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APRIL 2004
I am glad to see April as Feb and March were a bit frustrating for me with going in and out of hospital but later on in this column you will be able to read the details. Temporarily, I am back in the saddle and more than happy to be able to provide this month’s column. Not sure what will happen in the future as the webmaster has indicated he is bowing out of Go2Phil and has instructed “Bee” to find someone to help take it over. No time schedule for this to happen but if it does you will be reading my farewell column. OK, don’t look so happy about that as I will miss all you folks. I am getting a bit old though and am busy as newly elected secretary of my Rotary Club and that is one time consuming task. Guys, it is mighty hot and dry right now and will be for a few more months. Great swimming weather so plan on a few trips to the beach if you are coming this way, and we hope you are. (can someone tell me why those stray words end up to the far left – I can’t fix it.) (harrythehorse@harrythehorse.com) TIDBITS The following comments were sent in to me by a reader of my March column in answer to my question about the LA Café in Manila: IMHO I figure a visit to the LA Café is on order for anyone having to stay overnight in Manila. “LA Cafe? It's a wild place. The first thing I want to tell you is DON'T take the wife. It's true, the place is wild and it's FULL - to the rafters - with women every night. The chicks in that place are EXTREMELY aggressive. They don't take "No" for an answer. It's very difficult to get them to leave your table once they come over. And they will approach and come onto you even if you have a lady with you. It's bound to piss off the wife! They are all hooking of course. I've been there several times when I was staying overnight in Manila but have never taken one from there. Its fun to visit but the girls are too aggressive for me. It's difficult to just go in there and relax and have a beer or two. The girls will be all over you. If you're in the market for one or two or three though, it's a great place. I understand from what some friends have told me that they want 1500-2000P for a short visit though you can negotiate that price down somewhat. Guys have told me that most of the chicks in that place aren't looking for all-nighters, but I'm sure you could find some that are willing if the price is right. Don't know if you are familiar with the Robinson's Mall in Ermita, several blocks from La Cafe and Swagman Hotel, but there are literally dozens of girls hanging around that place every afternoon, all available. I wonder if it will be the same at the Robinson's Mall going up here and soon to open, next month.” (the horse doubts it but will investigate once it opens) I enjoy putting in comments from the lads that are abroad and have taken the time to visit our fair city. This was received from Brian Johnson, currently residing in Darwin, Northern Australia. “I am not what you would call an old hand around Angeles. However from memory my last visit in December/January just gone was my sixth. My first visit was in 1997 when I was living in Seoul - have been hooked ever since. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I shall be retiring next year and will be able to spend more time in your part of the world. I find your commentary on the goings on around the area most enlightening and usually agree with your critiques on bars, clubs and restaurants. My favorite bar is the Roadhouse by a country mile. Mark Smith (and his manager Fred) certainly run a professional venue. You couldn't ask for anything better. You will also find me at Roys regularly enjoying Clive's hospitality. Clive introduced me to Blueberry Hill last trip - it certainly makes for a change from the other clubs. Great music. I was a regular stayer at the Orchid Inn. However, for my last visit I stayed at the Oasis, which was excellent. I found the Orchid was getting a little crowded for my liking. With the extra accommodation wing, I feel the facilities such as the pool, restaurants, etc are starting to groan under the extra patronage; my observation only of course. I found the Oasis to be very much to my liking as it had an excellent, attentive staff together with very good facilities. The in-house pub bar is a great place to take a lady for a quiet drink.” A couple of months ago I suggested that anyone who liked Vietnamese food might try out a small eatery located on MacArthur Highway just across from the Balibago Supermarket, reader Walter Kaelin checked it out and sent the following: “Hello Harry and a speedy recovery! I have been reading your column for some time and enjoy it, of course I enjoy visiting Angeles even more. Based on your Input and since I love Vietnamese Food, I tried the Restaurant on Mc Arthur. I really liked very much...The owner said he was from Saigon, but we are not going to quibble about little things like that. They also have Vietnamese Coffee for sale! Loved it...All the best and to the better half, Walter” The following public service announcement is provided for general information. Folks, we have signed a contract with another insurance company. Policies of that company and its affiliates will be honored at Philippine International Hospital ( PIH) for inpatient care (some of the affiliates also cover some outpatient care). We will bill the insurance company directly. Policyholder patients will pay only for those expenses not covered by the insurance. AXA PPP HEALTHCARE Affiliates: ATLAS INSURANCE AGENCY LIMITED UNIVERSAL LIFE AXA INSURANCE E.C. GULF UNION For another source of medical insurance visit McGuire Insurance Agency, Inc. located just to the left of the entrance of the Oasis compound, Don Juico Ave. The American Memorial Day is not until 30 May but the local American Legion Post 123 is announcing its raffle ticket sales early enough to sell a bunch of tickets. For those interested the following is provided: Memorial Day Celebration. We plan a full 3-day Festival with activities planned for everyone. Topping off our celebration will be our annual raffle draw. We will once again award a total of P20,000 in prize money. P10,000 goes to the first place winner, P5,000 to the second place winner, P3,000 to the third place winner, and P2,000 to the fourth place winner. In order to be successful, we must get good participation from our members living out of area and overseas. We need all of our members to purchase at least a few books each. For those paying by check a minimum of $25 is required, due to the local bank dollar check deposit requirements. The $25 entitles you to 7 raffle books. Additional books are $3.50 per book. Make checks payable to the: American Legion Post 123 and mail to American Legion Post 123 PSC 517 BOX R S/A FPO AP 96517 Note: For those of you living in the area, the tickets will be on sale starting April 1st. See Canteen Cashier. Be advised that , yes, the Swagman did not have its March wet T-shirt contest but only because it was too close to the elections and they could not get a permit from the powers that be. Don’t understand why since the event has been toned down considerably with all the censorship provided by the City Hall watch dogs assigned to monitor the event. It is still a fun afternoon if they ever get a permit again but for sure, the purchase of any video might not be worth the price since it would not be as revealing as past events. Actually, those old videos from previous years might be considered collector’s items now. Contact Rick at Rick’s Café and order some copies. Rumor has it that funds for the new friendship bridge, currently under construction, have dried up. A reliable source has confirmed this. This is a National Government Tripartite Agreement between the DPWH, BCDA, and the local government. The local government was promised funds from the National Government but those funds have not been delivered to date, hence the work stoppage. The horrible inconvenience of motorists having to deal with the one lane at a time temporary bridge now in existence will no doubt be extended many more months. Many folks have been curious to know what purpose the other bridge that is under construction that can be seen to the East of the Friendship bridge serves. Supposedly this bridge is supposed to reach the little non-descript Anunas Island and then continue to a proposed entrance at Clark. This project does not seem to make any sense since it duplicates the function of the Friendship bridge unless it has been deemed all important to the folks residing on this patch of land in the middle of the lahar bed. Believe me, life for them becomes a bit more difficult during the rainy season. The Mabiga bridge has been completed and the 30 day period for the cement to settle has been completed yet it is still not open to traffic, why? The hold up is that the local politicians want to have President Macapagal inaugurate it and to date she has been too busy to do so. The second larger bridge in Mabalacat is scheduled for completion on 9 April, and no doubt many thousands of motorists are hoping that any further delays are avoided. It’s hard to keep track of this guy but just in case anyone is interested, Harro is the day manager at the Cambodia Club. It takes a lot to get kicked out of a hotel, especially when the Hotel is the Phoenix and head man Pig has a lot of patience. But Roo (an American Steel Member), brother of Don-Don found himself out on the street and could not figure out why. Could it be because he decided to party in his room with 6 gallons of ice-cream, and large quantities of chocolate syrup along with one sexy young lady. It seems that management did not appreciate the decorating job on the ceiling, TV, walls, and the bed. I have been told that the American Steel members are considering a run with each member carrying 6 gallons of ice-cream and chocolate syrup and are wondering if Pig has any available rooms for them. I suspect that could stretch Pig’s sense of humor a bit much! Be careful where you fall asleep after a few hours of drink and oral pumping. One individual fell asleep in the bar next to the Duke of York after having one of the “ladies” service him and when he awoke found that his gold chain was missing along with a pretty big stash of money. He proceeded to tear up the place and physically abuse the “lady” he suspected of enriching her/himself. He was carted off to the police station where he had to make restitution for damages and, of course, enrich the “lady” a bit more in order for charges not to be pressed. In past columns I have written about the plans by some investors from Las Vegas to develop two properties inside the Clark Economic Zone (CSEZ), specifically the old Forbidden City site to include the old USAF Commissary building and also the never completed True North site. It appears that both projects are still on-going but the True North project has been taken over by another company and I have no specific updates on that. But, the Forbidden City site is not far away from ground breaking, maybe only a few months. All necessary approvals from the various government agencies have been obtained and representatives from the main Las Vegas investor are due here this month to put pen to paper. I cannot, at this time be more specific, but as my source updates me I will keep you posted. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this project will go through for it will certainly help to provide tourists to this area alternative entertainment choices. Hidden Vale Sports Club (HVSC) is back in the news because of their 19 March letter sent to all “HVSC” members. I will quote a couple of paragraphs to give readers an idea of what is about. “It is now very important for Greenland Sports Club Members, to complete and ‘Application’ form to transfer their membership type over to Hidden Vale Sports Club. As we now have Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) approval, in order to meet the requirement we must have all memberships under HVSC, we hope to have all new members assigned their certificate no later than June 30th, 2004. Furthermore, please be informed that upon application all memberships must be full paid up and current and only members considered in good standing and approved by the HVSC Membership Committee, will a new HVSC Certificate be issued. The processing cost for each application is P 3,000.00 for individual membership and P5,000.00 for the corporate membership; this amount will be utilized for the processing of your NEW HVSC certificate and a NEW membership number will be assigned and a NEW membership Termal I.D will be issued. All transfers must be completed NLT June 30th, 2004.” Well, that is interesting as many members thought the issue of whether they were members of HVSC or not had been settled by a court case last year. Many people are questioning why they must pay P3,000 for a certificate and membership card for something they already belong to. Additionally, folks are wondering who is on this Membership Committee and why is it necessary to seek approval for the charter members who have been supporting HVSC by paying their monthly dues out of loyalty despite the lack of improvements in the club. It is well known that HVSC has had some financial difficulties for some time now and are trying to take steps to get back in the black but is it necessary to charge current members an administrative cost that, maybe, should be shouldered by HVSC, if they had the money to do so? Naturally, the marketing office sends out the letter when the President/CEO Philip Campbell is out of country and cannot answer any questions. It would have been much better if a general meeting had been called prior to sending this notice to members and all questions could have been raised at that time. For instance, what next? Why not tell us the complete story, like, what will happen with the dues and what membership fees will be charged. A draft fee proposal for NEW members indicates a fee of P100,000.00 with payments of P3,000.00 a month for four years, after which, no monthly dues will be payable. Now, this is only a draft and Philip was not available to elaborate and the marketing office personnel could provide no answers as to what is planned for charter members. How about it Philip, call a general meeting and give a full explanation of what is expected, I am sure many Greenland Members Association (GMA) personnel will attend as well as many others and the support you and Greg are hoping for will be provided. I have heard that there is something similar to a class action suit being brought about by the many share holders in the Swagman Hotel against the previous owners. This has been a simmering issue for many years but now it is down to criminal action versus civil action that is being debated and where this will go has not been decided. This has absolutely nothing to do with the current owner/management of the Angeles City Swagman Hotel which remains a great place to stay when in town. Hopefully this legal inconvenience to all concerned will end amicably in fair settlement to one and all. Great Mongolian bar-b-q is served at the top of the Holiday Inn but it is a bit expensive and not something you go to every week but if you like this specialty dish, at a far more reasonable cost then visit the Orchid Inn every Monday from 12 noon to 8 PM. For only P150 you can get Chef John to whip you up a mighty tasty treat of Mongolian. Be advised, if you tell him you want it spicy I guarantee it will definitely grab your attention on the first bite. The Hole in the Wall has new hours, well not so new since they started on 15 Jan, it just took me this long to mention it. You can enjoy the place from 1000 to 0230 hours 7 days a week and they still have some of the best steaks in town. The Dee Bee’s eatery located in Dau on the way to the Bus terminal is changing its image. They were not able to attract the expat trade so have now, because of their location gone after the locals by going for the Karaoke crowd. It is still 24 hours but, wisely, they are catering to Filipino tastes. If at first you don’t succeed, well, try and try again. There appears to be increased construction activity along the Friendship road which old timers will remember was the tourist shopping area when the American forces were here. After Pinatubo this area went to hell and was dominated by run down buildings housing small factories turning out baskets, metal chairs and other crafts for export. Now Korean and Japanese investors have moved in with their hotel and restaurants but now some Filipino investors are adding their money to the pot. A Filipino owned hotel that has a long history at its present location is being given new life with a renovation that will return it to active service some time in April. The three story “Adel Hotel” will feature two floors of rooms and a restaurant on the ground floor that will be turned into a beer house at night time. Remember Charlie Horne’s too expensive True Blue restaurant that closed its doors last year? It is now Filipino owned and is under extensive renovation and a May opening is expected, maybe. It will be called “SimplyAsia” and will feature a wide selection of Asian food with a completely new menu every month with reasonable prices. The restaurant will be open until 10 PM and then the bar hours will be extended to accommodate a bit of karaoke style entertainment. Directly across the street from the soon to open Adel Hotel is the building housing what used to be the Golden Eagle Interior Design showroom and it is up for sale or rent. I feel that the Friendship area will regain some of its past glory with all the investing going on there now and this building might be a worthwhile investment. The sign outside listed one Ann Nabong as a contact with numbers 888-1496/892-6672 or the cell phone number for Ann, 0917-623-2768. THAT OLD GANG You can leave Angeles City but you can never forget the place and your old mates. When you visit Nellis AFB, in Las Vegas, NV in the morning you have a good chance of running into some old AC folks like 81 year old Don, and youngsters Walt, Bill, Charlie and many other familiar faces like Charlie Nephew. It is like a reunion if you get there early enough. I just want the Vegas Pinatubo folks to know that I will be heading their way in September and look forward to seeing the whole gang once again. THE “C” ITALIAN RESTAURANT
The “C” Italian restaurant, since it opened its doors last month appears to be doing a steady trade by attracting those Italian food aficionados that do not mind paying a higher price for quality food and selections not offered anyplace else in town. When I was visiting recently it was hard not to want to eat as the food presentation was inspiring and the beautiful aroma of Italian cooking was overwhelming. The diners present were full of praise for the food but when I interviewed a couple of folks a few weeks later I had to laugh at the comment “the appetizer was great but when do they serve the meal”. It is true, if you have a healthy appetite the “gourmet” portions are not that filling and to really get full, you would have to order a couple of ala carte offerings that would be a bit expensive. The appetizers, salad and soup offerings ran from 100 to 350 pesos; pasta and Risotto creations from P200 to P440; choice of five entrees from P320 – P660. The one that caught my attention was the “chicken patrone” consisting of chicken fillet in a rich red wine sauce with black & green olives and spicy Italian sausage served with polenta for the price of P320. Soft drinks and beer is P45, a glass of wine P110 with choice of wine in decanter or bottles ranging from P190 to P2500. So, this excellent restaurant run by popular chef Chris Locher is not for folks with thin wallets but for those desiring quality Italian cooking at a price. Do I recommend a visit, you bet I do and in a few months I will have saved up enough to treat Priscilla to a fine evening at the “C”. By the way, the outside garden area in the back is a wonderful spot for outdoor dining with a romantic setting. Stop by, meet Chris and let him guide you through the menu and the wine selections. You won’t be disappointed! (hours of operation 1130 hrs to whenever).
A GOOD INVESTMENT I have been in Angel’s bar and wrote it up last year as a well laid out establishment, great seating and some fine looking gals. I do not know what price the owner is asking but anyone reading this that has been thinking of investing in a bar here in Angeles City should give this some serious thought. If a fair price could be arranged I don’t see how one could go wrong. By the way, the owner is a nice guy, straight forward, no BS and honest. I copied his “for sale” notice from the AC board for your information: “Angels is for sale. I believe that the best way to run a bar is to be physically present in the bar. I still work at my job outside the Philippines, and my schedule has picked up to the point where I don't have enough time to spend to properly manage the bar. The bar is in good condition, includes comfortable seating for 50+ customers, dance floor, and a stage that will hold about 15-18 girls per shift. When we have more girls, we put them on the dance floor, and can have about 25 dancers per shift. Included is an emergency generator that has enough power to run the complete bar (all aircons, lights and systems) during brownouts. Also included is the computerized bookkeeping system - automatically calculating sales, expenses, commissions. The music system is also computerized - with about 4000 titles on the computer, and CD players for customer CDs. The second floor is a stay-in for the girls - with about 25 beds - I'm told by many girls that our stay-in is one of the nicest and well-maintained stay-ins in Angeles City. This is a complete turnkey operation - all equipment, systems, inventory is included - you can take over operations immediately. The staff is trained, the bar runs well, has a good customer base, and turns a profit, even while a lot of the other clubs in Angeles are losing money and/or closing down. We have 6 years remaining on a fixed-rate lease. PM me for details, or if in Angeles, stop in at the club, email <a href="mailto:gggmills@hotmail.com">gggmills@hotmail.com</a> or text me at 09185101659. I will consider terms and/or a partnership arrangement.” I WOULD IF I COULD (I THINK) This is one of those ladies, Ann is her name, that you run into while on a bar run and at the moment performs in such a way that just turns you on with her personality and by exposing a few features that just grabs your attention. You just have to have a picture and then a few days later, when in a more sober mood you wonder what it was that made her so appealing. Fortunately I have a couple of more pictures of Ann that revealed the assets that caught my interest and made me happy that I happened to drop into Treasure Island one night. You know, that is a fun small bar to visit as you never know what will happen from one moment to the next. Anyway, stop in and say hello to Ann but in the meantime, if you want a couple of more poses of her, just let me know via Email.
On the evening of March 16th a team of NBI agents from the Computer Crimes division raided Honeydolls.com. Honeydolls was a popular Internet chat site where customers from around the world could log in and have video and text chats with women from this area. The agents removed every piece of computer equipment plus printers, hubs, switches, etc. They also took other non-related items like power supplies, keyboards, mice, mouse pads, etc. They also broke into some offices sharing a space in the building and not connected with the Honeydolls operation. They were advised by Honeydolls’ counsel that these offices were not part of the operation, but ignored that advice They then loaded the entire Honeydolls staff in vans and took them to their HQ in Manila. They confiscated the staff’s cellular phones as well. After some perfunctory questioning of the staff, they were released and no charges filed. Additionally no charges were filed against the operators of Honeydolls. The warrant is specific in that it states that the items seized should be inspected and returned within 10 days. The counsel for Honeydolls demanded that an inventory be taken of all seized equipment and was met with threats and resistance by the agents involved. As of this writing, there is no indication that their property will be returned. This amounted to several hundred thousand pesos! The fallout is that about 100 people are now unemployed and those who depended on them for support must now find other avenues. No charges were ever filed against anyone, yet none of the equipment is being returned. Once the case is settled (if ever) we’ll keep you informed. Folks, the very next week NBI agents raided a building on Clark Air Base that housed a telemarketing firm and used the same tactics as in the Honeydolls raid but this time they were confiscating pirated software based on complaints from a software firm in the States. All this has made the owners of some of the chat sites being operated in this area a bit nervous. One never knows what to expect and I suspect that various lawyers are being consulted for legal advice. Meanwhile Honeydolls remains closed down and I have heard that there are no plans for it to become operational again. It is too bad for it seems that this had become a popular site for men abroad to meet and chat with ladies on line and then be able to meet them when visiting this country. TOM CAT No picture here (the webmaster complains that I submit too many) but check out the 5’9” pool lady at the Tom Cat Club. Her name is Marilyn, single, from Mindanao. I won’t hold it against her that she already has two kids as I can understand why the guy was inspired. This Club opens at 2 PM daily and provides a great escape from the heat, especially at this time of the year. You know, more and more clubs are opening up earlier in the day now. Guess they got tired of seeing so many customers heading for the Dirty Duck every afternoon. PRACTICING FOR THE STATES? What the hell Duck, what good is a column on Angeles City without a few pictures of the gals. Here are two more wild ones from Treasure Island who must be trying to immigrate to the States so they can fit in with the same sex marriage trend that is the “in” thing there now. Unlike in the States though, they were just having fun, and definitely not serious. They were VERY serious about pleasing any of you guys taking the time to visit them at their place of work. (Names – Rachel and Baby)
GARFIELDS LAST STAND
For a fun place to pop in and visit in the afternoon and early evening check out the famous Garfields Last Stand located one only a short distance from the Phoenix Hotel. Most of the patrons gather there in the afternoon as it opens at noon with a 10 PM closing time. Most of the customers are regulars but strangers are most welcome and it is a good place to pick up information about the local area. The female staff are very friendly and not bad looking, in fact, one tall lady (see the one standing in the back of the picture), Mylen, could easily qualify as one of my “I would if I could” ladies. Draft beer at P35 a glass is served and other beers cost P40, local mix drinks are P35, ladies drinks P100. The other expense for the ladies runs the same as most of the other bars in town. I like this place, nicely air-conditioned, plenty of space and the wrap around windows in front afford a good view of the passing scenes outside. It is a nice place to escape the loud music, dancing girls and hustling mamasans so common in other bars. Garfields offers that old down home, come on in, lets get to know you atmosphere and we have a few cute gals that are willing to sit down and chat with you. Hell, even if you just want to have a cold drink and sit down by the window and read a book, no problem, but if you read too many chapters at once you better order another drink! THE SWISS CHALET Since opening a couple of months ago the 12 rooms available have remained fully booked. Hans (Black Jack Restaurant) has a success on his hands. The rooms come in three different sizes, big, regular and small (sounds like shirt sizes) and the prices vary accordingly, P1450, P1350, and P1250 and the price for extended stays can be negotiated but with his 100% occupancy rate I believe trying to make a deal would be difficult. The location is ideal and outside noise is kept to a minimum because of the insulation and the thick curtains. The roof offers a deck for sunbathing and a shower to cool off. Hot water is provided by solar heating. The in-house restaurant comes to you with the many years of good food offered at the old Black Jack restaurant. A very extensive wine selection is available ranging in price from P260 to P800 and house wines cost a low P70 a glass. This Horse was very impressed with the Swiss Chalet and the prices are right, I give this place a full five horseshoe rating. For reservations call (63) 45-888-2618, E-mail swisschaletph@hotmail.com and their home page is www.swisschaletph.com.
LATE NIGHT AT NIFTY’S We all know where Nifty’s Club is on Don Juico Ave as it is a very interesting, fulfilling, satisfying location to visit, especially late afternoon and early evening. If you happen to pop in around 9 or 10 PM though and find that you are the only customer left the girls start to look like a bit of life went out of them. You can see they had a hard day at the office. The best of the best have been selected for outside tours of the local hotels and what is left is, well, a few ladies barely hanging on for closing time. Who said their job is easy?
BEEN HERE TOO LONG My camera caught four lads that depict what happens when you have been in this town too long and suffer from the “seen it, done it, so what” syndrome and find that you don’t even glance at bikini clad women anymore unless they are of movie star quality. There is no cure for this malady except for a quick trip back to the States or Australia for a reality check.
BILL AND TESS STEP OUT Folks, I just had to print this picture because it was such a surprise to see “Beer Na Beer” Bill sitting in Bambino’s Italian restaurant on Valentine’s day with his lovely wife Tess. You have to understand that the usual sight of Bill is when he rolls up in his beer delivery truck, looking hot, sweaty and wearing some old sweat stained shirt. Then you go to the store and see Tess working hard to keep the home front running and even jumping in to deliver beer when Bill is sick, working on construction or just having time off for a beer. To see Bill in a clean shirt with Tess looking lovely beside him was just a shock to my system. In fact, after announcing to the fellow diners in the restaurant that this had to be the first time in a year that Bill took Tess out to eat the place erupted in applause. This was truly a symbol of love on Valentine’s Day and I bet that Tess is already looking forward to her next night out on 14 Feb 2005.
FORGIVE ME ROGER
In my Feb column I featured two pictures showing the hot sauce of Kokomo’s and the Blue Boar Inn where I kind of bragged that my collection was bigger than Mo’s. After publication Zapata’s Roger F. informed me that his collection was bigger than mine. Well, I had to see for myself and now I must admit that old Roger has outdone me. Now I am desperate to reclaim my spot as number so folks, anyone visiting Angeles City, please bring me one bottle of hot sauce, the more exotic, the better and of course, the hotter the better. Maybe Roger will sell me his collection when he leaves town for good but then I would have to buy his display case as well. My goodness, it is so damn hard to be number one – HELP, HELP, Roger is laughing at me!
IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL
I could think of many great places to celebrate a birthday but the hospital is not one of them but I found myself celebrating my 66th year as a guest at the Philippine International Hospital (no folks, John Cummings did not visit me) during a very frustrating time. I found myself in and out three times. Originally I was admitted for a routine abdominal hernia operation that took me a year to build up my nerve to get. Upon admittance and preliminary testing it was found that I had a lung infection and that had to be cleared up before any operation. I elected to be discharged and treated at home. I had to take antibiotics and suck on a nebulizer (sp?) three times a day and after a week tests showed that I had cleared up the infection. Now I was scheduled to reenter the hospital on a Monday but by the Thursday before admittance I developed a splitting headache that would not go away and by Saturday, was so severe I asked for admittance to the hospital so an MRI could be performed. Rather than stay in the hospital on the weekend, I requested release since I was scheduled to be admitted on Monday anyway. Priscilla the Horse did not know I was in the hospital as she was at our farm preparing for my advance birthday party on Sunday. It was a difficult weekend as my headache persisted and in fact did not ease off until the next Thursday. A second MRI, this time with contrast, was taken and now everything was on hold for the results of that test. As it turned out the neurologist informed me that the MRI revealed that I had a micro tumor in my Pituitary gland. After a special eye and blood test the neuro surgeon indicated that I could opt for an operation to remove it or wait to see if it grows bigger. It is a rare tumor but usually not malignant so I opted to wait and monitor it with follow-up MRI’s every six months or once a year. As long as I do not suffer any symptoms like the headache, dizziness, blurry vision, etc. I am OK. So, I was released from the hospital again and now I have lost my momentum in getting my routine abdominal hernia surgery. What annoys me is that I would have to get the pre-op tests all over again and who knows what would be discovered next. So many of you readers of this column sent me messages of good luck when you thought I was getting my operation and I was able to answer all queries in-between stays in the hospital but I must clarify that I do NOT have inoperable cancer and am not terminal or anything so dramatic. I just have a bit of a inconvenience on my road to old age. I was able to visit the other expat patients on my floor, some of whom were quite sick or were getting operations and they were happy with the care they were getting, as was I. I also was able to talk with some patients that were not covered by insurance and they were satisfied with the care provided, but again, there were a couple of glitches. One thing I realized is that Capt Jack and Mouse (patient affairs) are attentive to every patient but they can only solve problems after the fact. They can act on complaints but the folks that really run that hospital are Doctors Bacani (clinics) and Tuazon (hospital) so they have to be responsible for the quality of professional care provided. During my stay there was nothing that would make me lose any confidence in the medical care provided. I will still submit myself for my hernia operation whenever I can get back on schedule again. I did take pictures of the staff when I was there and there are some darn attractive, single ladies on staff that are very available for courtship but you just have to get sick enough to meet them. I will feature a couple of pictures every month because the webmaster will chew me out if I submit them all at one time. I will start off with that cute blood sucker, Dal who took three vials of blood from me, boy she was thirsty and then as they all do, complained about my small veins. Still not satisfied she then had to prick my finger to check bleeding time and that hurt more than the needle in my arm. Look how she is smiling, she loves to inflict pain. No wonder she is still single.
HOTELS APLENTY The Hotel construction business continues unabated in this town as yet another multi-storied (four) is going up on Fields Ave where the old Woody’s Pub used to stand. No name has been decided on but I was able to garner some specifics from Mark Smith who wanted one and all to know that there are two owners and not with the AC Alliance. That should dispel one of the rumors going around. The objective is to make this the best hotel in town (gosh, is there a contest or something) and from what I was told it may well reach that goal. There will be 42 rooms priced from economy all the way up to 80 sq. mtr penthouse suite and six Jacuzzi rooms. The price range goes from very economical to, “wow, that is big bucks”, how about from $12 to $200 a night! Twenty eight rooms will have king size beds with proper mattresses. A bar and coffee shop will be on the ground floor open 24 hours a day. Internet connection and phones with IDD will be in every room. Several plush rooms will have Victorian style furniture, oversize air-conditioners will be installed and generally speaking the word “plush” should adequately describe what to expect. No pictures this time, it is a bit too early but by next month I should be able to provide a few more specifics and a couple of pictures. MEET THE TOURIST
Chad Renner is from Dickenson, North Dakota and this was his first trip to the Philippines and to quote Chad, “it was a damn good one”. His favorite bar was the Hole in the Wall but what can you expect from a Don-Don protégé. As with any first time visitor to Angeles City he is trying to set up a schedule and budget for his next trip even before he finishes this one. Welcome to Angeles City Chad, life will never be the same for you now.
ORIGINAL MOVIE? |
They arrived with a general search warrant issued under RP Act 201. This law prohibits the distribution of pornography via any medium including the Internet. We have seen a copy of the warrant. It is general and vague, but can be interpreted to allow just about anything.
How was the service and care at PIH? The staff, from the information desk, through admissions, emergency room, various testing stations to the nurses on my assigned floor were great. The room, very nice, the food pretty good if you are not on any sort of diet. It is also hard to get hot food in the morning and never toast with your eggs. I wised up and started to select the breakfast selections that did not have to be served hot. How about the doctors themselves? It is hard to say as I never did get my operation and therefore cannot comment on the skills of Doctor Tuazon other than he did take a great deal of time to explain what he would be doing once he operated but regretfully, I could never get the clearance for the procedure. The Neuro folks were very good in explaining everything to me and I was impressed. Will I still seek a second opinion? You bet!! I was not happy that as an outpatient I was scheduled on the same day to see my neurologist from Manila in the afternoon and a neuro surgeon in the morning and when I met with the surgeon in the morning he did not know anything about me, had not seen my MRI results, and did not even know my neurologist and had to call her on the phone while my wife and I were in his office. I believe my primary care doctor, Dr. Dizon could have handled this a bit better. I also was not happy to awaken one morning at 0400 and have to throw up quite violently and when I recovered and went out to the nurses station to report what had happened I found them all sound asleep, so much so that when I woke them up and said that I want them to fill out what had happened on my medical chart they did not seem to comprehend what I was asking. A few moments after I returned to my room the nurse entered with a patient questionnaire form and I had to tell her that I only asked for my experience to be noted on my chart and that I did ask for a form to fill out. Now, I have a sense of humor and made a joke of it but I do think that one nurse out of four should remain awake throughout the night. 
If I had the talent for writing, especially script writing I swear that there is an ideal subject for an HBO original movie right here in the Philippines. Imagine this, it has all the ingredients, a solid beginning, great middle and a dramatic ending. It has romance, happiness, kids, business success, adultery, betrayal, murder, a close brush with death, a mother’s quest for justice, a survivor, and in the end, justice served. I have seen movies with less of a plot then this. I am talking about the murder of Steven Davis of which I have written about a couple of times and especially last month. The movie would start at the beginning, when Steve meets the lady that will become his wife, the development of his business, the birth of his children. Then we come to where this Filipina begins to play around, obtains a Filipino boyfriend and then starts to think of the money she could get if her husband was murdered. Let the plot develop, the planning, the recruitment of accomplices and then the night of the evil act. The key to the apartment is provided by the wife to her security guard boyfriend and his accomplices and they enter the apartment in the early morning hours while she waits outside. The enter the apartment and open the door to a bedroom and the killer points a gun at the person sleeping there. The male awakens, we will call him Mike, no last name given, and he sees the gun and then hears someone say “that is not the right one” and they back out of the bedroom and go to the next bedroom. Mike hears gunshots and is terrified and then the killer returns to the entrance of his bedroom and looks at Mike but then the accomplices panic and run out of the apartment. The killer makes a decision, he also panics and runs out of the apartment and now has left a witness behind. Police are notified, an investigation and now a very brave, determined mother in England flies to the Philippines and forces the continuation of the criminal investigation. She is able to spirit the two young children out of the country and take them to England where now they enjoy a stable life with love and a good education. Now, from afar and with the expenditure of funds necessary to keep the investigation current, clues are found, culprits identified and all the time, the wife is a prime suspect. Mike is a key witness and knowing full well that if these killers had been professionals he would not be alive today. Can you imagine the horror of that moment, to awake under such circumstances and yet be able to react without complete panic. Arrests are made in Angeles City and Mike is the key to identification and one of the accomplices gives evidence against the wife. Now we come to the last part of the movie where everyone is arrested and charges are being brought against the culprits. The wife has a new boyfriend and a new baby by him and takes the baby to jail with her. The mother, far away in England, now, after a long wait can finally see the wheels of justice turning. She has been advised by the English Counsel not to travel to the Philippines because she could be in danger. The final scene of the movie will show the day in court where the wife and accomplices are convicted and receive their sentences with the final scene showing the mother in England, gathering the two children to her embrace, and with a smile talks to her departed son, Steven, saying “this will not bring you back to me Steven, but it has brought me and your children peace of mind and some year when I join you we will embrace and I know you will tell me “well done Mum, not many would have had the strength to do what you did” and with a lone tear falling from her eye, the movie ends. And the final words from me on this subject will be when I learn the results of the trials and can pass them on here. Folks, this should be a movie!
It is time for me to saddle up and get on out of here and take a day to relax on our farm. Priscilla the Horse is there now and gets upset with me for having to stay home and get this article finished and sent over to the Duck. But it feels so good when I get to this part and know that I can relax for a few days. Be chatting with you again next month, meanwhile, remember to be kind to horses. |