martial rule.

According to ordinary civilians, martial rule was a time of peace because it controlled crime and curfews were enforced. For the protesters and

opposition, however, it was a time of intense political struggle, arrests and deaths, if not disappearances, of their comrades.

Martial Law was lifted on January 17, 1981, but it was criticized as mere paper-lifting since the implementation was not felt. Six months after, the first presidential election was held, only to be swept again by the incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos.

Martial Law was believed to have ended only when there was a change of regime during the successful 1986 People Power Revolution at Edsa. Enrile and then head of the Philippine Constabulary (Philippine National Police then) Fidel V. Ramos defected, and with the support of the Catholic Church, President Corazon Aquino (widow of the gunned down senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino” in 1983) was inaugurated in February 25, 1986.