BEHIND THE SCENES

An official’s Manila tryst
ALFRED P. DIZON

BAGUIO CITY – There is this story about this official who went to Manila and visited a posh girlie bar for relaxation. He had strict instructions to his trusted driver to tell madam he was in another side of the city for a meeting. The official ordered the driver to call him through his cell phone if madam would suddenly appear considering her detective skills in locating him.

After quite some time, madam, out of nowhere suddenly appeared so the driver frantically called his boss. No response. It turned out, both his ears were cupped by the pretty lady’s legs in the VIP room. Big boss was fortunate since they didn’t tell madam which room he was in. Sensing the hubby was inside, madam insistently stayed inside the lobby. Fortunately, big boss was able to weasel out from his den without being seen by the wife.

He had the scent of a woman. Anyhow, big boss was not able to go out again after many weeks. He even went to church with his wife and believing his promises of being a good boy, madam let him out again. But as all such stories end, big boss was back to his merry ways.
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This story is told considering it is good city officials have not made a copy cat out of a proposed ordinance in Manila mandating hotels to require guests to show identification cards or they won’t be let in.

Any ordinance to that effect in the city would be near to impossible as it could generate a lot of controversy like what happened to big boss. Besides, no illicit couple would accede to that. The proposed ordinance said there is need to require guests of these establishments to present their identification cards or any documents to prove their age and identity.

It said, more often than not, these establishments have allowed youngsters below 18 years of age. It also said couples married to other people have been seen going inside hotels. The proposed ordinance goes further by making guests deposit their identification cards at the counter.

According to its proponents, the ordinance is also aimed at deterring lawless persons from using them as venue for criminal activities such as drug pushing or prostitution. The ordinance, proponents said, should not be seen as oppressive on the people’s right to privacy since its main goal is to ensure their protection whenever they enter such establishments.

Business owners and operators would be fined P5,000 and face imprisonment of one year if found guilty of violating the ordinance. I guess, proponents of this ordinance must have been living on the moon. Business is business and hotels were made so that people can have a place to rest and have leisure.
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I could imagine the consternation of thousands of tourists now trooping to Baguio as the summer capital unveils another edition of Panagbenga, the annual flower festival if they would be made to reveal their identity when they check in at hotels. No lover boy official worth his salt would show his SSS, BIR or any government ID if he has in tow a pretty young thing or an aging dame not his wife.

Wives are known to be shrewdly intelligent and for any official to be caught with his pants down – that would mean bearing with madam’s idea of punishment – like being a recipient of more funds for a secret trip to Hongkong with her boyfriend one pretty lady does.
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I have been shuttling forth between Baguio and La Union last week that I came to know the National Historical Institute will rehabilitate a 123-year-old lighthouse at Poro Point in San Fernando after it was turned over to the custody of the Philippine Coast Guard recently.

Considered a national historical landmark, the lighthouse was built by the Spanish colonial government and completed on Nov. 28, 1885. Two architects, brought by NHI Chairman Ambeth Ocam­po during the signing of a memorandum of agreement in San Fernando last week for the restoration of the vintage structure, found the foundations of the lighthouse in good condition.

Mayor Pablo Ortega, who authored an ordinance for the preservation of the lighthouse when he was still councilor, told newsmen the six-meter high structure was given to the care of the PCG because they owned the lot where it was built.

“There are only a few landmarks in our place, that’s why we have to preserve them now that they still exist. Coast Guard will take care of it (lighthouse) after the restoration by NHI,” the mayor said.
Ortega said the lighthouse, overlooking Lingayen Gulf, has a huge kerosene lamp that is lit at night to guide ships in the area. He said the NHI would also restore the concrete cottage built by the Americans in 1903 a few meters away from the lighthouse, which has become a quarter of the lighthouse keeper.

In 1979, a new 76-meter high concrete tower was built several meters away from the old lighthouse. Aside from the old lighthouse, Ortega also asked Ocampo to declare as national landmarks the church ruins in Pindangan and the Spanish watchtower in Carlatan, both of San Fernando to serve as tourist attractions.