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DECEMBER 2004 Ouch, here it is 24 Nov and I am just getting started on typing out my thoughts, for sure, a late start for me. I have the pictures stored but now I have to do the thinking and trying to use my poor memory. For the folks in the States they can now turn on the TV without having to look or listen to all the election rhetoric except for Kerry still crying in his beer but regardless of how the election turned out, one has to live with the next four years. Personally, I would rather see our President elected for one six year term instead of the present system. Lets face it, once elected the President has only two years to concentrate on Governing and then he spends two years campaigning to get reelected, then if he gets a second term he has only two years before he begins his decline as a lame duck president. The depressing outcome of this election with Bush winning is that now we have to put up with all the crap about Hillary Clinton running in 2008. It is bad enough that the New Yorkers were dumb enough to put this conniving, lying woman in as a Senator who could care less about the welfare of New Yorkers but now we have to listen to her bullshit for the next four years. Another political negative taking place in the States now is that some groups are trying to get the US Constitution changed to allow foreign born citizens to run for the Presidency just because they like Arnold S. Well, that is one bucket of worms that if it succeeds will accelerate the decline of the US as we know it now. One of the nice things about living in the Philippines is that over here everyone still uses the word "Christmas" without fear of lawsuits. The children in schools, private as well as public, can sing Christmas carols and show Nativity scenes and department stores display Christmas greetings without being forced to change it to the neutral "Happy Holidays". I guess I better stop watching Fox News but it is hard since that Network agrees with me 98% of the time. The US politicians would love to be able to govern in the States like the Filipino politicians do here. A few months ago President Gloria was telling the Filipino people that the country was suffering a financial calamity and appealed for citizens here and abroad to donate money to the Government to help alleviate the problem. Wow, there must have been one hell of a great response as last month she reported that there was no economic problem and the CYBERSEX DEN RAIDS TOM CAT BAR Fortunately it has been quite a few months since any bar in the entertainment area of Fields Ave suffered any closure but the popular Tom Cat Bar fell victim to such action after a team headed by Chief Insp. Erlinda T. Tullao, Angeles City Police Office Women and Childrens' Concerns (ACPO-WCCS) Chief and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) conducted a surprise inspection during their SOB night. This came as a surprise to management as the doors were locked and the signs posted that it was a private party. That night the bar was not closed but some of the girls were taken to the Police Station and it was generally thought that the City would not close the bar, but the next day a closure order was given but allowed to reopen after around 10 days. The problem as stated by Maj Tullao was that when she entered the premises there were a couple of ladies that had their breasts exposed and they did not make an effort to cover up thereby not showing respect to the police conducting the inspection. Actually, the girls reflexes were probably just a little bit slow due to consumption of a few ladies drinks. In any case, there was no drama, everything was above board, no money was asked and the Mayor allowed for the minimum amount of closure time for disciplinary reasons. A clarification of the "Closed - Private Party" policy of bars was required. Many folks believed that such a sign would mean that the police would not DEADLY ARGUMENT It is most unfortunate any time that we hear of an expat being murdered in our community because, regardless of who he or she might be, that person is part of our big family. Of course, news travels fast in our neighborhood and right away there are a hell of a lot of questions. This was the case when it was heard that a British National was stabbed to death in the Villa Sol Sub-division and initially, there was no definite news as to what happened. The incident took place on Saturday night, 6 Nov and was reported in a local paper on 9 Nov as it was written that one David Charles Loxton "was stabbed several times following a heated argument with three men in front of a store in Villasol Subdivision". What made this even sadder was that the victim was in the company of his 12 year old daughter at the time. Two of the three suspects were apprehended but the third one was still at large. I was able to visit PSINSP Caligagan and SPO3 Paragas at Police Station 5, Friendship for an update on the suspects. The two that were initially apprehended are still in police custody and the third suspect that eluded the police is still at large but they have reason to believe that he is hiding in Samar. When asked what will happen next as far as criminal prosecution is concerned I was told that it depends on the widow filing charges and so far this has not happened. The reason I mention this incident is that there are many things a foreigner should be wary of when visiting the Philippines in order to have a safe happy trip or a long life while living here and one of them is be very apprehensive when engaging in an argument with a Filipino, or a group of them, especially when they are drinking as that gentle, easy to get along with native of this country can change into a angry, violent person at the drop of a coin. Hell, they kill each other, even their best friends, when drinking so you can believe that killing a foreigner would be child's play for them. They might be sorry for it shortly thereafter, or the next day but at that moment when they explode with anger, expect violence. If possible, walk away from a confrontation, stay away from a group of Filipinos that have been drinking, believe me, any slight, either purposely or by accident can set them off. David Loxton made a mistake and it cost him his life and a 12 year old girl will no doubt have nightmares for many years to come. UPDATE It has been quite a while coming but the sentencing for the wife of Steve Davis who arranged the murder of her husband at his residence in Manila a few years ago took place on 25 Nov and the good news is that she was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years to life and I hope she suffers every day she is there and then dies in prison. Well done Mom, you worked hard for that result. BARRIO BARETTO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY a. Possess a permanent residency visa issued under section 13 of the Philippine Immigration Act or 9G working visa. b. Have a minimum of 5 years experience in the food and beverage field to include restaurant management. c. Interested parties should bring resumes to the VFW by closing date. Please leave a telephone number so that you can be contacted. Resumes should be in a sealed envelope and marked: PHC Chairman FREE HEARING AIDS The Clarkview Christian Centre, Santol Rd, Clarkview (opp VFW) in cooperation with the Medical Mission Pacific Rim Group, Iloilo City is offering free hearing aids but there is a catch. The testing, fitting, moulds and batteries will cost P2500 but the hearing aids themselves are free. Anyone interested should stop by the Centre from 10 to 17 Jan 05. For more information text 0910 378 8290. GILMORE COMPUTER CENTER I did not know about this place until I was trying to buy a new flash card reader as my Kodak Reader went ballistic on me and was making my computer do all sorts of weird things. I found one for only P750 at Gilmore's and it seemed like a good place to shop, especially if you know what you are doing with computers which I do not. It is located on the second floor of 382 McArthur Highway, not far from AUF University. Just thought I would pass it on for information purposes. I WOULD IF I COULD
HIDDEN VALE Sorry folks, I just do not know what to say about this place anymore. Last month I reported that two Filipino men had taken over the place and Greg was out of the picture. This was emphatically told to me by the Marketing Propaganda Minister Josephine. Now I have been told by various people that Greg McDougal is back and telling folks that the name "Hidden Vale" is still current and that the name has not been changed to Greenlands Spots Resort and that he is back in the saddle again. Oh dear, what next? I have not seen Greg to get a confirmation or denial on any of this and the day I went to whatever the place is called now, I could not find the marketing lady as well. The one employee I did talk to was too confused and too scared about losing her job to say anything. I do know that one individual signed up to rejoin the Club only after Josephine guaranteed him that Greg was no longer associated with the Club but now the question is did she fabricate or did she just not have any idea what was going on? Oh well Josephine, don't feel alone, none of the members know what is going on either. TOURIST OF THE MONTH Last month I did not fully describe Tourist of the Month Bart Lansu because I misplaced my notes. Well, I found them so let me add that he is a Dutch citizen but was born in Africa (Belgian Congo) and has lived in England, Germany, France, and Belgium. He speaks fluent English, German, French Dutch and a bit of Spanish. He currently works in Shannon, Ireland, County Clare for an American software company and arrived in Ireland six years ago as a tourist. Needless to say, he loves Ireland and plans to stay there for many more years. He is single and his favorite bar was the Voodoo but did take a liking to the uniforms the girls were wearing in the Owls Nest. OK Bart, I think I made up for my omissions of last month, visit us again soon. THAT WAS QUICK! WILLIE'S IS OPEN
On 1 Dec the doors to Willie's 24-Hour Steak & Eggs Restaurant opened to the public. If this column is on line on time it will be a first for Tom, but don't worry, whenever you find out about it I think you will enjoy dropping by for a bit of a feed as the menu he gave me lists some mouth watering breakfast meals ranging in price from P199 to P249 but you can also jump to the Big Willie Breakfast, two choices for either P350 or P450. Willie also offers a "All-You-Can-Eat Salad Bar for P350. The restaurant can seat 55 people and can be booked for private parties as well as offering a catering service. Now, if you want to get your picture in Harry the Horse, accept the Willie's Challenge and completely finish the meal. Willie says eat the complete Big Willie Porterhouse Steak dinner in one (1) hour and it's yours free. That is a P750 value but you have to eat two full pounds of steak topped with sautéed fresh mushrooms served with a cup of soup , a small green salad , baked potato, sautéed vegetables and garlic bread. I wonder who will be the first to accomplish this feat? When visiting say hello to Chef/Manager Phil, from North Carolina and Rose the cashier who will make sure you eat every crumb from your plate during the Willie Challenge. By the way, Willie will also be opening a new bar located right next to "Barhoppin" to be named the Wild Wild West Bar with a planned opening on 2 Dec. Big Bill said he would never try to open two new business together again as it is nearly killing him. I can understand that. A TOUCH OF MEXICO
El Coyote's Mexican Restaurant opened last month and so far the people I have spoken to that have eaten there are pleased with the selections and quality of the food. I have eaten there three times so far and have not been disappointed but then I am not a good judge of Mexican food. This is one of those situations where I have heard both negative and positive comments but I must emphasize one thing, the restaurant is new and so are the cooks and the owner is still trying to perfect the meals served. He is willing to listen to comments from "experts" on ways to improve as long as they are constructive suggestions but please, do not wait until you leave the restaurant and then complain to friends or put negative comments on the message board. Owner Larry is trying to create a restaurant that any tourist will feel happy to dine in and he admits to not being perfect but with time complaints should be minimal. Any and all comments are very welcome but the hardest thing to do is to find all the necessary ingredients here in the Philippines. The restaurant is located towards the end of Fields Ave right next to Cheetah's but the name of Cheetah's will change soon as a new management team has taken over the lease on a monthly basis. But, back to El Coyote, it is well worth a visit even if you only decide to sit outside and enjoy the ice-cream station or the hot dog station that will provide a light snack as you watch the ladies walk by. This restaurant smacks of quality but at a price you can afford, check it out and make sure you pass on any suggestions to Boss Larry! BEIJING PALACE I took Priscilla on Base one night to check out the Beijing Palace located next to the Parade Ground, near the tennis courts. Actually it is located on the grounds of what used to be the Officer's Club when the Base was occupied by the American Air Force. It is a nice place, comfortable seating, nicely decorated but I would recommend that you stick to the Fortune Hong Kong Restaurant on MacArthur Hi-Way if you get the urge for Chinese food. ROYAL AMSTERDAM HOTEL
What can I say about this new hotel? Too much I guess so I will just keep it short. On 12 Nov I attended an open house and Mark Smith showed me the rooms on the first floor and then on each succeeding floor I was escorted by a different, charming hostess and I was definitely impressed, not by the ladies, but by the rooms, hallways, open space in the middle of each floor, the design, the decor and so on. It was a terrific and at this time I would have to say that the Royal Amsterdam Hotel is far and above anything else offered in town. The attention to detail and the desire to make sure that each customer is afforded a room equal to a four star hotel and the price range of the rooms is from a low of $16 to a high of $120 a night (only one room available at this price). More hotels are being built in Angeles City but they will have to go a long way to match the quality and the convenient location of the Royal Amsterdam. It is not ostentatious in appearance, instead it reaches out to you as you enter the lobby and envelopes you in a warmth and professionalism that makes you want to just spend a couple of days indoors before going out to check out the night life. You can believe that if the ladies of the night learn that you are staying at this hotel they will be more than anxious to accompany you home just to experience the luxury available and they would be willing to overlook any shortcomings you might have. Your problem would be in trying to get them out of the room the next day. Oh yes, the restaurant, well I have to advise you that it is run by two very charming ladies, Dina and Stephanie and the food is secondary after talking to these two. But, once you finally concentrate on the menu you will find excellent choices to satisfy any discerning palate. Shucks, just book a room and find out for yourself then drop me a line and let me know if you agree with this commentary. ANGELES CLARK FIELD TOURISM ASSOCIATION
BAYANIHAN PARK
The transformation of the Bayanihan Park from a shabby looking place with jeepneys and carnivals destroying whatever beauty ever existed there to a beautiful, functional, first class park and recreation is unbelievable. Workers are on a 24/7 schedule to complete the project by 15 Dec when President Macapagal is scheduled to attend the ground breaking ceremonies for the Shoe Mart building that will be constructed on Clark. The park will feature two jogging tracks (concrete) with surrounding trees and the new Salakot will be rebuilt in the middle of one of them; 3 basketball courts; a volley ball court and a badminton court. There will be a parking area with toilet facilities (4) and a separate loading and unloading area for jeepneys in which the jeepneys will be required to move as soon as they load and unload, no long term parking will be allowed. There will be a main administration office near the parking area and even SM will have a small leisure park beside the mall. The main gate will be moved back and the new gate will have offices built above it as well. The area behind the newly erected stalls will be developed as well with green areas places set aside for children to play. The plans also include, in this area, an outdoor half circle theatre with built in seating and a stage in the middle allowing a venue for professional entertainment. Folks, this is wonderful, you cannot imagine how long residents of this area have longed for such an improvement at that park. I am sure that residents and tourists will appreciate what is being offered and it goes a long way to making Angeles City even a more attractive tourist destination. TIME TO GO BARHOPPIN
The sign in front says "Barhoppin - the most talked about bar in town" and I guess that is true. It is certainly original and the owner told me that it is the most talked about bar because how many times do you hear someone say "lets go barhoppin?" He had a point there! This bar is located just around the corner from Private Dancer and Sucker's owner Don has done a fine job of making this a nicely laid out small bar that includes a pool table in the back and a nice line-up of dancers in some real cute costumes. I was very impressed with the large screen TV featuring an overhead projector that was hooked up to a computer behind the bar. The big popcorn machine in the corner by the TV screen kept churning out some delicious hot popcorn. For those folks that like the smaller bars this is one location that would suit your needs and the music is not overly loud either. You know, I did dig those uniforms, they were different. THE VIPER ROOM Previously known as Cheetah's the new lessees have renamed it "The Viper Room" and it is undergoing a complete renovation with a projected opening night on 1 Dec. A 26 ton a/c has been installed and realistic prices will be in effect, i.e., P125 for ladies drinks and P50 drinks during happy hours (6-8 PM). Fifty to seventy girls will be on hand to take care of the entertainment and the objective is to give a fresh look to the bottom end of Fields Ave. The 1 Dec opening will feature a giant buffet so I think that this will be an opening you do not want to miss. JUST FRIENDS Well built but mild mannered Roddy, manager at the Hole in the Wall and Troy, manager of Treasure Island had a very energetic meeting one Saturday night in Nov. They enjoyed each others company so much that a visit to the police station on MacArthur Hi-way was necessary. It must be those great steaks at the Hole in the Wall that gave each of these lads so much energy and maybe a bit of bullheadedness. OZZIE CELEBRATES
Reaching 50 years of age is a cause to celebrate and Stampede's Ozzie did just that. He shared the day with friends and customers by laying out some great food that was eaten up rather quickly and then his many friends enjoyed quite a few drinks to help him finish out the evening. I remember my 50th birthday bash and I am surprised I can still remember back that far.
SISIG FESTIVAL 2004 Folks, put this event on your schedules, you have to be here on Dec 3 and 4 to witness a two day celebration that will attract approximately 8 to 10 thousand spectators. Preparations have been going on for months for this event which will feature the preparation and cooking of 2,400 Kilograms of hog meat to be cooked on a 16ft. x 32 ft. x 1/4 inch thick sizzling plate at the Nepo Quadrangle around 6 PM, 4 Dec. This is so unbelievable that the City will vie once again for the Sisig Fest to earn the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD title as first ever World's Giant Sizzling Sisig. Festivities will be over two days and there will be plenty to see and do and don't worry about security as 500 to 600 security personnel from the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO), traffic enforcement group and volunteers, Barangay Affairs and Public Action Center (BAPAC) reservists, policemen from Camp Olivas, Air Force servicemen from Clark Field, and several other highly trained secret marshals will be deployed to maintain peace and order during this two-day affair. Where will this take place? - The two day event will be held at the Nepo Quadrangle. This is located in front of the Angeles Electric Company, also near the Nepo Mall in downtown Angeles City. It is easy to get to by jeepney and you can avail of the many stores available for shopping in the area as well. Preparations of the Sisig will be accomplished by some of the top dining establishments in the City. Participating establishments include Aling Lucing, Luring's BBQ House, MS Grill, Mr. Frosty, Ikabud as well as students from the Holy Angel University and the Republic Central Colleges. Imagine this, for the entire 2,400 kg. of Sisig the establishments would be using 960 kg. of pork, 480 kg. of chopped white onions, 480 kg. chicken liver, 480 kg. pork rump, 20 kilos salt, 10 kg. ground pepper and 120 kilos of kalamansi. Likewise the group would be mixing 30 liters of soy sauce, 30 kg. of chopped white onions, 40 kg. of kalamansi and 10 kg. of chopped chili. It sure will take a lot of team work to accomplish this momentous task. On Dec 3 organizers will be featuring a Sisig cooking competition that is open to all restaurants and mall concessionaires. The Festival will also feature motorcade with Star struck winner Rainier Castillo, Body Painting contest, Street Dancing competition, Food tasting, Hot Air Balloon launching, Airplane showcase, Fireworks display, Live Band performances and the display of the Giant Sizzling Sisig plate containing 2,400 kilos of Sisig. This is a project of Mayor Lazatin in line with his objective to bring entertainment and recognition to Angeles City and City Information Officer Irish Calaguas is tasked with bringing all this together with the help of a lot of people and various organizations. It is a monumental task and I am sure that Irish will need a couple of days of rest when it is all over. This is an event that I think will be exciting and strongly recommend that any expat in town at this time take the time to check it out. I plan to check out the 300 College students who will be helping to prepare the meat at the City Slaughterhouse the night before the big event as I feel that should be very interesting to watch and get some good pictures. I love to eat Sisig and as I write this my mouth is watering in anticipation of the enormous quantities of this delicacy that I plan to eat over the two day period. Great idea Mr. Mayor and I hope it gains Angeles City an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. MEDICAL CARE It appears that the excellent medical care that the retired US servicemen and women were receiving in the Philippines through Health Visions and Cyber Care, through the TriCare program is in danger of being eliminated. Already medical care and prescriptions that were readily available for quite a few years has been drastically curtailed. No longer can one obtain elective surgery at PIH, only emergencies are being entertained. Having prescription drugs filled is nearly impossible and the hours and services at PIH and Cyber Care as well have been reduced. It is a very serious problem and one that affects the many thousands of retirees that have chosen to live in the Philippines. What led to this problem is something that has taken a few years to develop. In talking with Jim Boyd, RAO Director he indicated that as far back as 1996 he tried to warn TRICARE of fraudulent claims being submitted by providers throughout the Philippines. TRICARE officials did not listen nor did they send any representatives to this area to check out procedures, even Health Visions had asked for visits from TRICARE so that they could confirm that proper procedures were being carried out. Nobody responded but administrative changes were directed from TRICARE over the years in that they changed the reimbursement scale from the US to the Puerto Rican scale and also began to reduce the number of drugs that could be issued under TRICARE. Things began to change when the Government Accounting Office (GAO) investigated TRICARE procedures and kicked TRICARE in the butt. So, four months ago TRICARE came up with Champus Maximum Allowable Charge (CMAC) and on 1 Oct the hospitals here received their copy of the CMAC. By following the CMAC this would effectively reduce the amount of money that could be stolen by less than honest Providers. Instead of giving the new system time to work TRICARE started a paper shuffling routine instead and started asking for more paperwork on each patient that was treated but what made it difficult they wanted the paperwork trail to go back three months and then started holding back reimbursements based on code 083. That code meant that the medications issued did not meet the degree of medical care given and that medical documentation provided was not sufficient. At this time Jim Boyd is working with the top echelons of TRICARE and the DOD IG to try and resolve this problem. It was pointed out to these people that procedures were implemented without any guidance and it would be beneficial if one person from TRICARE could come to the Philippines to review procedures and have the authority to remove errant providers from the program. Additionally, there are many cases where individuals in the Philippines use Xerox copies of ID cards to gain medical care thereby causing many others to suffer for their misdeeds. So, there is a problem and I do not know how long it will take to be resolved but the ones that will now suffer are the many retirees who chose to live in this area because of the access to medical care. This access is now threatened and many people will suffer because of it. ELEVEN GREAT YEARS
I forget how many Road House anniversary events I have attended over the years but I never get tired of them for a couple of reasons, one, I like the place and two, Mark Smith is a master at putting on one good party. The added benefit is that the event is attended by so many people that I know that it is like a family affair. I just don't understand why they have to come up so quickly and remind me each time that I am a year older. Mark, do me a favor, skip a year so I won't notice that I am getting older. Anyway, congrats and thanks for the memories. FOR SALE
McGowan's Meat Shop is up for sale and anyone interested can contact George Brown at 09209700067. PIZZA ZONE It is hard to keep up with the many changes from Pizza Zone and as readers of column know, I have written about them twice before. Now, the big plans I wrote about a couple of months ago are on hold as John is involved in a bit of a transition. The large area inside is available for lease for various purposes, i.e., there are 8 small rooms for internet purposes that are wired and ready to be operational and they are fully air-conditioned. The Pizza Zone will still occupy a small portion of the building but most of their business is through selling small pizzas bar to bar. John says they are selling, well, like "hotcakes". Anyway, the building is there and for further information contact John Rollins at 09195925902. AT THE LAST MINUTE In the early evening I went to Bretto's birthday party (60th) at the Blue Nile and it was a terrific evening, then went to visit Mark Smith at the Royal Amsterdam for a cup of coffee and found out that the Cambodia was having their second year anniversary blast. OK, took many pictures but will save them for the January issue as I don't have time to mess with them right now.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
What better way to finish my column this month than to add a few pictures of the ladies from various bars wishing all their great customers a very Merry Christmas. I wonder if you can match the pictures to the bar? I wanted to take a lot more but did not have time to get to more places plus I like to visit the bars where I know I won't have a hard time getting a picture. Most of the managers/owners know me but there are a few that bars where it is like pulling teeth to get a nice holiday picture. Anyway, I will try to get a few more next month where the ladies can pass on New Years greetings to you. Meanwhile, many thanks go out to the managers/owners of Thi-Hi, Honey Ko's, Cherry's Bar, Stampede, Las Vegas Club, Bunny Ranch, Flamingo and Black Jacks who made my task quite easy. |
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Representatives and Senators were so overjoyed that they voted to keep the entire allocations of their "Pork Barrel" hand-outs amounting to millions of pesos for each elected official. Now, we have to read that that things have changed from the old days in that "most" of the money will be spent on worthwhile projects and less will be going into the pockets of those loyal, dedicated politicians. Sure, and Disney could create another animated (with the help of Pixar) fairy tale based on that fiction. But the weather is fine, the holiday season is here and there is always Fields Ave to take one's mind off the problems of the World and believe me, it is always one exciting time of the year for the tourists to visit Angeles City. You can bet that each and every bar will be trying to out do each other in Christmas parties and New Year's Eve celebrations and it all begins this month. It will be one month of fun-fun-fun, so pack your bags, bring your dollars (the rate is still a bit over P56 to the dollar) and the ladies are waiting with open arms and, well, a couple of other locations on their body as well for you to "make their day - or night" regardless of how young or old you are. So, Merry, Merry Christmas one and all (OK, so sue me!).
Late October and early November saw various raids on what the Police call Cybersex Dens in which a warrant is issued and the police barge in to arrest the girls employed in these establishments and confiscate all their computers and whatever else they can lay their hands on. In Angeles City there were a few of these establishments that had been operating. One of the longer running sites, Jade Cool, voluntarily shut down their operation because of the recent raids and others have followed suit. I do not want to delve into any details of the raids other than to point out that they are part of the plan of Dist. Rep Juan Miguel "Mikey" M. Arroyo to rid Central Luzon, particularly Pampanga and Angeles City, of prostitution through the internet. Now, isn't that a noble cause, just like the nationwide program to rid the Philippines of "Jueteng" a numbers racket that makes some individuals extremely rich but appears totally impossible to get rid of. No doubt it is easier to close down Cyber chat rooms and gain much publicity for certain crusaders than it is to stop illegal gambling. OK, life goes on and anyway, this does not have any adverse effects to the thriving tourist industry on Fields Ave, at least not for now. My concern is with the Republic Act (RA) being quoted as the source being used to arrest and charge the individuals involved in the Cybersex trade. RA 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act) is an interesting read and I suggest it as recommended reading for anyone involved in the entertainment business in Angeles City. This is a very broad, encompassing Act that can be a problem if used beyond the closing down of Cyber chat rooms. 
enter a premise under such circumstances but it was found that this is not the case. They can at any time show up and request entry and as long as there is no X rated displays during their inspection there will be no problems but the main thing is respect and cooperation by the establishment management. No doubt there will be further "inspections" at various locations in the future but not that frequently and a degree of tolerance, understanding and cooperation is evident from the Angeles City Anti-Vice and Regulatory Squad (AV Squad) as the Mayor seeks compliance with applicable ordinances but not with heavy handed enforcement.
The travel time from Angeles City to Subic has been reduced by about 20 minutes because the new road through the lahar fields of Porac has been opened to the public. It certainly is a vast improvement from the dusty, bumpy ride that travelers have traversed since Mt. Pinatubo decided to blow. I don't get there often but managed the trip to Subic and then on to Barrio Barretto to enjoy an afternoon of darts with the D'Alto team as we played a talented team made up of some interesting Europeans. Regretfully, D'Alto's lost the match and I played miserably thereby contributing to the loss. But, it was fun and I had a great lunch at my favorite eatery there, "The Coffee Shop" and also took the time to check out Bart's Resort Hotel for a possible stay on my next trip. I managed a quick walk through with the friendly staff and pleasantly surprised at what they had to offer. There was a small swimming pool in front and, of course, access to the beach. The rooms were large and reasonably priced ranging from 700 (fan room) to 1300 pesos and a VIP room for P1600. There was a pleasant place to eat with a view of the street and a small area to park a vehicle. For reservations email 
The VFW Post 2485, Angeles City, Pampanga is announcing an Employment Opportunity opening date for the position of Canteen Manager effective 9 Nov and a closing date of 15 Jan 05. The VFW Post 2485 Post Home Committee (PHC) will be accepting resumes/Bio-data for this position during the time frame mentioned. Anyone who meets the following criteria may apply and is encouraged to do so:
While attending a Hotel and Restaurant Association (HARP) at the Swagman last month this very cute, 4'11" bundle of energy named Joy served my table and she was a bit of a character. She had a personality that kind of grew on you and despite her small size displayed a "take charge" attitude. When she asked me if I wanted dessert I said "no" but she gave it to me anyway; when she offered butter, I said "no" but got it anyway and all this was done in a way that I felt that she knew better than me what I should be eating. Bottom line, cute gal, lots of fun and despite being a border line small person, I think she would make a great person to know. She is 22 years old, hails from La Union, single, of course and no children. She had been working at the Swagman only three months, has three sisters and one brother. Her Email is 
Meet Kelly Erickson, an Army E-8 stationed in Taegu Korea who never stops smiling when he visits Angeles City at least 4 or 5 times a year. He has been in the Army for 24 years and plans to retire in 18 months and, of course, return to the PI to live the good life permanently. His favorite bar - Suckers; favorite hotel - Central Park but he had to stay in the Oasis this trip. You better believe he loves his trips to Angeles City and does get away from Sucker's Bar quick forays to other locations where all the ladies are more than willing to welcome him back. It must be hard to return to Korea each time after but the memories sustain him until the next trip. 
Early in November I made a special trip to Mo's place to take pictures of his new "food consultant", Glen Toh who was brought on board to add some Asian delicacies to the menu. Glen developed a menu featuring some Chinese, Malay, Java, Singaporean and Indian dishes and from what I saw of the dishes he prepared they looked delicious. I took a number of pictures as Glen sweated over the hot stove preparing some very exotic looking dishes. I was given an interim menu titled "Very Special, New Asian Dishes. I did not eat that night but figured I would bring Priscilla in as soon as we could find the time in a week or two. On 25 Nov I ran into Glen as he was seeking out various locations for a job and I realized that I had waited too long. It seems that Glen and Dallas could not work together under one roof, maybe one chef too many and that menu and my pictures are now history. But, as a courtesy to Glen and the fact that I hate to waste my time completely I am inserting one of the pictures here and letting one and all know that a pretty good cook, eh Chef, maybe catering consultant, whatever is available for hire. Glen would open his own business except that he lost all his money in his last venture when a Japanese lawyer talked him into opening a small restaurant next to Ray's One Stop, across from what used to be the Silver Bullet. It was not the best location in town and it folded rather quickly but not as quick as his short tenure at Mo's place. Hopefully Glen's luck will change in 2005 and his fine exotic Asian delights will be available to the general public once again. 
The ACTA is an organization that has been formed to work with the Mayor's Office to improve conditions on Fields Ave regarding cleanliness, lighting, safety, law and order and any and all matters dealing with the entertainment area. There is a long agenda of objectives that will be addressed over the next few months but the main idea is that ALL businesses on Field Ave will join hands with the Mayor's office to create an atmosphere that will improve conditions on Fields Ave and make it more attractive to the tourists coming here. Establishment owners have joined hands to work together to make ACTA a viable organization and you can see the results in that Real Street has been paved and now A. Santos street is being worked on and will be completed this month. More lighting will be available and other streets will be paved as well. We are close to seeing portions of Fields Ave and Real Street being turned into a "walking street" where vehicles will be banned from 5 PM to 5 AM. The ACTA is working closely with the police and social organizations to rid the streets of mendicants and underage children; the ACTA will have a permanent office in which tourists and investors can seek assistance and advice and one of the most significant achievements will be the formation of a volunteer Tourist Police Force who will work closely with the PNP and provide a very visible presence in the Fields Ave area. They will be there to assist anyone traversing Fields and also to assure that the area is safe from criminal elements. No longer will the tourist or any customer be without assistance when involved in a controversy with a local as the Tourist Police will be there to assist and advise. The members of the Black Python Motorcycle Club, made up of businessmen who have just finished a two day 
training seminar for this task will be a visible presence with special uniforms that distinguish them from the regular police and will be mobile as they will have motorcycles and also radios to communicate. The ACTA is a pioneering effort for this area and it's presence has already been felt in the community and next year will see it grow and encompass all establishments in the entertainment area of Fields Ave. The ACTA committee meets every Thursday, 1430 hours at the Orchid Inn and it is an open forum which allows anyone who is interested to attend. Anyone desiring more detailed information is encouraged to attend one of the ACTA meetings. 
Before I head out I want to remind you that the Knights of the Brown Ring will meet on Saturday, 4 Dec and our guests will be from Stampede bar. Additionally, please note, there will not be a meeting in January as the first Saturday falls on 1 Jan and there will be two many folks in bed with hangovers on that day. It is time for me to get out of here and make it over to the Blue Nile for Bretto's 60th birthday bash which should be a hell of a lot of fun. Merry Christmas to one and all and remember, be kind to horses. |