Makati

[Locamotive]

F*ck. Now I'm not short of a dollar, but how do guys do it night after night at those prices? The 500 p LD fruit juices would be enough to put me off straight away. I obviously haven't done the bar scene for quite some time. Each to their own and whatever fulfills your needs. I'll stick to my little FL stunners at 3 k plus a feed and a fruit juice from the 7-11 downstairs. If I land a good one they know they're going to get a steady income every night until I move on.

I would have done the same out of principle _ Phil.

I can tell you how they do it, they are rich. There are way more rich people in this world vs 20 years ago. Think about all the fuckers that got rich online either wrote a app or program, shit loads of them.

Plus in America about every state now has a lottery so you can figure about every week someone is winning, may not be huge but its always 20 to 40 million and someone hits. Those are never mentioned in the news as the amounts are too small. I can only guess the leap in millionaires in the past 20 years in US, but I'm sure its allot. My last visit had two barfines, cute girls with no condoms which freaked me out, wow my luck is changing. Only stayed a few hours but that seems typical now. When leaving I plop down 5 k beside their purse. I get the strangest look like I put down 20 peso. Something wrong??I think so as I usually get 8 k or 10 k. I see, so I gave 2 k more. Times are a changing as Bob Dylan said, if they are a beauty 5 k just won't do. Girls tell me they go to the Peninsula or the Hyatt quite often and these guys tip big. Are they pricing us out of the market, slowly yes I think so. Best to barfine a newbie like her first week in the bar. My second one, tight hardbody 21 and no foreign customers, she said 5 k really, you are so generous. I laughed as she went ot the door. When I return in 3 or 4 months I bet her attitude will have changed when Mr. Big bucks barfines her or takes her to Boracay for the week as she was stunning. Good luck, its still possible but you must catch them before too much if any foreign exposure.

[Goferring]

Additionally, with Grab you can order restaurant food delivery, groceries delivered to your hotel / condo, load your phone data, or pay your bills electronically.

And, most importantly, you can pay a Grab to go collect a third party and bring her to you. All you need is an exact address where she can meet the car.

No sending her money and hoping for the best. No her arriving three hours late, if at all. No walking around malls trying to find where "I'm here" is.

G.

[WestCoast1]

Thank you WC1 and Mr. G for your advices and I have noted them well. I guess Monzo works the same as wise for the Grab.

Couple of screenshots from the app attached. Notice on each one, Grab Cars were available in Makati, but not Grab Taxis. As discussed before, a Grab Taxi is a regular white taxi (has a meter, which the driver will use) with a large green "G" in one of the rear passenger windows. The driver will set the meter to the flag-fall rate when he arrives at your location to pick you up (usually p40 or p50). You will be charged the normal metered fare + Grab fee (usually an additional p59-p79) at the end of your ride (as with any taxi, the longer or farther the ride, the more the meter runs up). The driver keeps the metered amount and a small portion of the Grab fee (often p20-30, for his time driving to pick you up after he agreed to your ride). The remainder he will give to Grab for their service. If you see a Grab Taxi option in the app (along with Grab Cars), it will show a typical range for your ride (ie, it will say p170-p220, or such), and most likely your ride total will be in that range at the end (that's not a guarantee; heavy traffic conditions might cause a longer ride). The 'range' is just an electronic guess on Grab's part. A Grab Taxi driver, like any taxi driver, might be tempted to take a longer route to get you to your destination.

A Grab Car is not a taxi. It is just some bloke who has access to a car, and drives it, picking up customers for Grab. The fare shown on the app (see pics) is the exact fare you will be charged for the ride when you reach the destination. The driver will thus have no incentive to take a longer route, as the Grab system has put a limit on the amount you can be charged. The Grab Car fare will be about 30% higher than the Grab Taxi's maximum on its range. At the end of your ride, you pay the exact amount shown in the app. For example, in the first pic, if you choose the Standard Grab Car, the fare will be p119.48 at the end of the ride. The driver will keep part of that, and he will give the rest to Grab for their service.

Notice the Saver Car for p109.18, that is a shared ride car. You get a discount for agreeing in advance that the driver might be picking up / dropping off other passengers while you are in the car. It might take longer to reach your destination.

Grab Cars will show in your app with the actual color of the driver's car (notice the Standard is white, and the Saver is red, those are the actual colors of the car), and also you will see the car's license plate number and his face picture at some point after you book it. Your payment option will show at the bottom (credit card, cash, GC, etc).

You can also use the Grab app to take a motorcycle taxi (mototaxi). Use the app in the same way. On the app there is a picture of a red motorcycle (Move It). You order up a motorcycle the same way you order a Grab Car or Grab Taxi. There are other mototaxi services / apps you can download, such as JoyRide and Angkas. A mototaxi fare will be about half the price of a taxi or Grab car, and it will get you to your destination about 20% faster than a car.

Additionally, with Grab you can order restaurant food delivery, groceries delivered to your hotel / condo, load your phone data, or pay your bills electronically.

Notice on my pictures there is no Grab Taxi option. At certain times of day, or holidays, this option is completely removed from your view. Grab pushes all your business to either their Grab Cars or Mototaxis, forcing Grab Taxi drivers to either go home, or just become a regular taxi for that time period. Its also wildly unfair to you, as you are walking down Makati Ave and see plenty of Grab Taxis drive by, without a customer, with the red "Available" light on in the front window, and yet when you open the Grab app to get a Grab Taxi, they don't exist on the app at that time. F*ckerz!

[Lokah]

Hello fellow mongers!

FYI. This is my first ever post in ISG. So if there is any mistakes, I do apologize for that.

I have been a lurker in ISG for a quite few months. Finally I managed to activate my subscription now. I have been reading a lot of threads in the Philippines and China forum.

I will be traveling to China for the Canton fair this April and I have managed to book my vacations just after the fair, and I plan to visit Manila, Philippines. I have managed to get a whole week for myself at Manila. After going through posts from seniors I have made a bit of Vague plan for the trip. I just want to share it with all the seniors and get a feedback about the plan.

After carefully reviewing Phils recommendation I have booked my entire stay at City garden grand hotel. I will be in Manila 5 nights, at the beginning I thought about spending few days in Manila and few day in some other place but after reading a lot seniors thread I realized if it is only for a short trip it is better stay at one place and have as fun as possible..

Thank you WC1 and Mr. G for your advices and I have noted them well. I guess Monzo works the same as wise for the Grab.

So I was keep researching more in the forum and did came across "the great WiCked rogers" - The man who knows the ground. Idk if he is here in this forum or does anyone knows how to contact him? It would be a great help if someone could help me to get in touch with him.

I could really use his help in Makati during my travel.

Thanks in Advance.

L.

[Acvelh]

Hello,

Is there any place in Makati (or Manila) where one can try the milking table experience?

Thanks.

[Goferring]

Thank you for the heads-up about Wise and Simcard. Does Grab accepts Cash payment? Or is it strictly pay before the ride by card?

It accepts cash or card. Remember that vendors having correct, or any, change is very rare in the Philippines so you will need to be prepared with lots of small notes of varying denominations. You will likely find it becomes such a PITA that you just round up to the nearest note that you have. Alternatively, you can enter your Wise as the default card and you will get charged the exact fare in local currency with no additional charges. If you elect to, you can either tip using cash from your pocket or the app allows you to add what ever tip you nominate for the driver. My understanding is that the driver gets 100% of the tip, ie no commission.

G.

PS I find that Grab fares are about 20% more than metered taxi fares. However, this still works out cheaper given the change and tip issues above and Manila taxis are notorious for scams and rip offs. Costs aside, you also plug in pick up and drop off points in a map, no need for description or translation. I'd go as fara as saying forget about using a regular cab during your stay.

[WestCoast1]

Thank you for the heads-up about Wise and Simcard. Does Grab accepts Cash payment? Or is it strictly pay before the ride by card?

They take cash. If you don't pre-set an electronic payment system in the app (tying the app to your credit card, or GCash or such), then it defaults to cash payment.

[Lokah]

Sounds like a solid plan to me. The Phillies is not a place to expect military precision so minute by minute timing and trips to 8 cities in 5 days rarely end well. Having flexibility to stay and repeat what you like or move on from something you don't is good.

For a short stay, I'd recommend you arrive ready to go. Have Pina Love, Whatsapp and Grab apps preloaded on your phone and payments linked to your Credit card. Wise makes these local payments and cash withdrawals cheap and easy. It's expensive but get a phone data pack at the airport. They will set it up for you which is much quicker and easier than trying to do it yourself on the street.

Enjoy. G.

Thank you for the heads-up about Wise and Simcard. Does Grab accepts Cash payment? Or is it strictly pay before the ride by card?

[Goferring]

Hello fellow mongers!

FYI. This is my first ever post in ISG. So if there is any mistakes, I do apologize for that.

I have been a lurker in ISG for a quite few months. Finally I managed to activate my subscription now. I have been reading a lot of threads in the Philippines and China forum.

I will be traveling to China for the Canton fair this April and I have managed to book my vacations just after the fair, and I plan to visit Manila, Philippines. I have managed to get a whole week for myself at Manila. After going through posts from seniors I have made a bit of Vague plan for the trip. I just want to share it with all the seniors and get a feedback about the plan.

After carefully reviewing Phils recommendation I have booked my entire stay at City garden grand hotel. I will be in Manila 5 nights, at the beginning I thought about spending few days in Manila and few day in some other place but after reading a lot seniors thread I realized if it is only for a short trip it is better stay at one place and have as fun as possible.

My reasons to book City grand garden is. It is closest to P. Burgos st, it is GF friendly and also as phil mentioned few times earlier they do check the girls ID and make sure I am safe. I have specially noted about tipping and keeping bundles of 50's and 100's with for easiness.

I have already created a profile on PL and I will buy the subscription just before I reach there so that I do not have any hassle sending messages. I plan to make arrangements with a few in PL but I will not put my complete trust on PL as there are many chances of no show. I plan to fix any dates in the morning and check whether it works out or not. And in the evening I plan to go and explore the streets, bars and FL.

I have noted a few go go bars mentioned in the forum and plans to visit as many as possible. Also when I hit the streets I prefer to not have a proper plan but to explore and have spontaneous fun (because that has always helped me to have better experience in Vietnam, Dubai, Malaysia etc).

I also plan to spend a couple of nights on the Malate side, especially to explore L. A Cafe and the Zzyzx clubs in there. I am not into the hotties or 9 and 10, I prefer the average looking girls bcs always they had given me the best nights compared to the hotties. This is just what I feel and I do not object if you prefer a hotties.

So this is what I have planned until now. Please feel free to give me better advice and guide me to make this trip one of the best I had ever.

Sounds like a solid plan to me. The Phillies is not a place to expect military precision so minute by minute timing and trips to 8 cities in 5 days rarely end well. Having flexibility to stay and repeat what you like or move on from something you don't is good.

For a short stay, I'd recommend you arrive ready to go. Have Pina Love, Whatsapp and Grab apps preloaded on your phone and payments linked to your Credit card. Wise makes these local payments and cash withdrawals cheap and easy. It's expensive but get a phone data pack at the airport. They will set it up for you which is much quicker and easier than trying to do it yourself on the street.

Enjoy. G.

[WestCoast1]

I have noted a few go go bars mentioned in the forum and plans to visit as many as possible. Also when I hit the streets I prefer to not have a proper plan but to explore and have spontaneous fun (because that has always helped me to have better experience in Vietnam, Dubai, Malaysia etc).

I also plan to spend a couple of nights on the Malate side, especially to explore L. A Cafe and the Zzyzx clubs in there. I am not into the hotties or 9 and 10, I prefer the average looking girls bcs always they had given me the best nights compared to the hotties. This is just what I feel and I do not object if you prefer a hotties.

So this is what I have planned until now. Please feel free to give me better advice and guide me to make this trip one of the best I had ever.

Plan looks good to me. Get thee busy, and write us a solid field report of your exploits.

WC.

[Lokah]

Hello fellow mongers!

FYI. This is my first ever post in ISG. So if there is any mistakes, I do apologize for that.

I have been a lurker in ISG for a quite few months. Finally I managed to activate my subscription now. I have been reading a lot of threads in the Philippines and China forum.

I will be traveling to China for the Canton fair this April and I have managed to book my vacations just after the fair, and I plan to visit Manila, Philippines. I have managed to get a whole week for myself at Manila. After going through posts from seniors I have made a bit of Vague plan for the trip. I just want to share it with all the seniors and get a feedback about the plan.

After carefully reviewing Phils recommendation I have booked my entire stay at City garden grand hotel. I will be in Manila 5 nights, at the beginning I thought about spending few days in Manila and few day in some other place but after reading a lot seniors thread I realized if it is only for a short trip it is better stay at one place and have as fun as possible.

My reasons to book City grand garden is. It is closest to P. Burgos st, it is GF friendly and also as phil mentioned few times earlier they do check the girls ID and make sure I am safe. I have specially noted about tipping and keeping bundles of 50's and 100's with for easiness.

I have already created a profile on PL and I will buy the subscription just before I reach there so that I do not have any hassle sending messages. I plan to make arrangements with a few in PL but I will not put my complete trust on PL as there are many chances of no show. I plan to fix any dates in the morning and check whether it works out or not. And in the evening I plan to go and explore the streets, bars and FL.

I have noted a few go go bars mentioned in the forum and plans to visit as many as possible. Also when I hit the streets I prefer to not have a proper plan but to explore and have spontaneous fun (because that has always helped me to have better experience in Vietnam, Dubai, Malaysia etc).

I also plan to spend a couple of nights on the Malate side, especially to explore L. A Cafe and the Zzyzx clubs in there. I am not into the hotties or 9 and 10, I prefer the average looking girls bcs always they had given me the best nights compared to the hotties. This is just what I feel and I do not object if you prefer a hotties.

So this is what I have planned until now. Please feel free to give me better advice and guide me to make this trip one of the best I had ever.

[WestCoast1]

As for the two week warriors, I'm just going on the reports I hear from the guys at the bar in the hotel where I regularly stay in Makati who feel free to discuss their Burgos exploits. Night after night. Sure, some go to Midnight Haven to grab a freelancer or pick something up off the street. But most tell me they're there for one reason and that's to hit Burgos, recover and repeat. I just wasn't aware of what they're currently paying.

Yes, hard to believe, but there are gents out there who a) have more money than me; and b) think nothing of dropping $1000 an hour on a girl in the home country, therefore believing that $200 for an unrushed pinay several hour uncovered ST (or even a 2-pop LT) is a steal-of-a-deal.

[PhilJoy]

Also I think there might be a misconception that the brunt of 2-3 week warriors are barfining on Burgos most nights. Probably not. To give just one piece of such evidence, I spend anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks on Burgos, multiple times a year. I often hit many bars per night, for pervin' purposes. I am trying to remember the last trip that I made there where I saw the same fella's face inside any bar. Additionally, the number of fellas on Burgos is down considerably from pre-covid (not because barfine prices went up; they didn't go up).

Granted Westie,

Price wise, I never pay too much attention, as I don't do the bars. I'm not saying the prices have gone up dramatically, or at all, as I wouldn't know. I have only pulled from Burgos once about 15 years ago and naturally it was a lot cheaper back then. It was just a bit of a shock to see those prices posted, compared to the daily service I'm currently enjoying with some real talent.

A few years ago, I posted on here asking for recommendations on an early opener on Burgos before an afternoon flight home. I went to one place and was swamped by about 6 girls at once hitting me up for an expensive fruit juice and walked out of there, finding it easier to get the hotel security guy to line me up with something.

As mentioned, each to their own. As long as you get what you're looking for and have fun doing it, then all's great.

As for the two week warriors, I'm just going on the reports I hear from the guys at the bar in the hotel where I regularly stay in Makati who feel free to discuss their Burgos exploits. Night after night. Sure, some go to Midnight Haven to grab a freelancer or pick something up off the street. But most tell me they're there for one reason and that's to hit Burgos, recover and repeat. I just wasn't aware of what they're currently paying.

_Phil.

[Goferring]

Unfortunately the game has changed, good sir, and several years ago (the covid re-opening). Customer satisfaction is not an over-riding concern of the business. Not to make excuses for the waitress / cashier overcharge, it might have been a rip-off, or just a computational error. Either way, a missed tip to the mama, or the girls, is small potatoes. Your (or my) non-return business is probably not a concern.

Unfortunately, this is probably another thing we can add to the 'good ol days' lament. There was a time when anyone with more money than time could waltz in to P Burgos, grab an attractive and fun girl, buy his way I to her heart and be assured of a fun night free of mind games and petty scams.

Alas, now one needs to have eyes in the back of his head here too.

Burgos can be a night of fun but just w you do need to keep your wits about you.

Westie is correct about prices being unchanged for decades. Sort of. Now drinks are likely to cost more, you may accidentally stumble into one of the bars with ridiculous prices for everything or, after spending 10 k to have Princess follow you home, you may find that she insists on tarping up, some calamity has forced her to return home after one shot or she is simply far less interested in being there. These were all unheard of before. That's what justified the bars being so expensive.

The above are why I still enjoy Burgos but insist on immediate gratification then and there in the bar. I don't spend up hoping to entice anyone to delete very later.

Enjoy. G.

[WestCoast1]

The waitress tried to overcharge me for the amount thinking I couldn't add. It was only 100 p which I would have tipped her anyway. But it pissed me off so I told her nice try but you just cost yourself more than that in a tip. It put me in a bad mood so I told the other 2 girls that their friend just cost them each a tip.

Unfortunately the game has changed, good sir, and several years ago (the covid re-opening). Customer satisfaction is not an over-riding concern of the business. Not to make excuses for the waitress / cashier overcharge, it might have been a rip-off, or just a computational error. Either way, a missed tip to the mama, or the girls, is small potatoes. Your (or my) non-return business is probably not a concern.

F*ck. Now I'm not short of a dollar, but how do guys do it night after night at those prices? The 500 p LD fruit juices would be enough to put me off straight away. I obviously haven't done the bar scene for quite some time.

Those prices haven't changed for about 15 years. They would only be a surprise for anyone who doesn't read ISG (and ISG\Westy thread).

Also I think there might be a misconception that the brunt of 2-3 week warriors are barfining on Burgos most nights. Probably not. To give just one piece of such evidence, I spend anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks on Burgos, multiple times a year. I often hit many bars per night, for pervin' purposes. I am trying to remember the last trip that I made there where I saw the same fella's face inside any bar, where I said to myself: Hey, Self, I saw that fella over there in the corner at Maison a few nights ago (or even tonight in a previous bar). I think they barfine on Monday, get an online girl on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, call a previous girl on Thursday, get a street girl on Friday, barfine on Saturday, and rest on Sunday (so sayeth the Lord, and Westy). Or similar.

The barfine night is a splurge and can be completed quickly in the first bar he walks into (unless he's into the bar crawl). Its also for the guy who just stepped off the airplane, or the guy who is only in town for 48 hours. Its a niche. Whales can do that nightly, but I can't.

Additionally, the number of fellas on Burgos is down considerably from pre-covid (not because barfine prices went up; they didn't go up).