A Bartender's Blog

Raising the Bar at No.38

2011-08-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

I would like to apologize for not being able to blog for 2 months. I have been busy with school, consultancy and some events. For those who have been following the fan page as well as my twitter, that’s where I am also occupied with since it’s easier to upload pictures and videos as well as get connected with the rest of the world.

What better way to be back in the blog world by educating everyone a little bit about semantics in the Beverage and Bartending industry here in the country.

What is BAR TOUR? When I was in college, this was a requirement we had in our HRA105 (Beverage Management). The mechanics was simple but complete: we were supposed to go to 3-4 bars and observe the following aspects: service, barlist, menu, the bartender, sanitation, ambiance, price and overall experience. Afterwhich, we had to make a report and present it in class. Looking back, I thought we looked like mystery shoppers and bar consultants. I retained this activity in my memory for it was both fun and interesting and I eventually applied it to some of the schools I taught in.

Another meaning of BARTOUR may mean like a promotion or launch of a product or a person/group. I remember when I used to bartend for Bacardi, we had a Bar tour to Launch Bacardi Limon in several bars in Manila. This was a one month run.
Unfortunately, some sales people from the business took advantage of this and infused this as part of their menu and coined it “bar tour”. But it’s actually a bar seminar which focuses on a few aspects about bartending and focusing on the company. To make this appealing, you carry a famous brand name and offer it with a free meal with drink plus a certificate…and voalah!!! The cash register rings.

In other countries, a seminar is coined as “Raising the Bar” which is very appropriate because when a participant is already exposed in bartending this can be a refresher course or a totally different experience for him.

This concept is what I applied together with my partners so as bartenders we can “walk the talk” so to speak. The No. 38 “Raising the Bar” series is a seminar held at No.38 Sports Bar located at 114 Jupiter St. in Makati City. We will only focus on what you need for your class and not those that you will teach so as not to be redundant.
So far on our first run with Polytechnic University of the Philippines, it was generally SWEET.

You can visit our fan page or my personal page to see the pictures.

We accept a maximum of 50 persons per batch.

For details and bookings you may contact us at 09176117441.
See and know the difference. We raise the bar up a notch once again for Philippine bartending.

Holy Week Reflection: The Only Constant thing is Change

2011-05-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

The title of this blog maybe the most cliché saying but this holds true especially this holyweek. As a devoted practicing catholic, tradition dictates that Holy Week is a time for reflection and solitude. But last Maundy Thursday, I had to see for myself it this still holds true nowadays. I decided to go for a swim with my buds and we went to one resort. Alas! We weren’t able to come in because this resort was packed. So we decided to look for another spot. And well good thing they still had a space for us. I was shocked. The resort had 5 pools in total and all of them were full. Not to mention the cottages, tables and the verandas. Where have all these people come from? It wasn’t as “holy” here than outside. People were laughing, running around, drinking, smoking and swimming of course.
As I sit and observe all of these things happening, I rationalized things in perspective. My conclusion: To each his own. As long as you still have your faith in tact and you observe holy week in your own way then I raise a glass to that. I am not saying that everyone has to go on vacation during holy week but that’s just the way it is. FREE WILL as they say. Just be responsible with your actions.
It’s the same thing as bartending. There is no absolute STANDARD. Everything evolves. Everything is dynamic. One cannot be stuck. You just have to accept that change and integrate it in the present. Old school meets new school.Simple.

SUMMER BEER ALERT!!! SMB.SARAP MAG BEER BUT PROVIDE US FRESH BEER!!!

2011-04-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

If you would look for some information regarding beer in Wikipedia, it states there that:
Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and probably the oldest; if you watched the movie “Beowulf” then maybe you would agree; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. Beer is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used.

Most beer is flavoured with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavourings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included.

Summer time is here!!! The Philippines is also known for its’ beers.
We generally have 2 major beer companies: San Miguel Corporation and Asia Brewery.
Well both would have almost the same line of products although the first one would have a little edge in terms of variety in my opinion.

I had the privilege of tasting beer when I was 8 years old I when my tatay would tease me that it was brown water and I would puke and scream after tasting it since it was bitter. When I went to highschool I was pressured to love beer since it meant being a man if one drinks this. And in college, I indulged in it having been trained in recent years.
But when I became a bartender, I slowly began “appreciating” beer and its contents rather than love it.
In fact, I can say that here in our country, since most of us like anything sweet, even the beers were tailored in that direction. I will not name a brand but well in the US this brand is very bland but strong, but here it has a touch of sweetness.
Here’s the catch, beer can taste either, bland, bitter,malty or sweet, but NEVER SOUR like vinegar. I experienced this when I was working with Virgin Café ( it’s now the spoof of DOLCE). A certain ex-basketball player turned government official came upto us in our bar and almost poked a gun at us because we weren’t aware that we served him a bottle of sour beer 3 times. The following day we investigated and found out that some of our beers were exposed to the sun since there was no more space for storage.
When exposed to the sun, since beer is fermented it is prone to further fermentation which can lead to being sour.
This year, it was like dejavu, a friend of mine let me taste his beer when we went to one bar. It did have a faint touch of sourness. We changed it and still had the same result. But I am quite certain that this bar had no issues when it comes to storage.
The next day, I was driving along the highway and I noticed a beer truck without any cover, all the beers were exposed in the heat of the sun. This made my eyes big and it made me think that this is the reason for the beer fault.
I hope this blog reaches the proper distributors of our beers. Please make sure that the beers you deliver are fresh by covering them and making sure they are not exposed to sunlight. When your trucks are at a standstill during traffic, all your beers are exposed. And to the major beer producers, I hope you orient your distributors properly with regards to beer storage.
Let us enjoy beers the right way. CHEERS!

Buy FHM's December issue

2010-12-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! It's been like 2 months since my last blog....been busy with stuff like school and the biz....but here's a treat....at last!!! we have an issue on fhm's December issue. I will try to post blogs if not every week, at the most 1 per month.Happy Holidays to all and you may try these drinks at your home!!!cheers!!!

Bar Catering- what it takes to suceed?

2010-09-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

Mobile Bar, Bar Hosting, Bar Catering, Cocktail Catering- all these terms mean the same thing.

This concept entered the Philippine soil in the early 2000. A bartender would be hired to bartend in a house for a small party. And sometimes a group of bartenders would get hired for big events. Then for more convenience, some entrepreneurial bartenders thought of bringing the whole package right at your doorstep so that all you have to do is PARTY.

Nobody can claim that they are the BEST Bar host for it’s all a matter of preference, but there are some ways for one to be successful if not the best in this type of endeavor.

Here are some tips:

1. Bar Knowledge (Basic) – This is the very foundation to make your venture in bar catering succeed. Here are some of the things that you need to know:
Fermented- which would include wines and beers
Distilled –which would include rum, gin, vodka, tequila, whisky, brandy, and liqueurs

With knowledge of these now you need to know the different brands available in the market as well as their prices. Talking about liqueurs, it’s a tricky subject since there are lots of flavors available.
Then one must learn about the different bartending tools as well as their uses and where to buy them. You don’t need to buy the whole store, just the essentials.
Afterwhich, you need to know the different type of glasswares and choose which ones you really need for your outfit. Try to innovate.
And of course you really need to know how to mix cocktails. Although there are books, it is best that you enroll in short courses so that you may know how to execute these cocktails by learning the basic mixing procedures. You can inquire with us and we will teach you the right way.
Lastly, you need to be creative, as a mixologist, your palette should be accustomed to different flavors of beverages whether alcoholic or not. With added imagination you can whip up your own original concoction.

2. Strong Network – just like any business, this is very vital. you can start with your relatives, plan a small party and let them taste your creations. Afterwhich, you can contact friends, classmates, community, co workers, and eventually if they like your concoctions, your company will spread like a virus.

3. Marketing Strategies
Just like the 4 p’s of marketing –product, place, price, promotion, all these p’s are important.
Product – you can take pictures of your creations and make a brochure or post photos on fb or other network sites on the net. Actually, aside from your products, you should polish your service, and this would mean hiring well trained individuals. Your cocktails me be exquisitely thirst quenching, but if it is not served promptly then it would be useless. Service with a smile as well as attentiveness is also a valuable asset. Having experience is an advantage of your employee but you still have to train them so all of them would be in the direction that your company would like to go to.
Place – you can target your own neighborhood or you can target everyone. The question is…are you accessible?
Price – the bar catering businesses keep popping up like mushrooms. Try to check there prices and try to match it and be competitive. but remember, before you price, you have to be sure that your PRODUCT and SERVICE are full proof. Another tip is to have a good grasp of numbers so you know your way around pricing your packages.
Putting up this type of business, you would need around P50,000 – P70,000 to get you started.
So that’s basically what you need to be a competitive bar caterer, I could add having prayers and goodluck. Again, although there are many bar caterers in the market today, there is still room for more. But please make sure that you don’t treat this business as a fly by night thin. It pays to be legal.
Why should you believe me? You don’t have to, but I know what I’m saying since I have been in this business since 2002.

WANTED - Bar and Beverage management teacher

2010-06-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here in the Philippines, Hotel and Restaurant Management schools are very much in demand to the extent that they keep on popping up like mushrooms. It's a very good business if you look at it in a different perspective since the school will get prospective clients every year.For these trying times schools have even lowered their fees so that the student can enroll in their schools.

In good business, in order for the school to entice enrollments, it should invest on its facilities and personnel.And depending on their target market, they should price their fees accordingly.

One prerequisite of this course is called Bar Management/Beverage Management.
This course generally deals with the subject of bartending both in theory and application. This course should supposedly have a Lecture part and a Laboratory part.

Unfortunately, some schools compress it into one preparation.Compared to other countries, we don't really have a solid bartending school. Bartending is just a part of some other trainings.

Can anyone just teach this subject? Does having a masteral degree make one qualified to teach this subject?

Ideally, this subject should be taught by a professional bartender with a good grasp of English and a gift of teaching. Unfortunately, we cannot have everything.
If you really would like to pursue this profession, you must check if these traita are possessed by the instructor.

Why are these qualifications important?
1.Professional Bartender - Professional doesn't necessarily mean that he can flip 3 or more bottles(it doesn't follow folks).
Being professional means he has embraced the profession for a period of time and has been practicing and learning from it continuously.In order to share your knowledge you must have a very good background about it.Better if you still practice it.

2.Good grasp of English- Well this should be a no brainer but just to prove this point, English is still the medium of instruction. Most Liquors, tools, glasswares, and even terminologies are all in English and it would be best if you know how to speak,read and understand the language.

3.Gift of teaching - Now this is the clincher. God has given us talents and I would like to think that teaching is one very important gift. Not anybody can relay messages effectively to people. It's like if we go back to the 12 apostles. These guys were chosen. That is why there are courses offered on public speaking because it is harder than it looks. Not everyone can catch the attention of 300 students or 50 students in 1 and a half hours until 5 hours.Some people are good individually no doubt...but for them to share and transmit their talents or learning is another story.

These are simple qualifications really, no need to read the dictionary...but I guess in relation with the 3 trait one must have PASSION in teaching.

Who is Larry Guevara a.k.a "The Saint"?

2010-06-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!!! It's been a while since my last blog. I have been a little busy with some stuff left and right but during that long stall I was itching to write one blog. Well better late than never.Here in the Philippines, I would like to think that there are only a handful of professional bartenders that I recognize and this guy fits to a T especially that he is also from the high seas.

Give us a brief profile of yourself.

- My name's Larry Guevara, a.k.a. "The Saint" because of my seminary backgrounds back in the days. I used to work for TGIFriday's from 2003 to 2005 but I'm now working as a Cruise Lines Flair Bartender for Celebrity Cruises. And when people ask me why I chose to be a bartender instead of becoming a priest - well, I realized there are more spirits behind the bar than in the church.

Place of birth, grade school, high school and college

- I was born in Bicol,Sorsogon. Spent my high school and college at the Our Lady of Penafrancia Seminary (to become a priest then.) I finished my first degree in AB Philosophy then eventually pursued culinary at the Philippines Women's University where I got my second degree in Hotel and restaurant Management.

What was your First job?

- I first started in the hospitality industry working as a Front Desk Personnel at Hotel Intramuros de Manila which was actually affiliated with the Hotel and Tourism Institute of the Philippines under the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines back in 2002.

What made u decide to pursue First job?

-Call it fate but I attended a seminar on Front Desk Operations as part of our school prerequisites and it was timely that the hotel was looking for a front desk personnel. I was getting high marks and the professor asked me if I would be interested to work at the hotel. The rest, as they say, is history.

Did u make it as a bartender right away?

-Just to give you a short background of my bartending career, I started applying for the bartender position at TGIFriday's since the beginning of 2000 but I didn't get the job until 2003. The thing was, eventhough I had the guts and the basic knowledge of becoming a bartender I later realized that I lacked alot on experience and bartending skills which explains why I didn't make the cut. But that didn't stop me from pursuing though my dream of becoming a bartender. In fact, like the story of Michael Jordan when he didn't make the cut in his sophomore years to play basketball, the experience taught me alot of lessons and made me even more passionate and determined to pursue my bartending career. Through research, constant practice and alot of heart poured into my new found calling, everything finally paid off when I finally got a flair bartender job at TGIFriday's Malate in 2003.

What Competitions have you joined? How did u do?

-My first bartending competition was at the Last Call Bartending Challenge for students (which you actually organized.) Since I joined TGIF I had the pleasure of competing and representing my TGIF Malate store in 2003 and in 2004. But my most memorable would be my first competition in 2003 held at TGIF Quezon City branch where I emerged as the first runner-up and the crowd favorite. It was a phenomenal competition for me coz for the record I was the first Filipino flair bartender who did the 3-bottle juggle combined with the 'swipe' and the 'figure 8' moves which the crowd have never seen before. That was the greatest achievement I'll never forget in my flair bartending career.

Do u think these competitions that who have joined will make u ready to join the top dogs of flair in the future?

- I've been out of the competitions for some time now but I believe that with my experience and the level of my flair bartending skills now I can say that I've progressed alot. However, there are alot of competitions both local and international and they all have different rules and regulations to follow. I'm really looking forward to being back in the competition circuit soon most especially that I've finally found my own style of flair. Nowadays, it's so easy to watch flair moves in the internet like you tube but in real competitions (like the FBA sanctioned events) copying or executing moves would not get you farther as compared to working on oyur own original and raw moves.

Who do u look up to? Local/ International?

- Since I started with flair bartending I've always looked up to the Argentine style of flair like the Delpech brothers, Adriano Marcellino, Juan Llorente and Christian Oldan. I've always liked their fluid style of flair. I started dancing when I was young so their style opened my mind the possibility of incorporating dance and flair in my moves. Also, they always put on a great show and a smile on their faces everytime they are on stage which makes it even entertaining.

Who gave u the “Saint” monicker?

- I was first called the "Flair Devil" back in 2003 coz of my sick moves and out-of-this-world style. But I guess this monicker caused me my 2 competitions so I finally decided to change it to "The Saint" because of my seminary background.

Working on ships, what can u say about flair in ships? How about bartending in general? Is it easier to work in ships or landbase?

- Flair in the ship is now becoming a rule rather than an exemption. My point is, more and more flair bartenders are getting jobs because of their extra skills as compared to a bartender who can't flair. In my present company, for example, they realized the importance of competing with the shoreside establishments like in Las Vegas so the company finally decided to bring the concept of flair bartending in ships thus they added the concept of the Martini Bar which is actually a flair bar. Apparently, bartending in ships is way more different in a landbase bar or restaurant although the same basic knowledge and skills have to be acquired first in order to succeed as a bartender. Like in a chain restaurant, the bartenders creativity in preparing cocktails can sometimes be limited because of the company rules and standards. However, this shouldn't stop anyone from pushing the envelop because like any other profession bartending is a continued process of learning, of trial and error. Now, working in cruise ships as compared to any landbase establishment is not an easy job. It is more demanding; involves longer hours and a lot of 'special cleaning' most especially in the US ports where the United States Public health inspectors get onboard the ship to check whether the standards on sanitation and safety of the ship are followed and met. It is a grueling job being in the cruise ship too because of the trainings and the drills that all crew members have to undergo throughout the contract.

Have u made contributions in your own little way to promote our profession?

- Every time I'm working behind the bar, I always take pride in my profession and in the cocktails that I prepare for the guests. I can assume that I stand out above the rest not only because of my bartending skills and knowledge but most importantly because of my personality behind the bar. Also, whenever I'm given the opportunity to give out talks to an audience I always try to bring them in into the bartender's world of flair and mixology. In my flair shows, however, I always make sure that I have the Philippine flag with me so I can be better recognized as a Filipino flair bartender who is proud of my culture and heritage.

What is your signature move if any?

- The "foot swipe" like a breakdance flair move. The "London Bridge" with a bottle and tin exchange from between my legs and a whole lot more.....Hehehehehe...Check out my videos in youtube! Search for speakeasy101.
So what's next for the Saint?
- Life is a very unpredictable reality so for the moment I just want to go with the flow and let the tides of life lead me. Working in the cruise lines has been one of the best part of my career so I guess I'll keep on travelling for now to see the world and enjoy life to the fullest. Cheers!

WILD SHOOTER ELATION FOR SOBERS PROMO

2010-05-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

WILD SHOOTER ELATION FOR SOBERS PROMO

Basic Bartending Seminar

2010-05-08T03:04:00.000-07:00

We will be hosting a Basic Bartending Seminar at the Ultima Entrepinoy Center on May 18 and 29. Another session will be on May 25 and 27 for those who can't make it on the first. Early birds can take advantage of the discounted price of P1,600 (normal price is P1,700). Here's the poster we created for this workshop.

Hope to see you all there!

Bartending 101-How to make the best/perfect martini

2010-02-21T23:34:00.000-08:00

I was eager to write this article due to the fact that I read an article a year ago entitled, “How to make the best martini”, written by a pastry chef I suppose, but the whole article was presented by a barista, who is a brother in the beverage industry but specializes in coffee concoctions.

Well, the article was very misleading because the title asks how to make the BEST martini. But it was answered by showing the concoction of a PERFECT martini. These are two different topics. So the article was a bit useless but it wasn’t surprising for it wasn’t done by a professional bartender which is supposed to be the master mixologist.

Okay, now let’s try to answer the topic on hand. How to make the BEST martini?

To answer this question, I have made a research on my own and I would rather have you read through the following articles:

Based on these articles, one must know first the right ingredients to a martini. For the “purists,” gin is the base for this cocktail, nothing more, nothing less. Vodka just got into the picture because of that famous agent named James Bond. When talking about gin, since this is a pure cocktail, choosing the right brand is also critical. If your budget agrees, go for the premium if not ultra premium brand.

Same goes with the dry vermouth. There are I think 3 famous vermouth makers: Martini & Rossi, Noilly Prat, and Gancia.

As for the garnish, the olive can either be pitted or non pitted. I would prefer mine with blue cheese…real tasty. As for the glass it has to be chilled. And for the procedure, for the “classic dry martini, we “stir and strain” not “shaken” as James Bond would prefer it. Oh, and since when making a martini it would be usually gin and just a dash of vermouth, make sure you do not fill up to the rim since it will not look “classy."

For the perfect martini cocktail, it is simply just gin with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth. There is even a 50/50 martini with equal parts of gin and dry vermouth.
Moving fast forward, ever since James Bond, the martini has evolved. From gin to vodka, from pure to flavored bases like apple, orange, banana, chocolate, etc . And now well people have infuse the cocktail with the glass as some martinis are called as such since they are placed in the martini glass.

To answer the question, how to make a perfect martini…I would have to say “how to make a perfect cocktail?" It would have to have a balanced taste. And the trade secret of achieving that is knowing the size of the glass. If you know the size you know how to put the ingredients equally and apply it not only to one but to as many orders and still achieve a CONSISTENT taste.

Basic Bartending Workshop in Gordon College

2010-02-10T04:13:00.000-08:00

2010, our first stop in our campus workshop tours in bartending is Gordon college in Subic Olongapo. This event would not have been possible without the help of Ms. Aurora Juico, Dean Gloria Dimes, the 4th year HRM students who organized the event and the faculty who supported the activity with their presence.
Here is a list of the topics that we covered for this workshop
Basic Bartending Module

Introduction
How to land a bartending job on ships

I. The Bartender
Dramshop Law
Basic tools and glasswares

II. Beverage
Types of Beverages
Fermented beverage and Distilled
Non-Alcoholic
Brand Recognition

III. Basic Mixing Skills

IV. Supplementary Skills
Tray Handling
Pouring beer
Wine Service
Bar Service – Order Taking, Inventory

V. Cocktail Mixing

VI. Flairtending fundamentals

You may check our facebook fan page for pictures of this event
Want your school to be next on our list? BOOK NOW.

NC II Bartending in the Philippines ---is it necessary??

2010-02-04T07:31:00.003-08:00

If one will go to Google.com and search, ”What do I need to be a certified bartender?,” there is a link that would say that one must be at least 18 years of age since it is the legal age of drinking. There are some states that would say 21. It really depends on the law of each state. I also read that to get a certificate you must attend classes, in this case “bartending classes,” that go thru 8 sessions for 4 hours each, after which, you take a final exam and get a certificate.

Here in the Philippines, “Bartending” is part of the course Hotel and Restaurant Management. It is divided into lecture and lab parts and is better known as beverage or bar management which is usually taken by students in their 2nd or 3rd year in college. In this regard, we can say that we are following what other countries are doing in terms of following the legal age for drinking. If one finishes the course, one gets a diploma since a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management is good for 4 years.

Although now, since I believe there is an Associate course which lets the student finish the course in 2 years, it is here they get a certificate.Another thing I know is that there are really “bartending schools” in some countries, not just short courses but schools. And the more credible schools do placements in establishments.

So after reading these I would say that so far I am a certified bartender based on the information I got. I searched another website and I would say that I need this training to be really certified:

(Taken from the link http://www.certifiedbartender.com)

Bartending Licenses

As a general rule most states do not require specialized training, certification or licensing for Bartenders, however, some localities (counties and cities) require Bartenders apply for a license to Bartend. It is strongly encouraged that you check with your local city hall to determine if one is required where you plan on working. The licensing fee varies but generally it it costs between $25 and $50 and takes less than 1 month to receive -- usually it can be processed in a couple of days. Most do require Bartenders to go through some sort of Certification program such as the B.A.I.'s Certified Bartender course.

What Is T.I.P.S.? Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol.

If you serve alcohol or employ people who do, more and more of our courts have a message for you. You've got to do more to stop intoxicated customers from driving drunk. To help you avoid that risk, and help save lives, there is a proven training program called TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol). Generally your employer will provide this training to you either as an ethical choice or potentially to receive a reduction in liability insurance rates.

What Is L.E.A.D.S.?

The L.E.A.D.S. (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs Alcohol Seller/Server Training Program) is a free, voluntary prevention and education program for retail licensees, their employees, bartenders and applicants. It began on January 1, 1991 with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Since February 1995, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has funded the program. Since 1991, the L.E.A.D.S. Program has trained over 100,000 people.

The curriculum is designed for licensees, managers, bartenders, and employees. There is no separate management curriculum. Program length is 3-1/2 hours, except for Fairs/Special Events Training, which is 2 hours.

Benefits Of L.E.A.D.S Training

Reduces risk of liability, including criminal (court action), civil (lawsuit) and administrative (ABC accusation).

1. L.E.A.D.S. Training can help reduce the risk of license revocation.
2. Possible reduced insurance premiums.
3. Provides ways to deal with difficult situations.

So you see, these 2 training programs are very important. I have asked this question before, how come we aren’t really strict in serving alcohol to minors? The answer I got from one mentor is because of our economic situation. This I believe shouldn’t be an excuse because we shouldn’t limit our learning based on what we have in our country.

When I worked on ships, serving alcohol to minors was strictly monitored and followed. One could lose a job right away when found out. I being in a situation where I was with a mother and daughter. The mom ordered a bottle of champagne from me and asked me to give her 2 glasses and pour champagne in them. Based on dramshop law, L.E.A.D.S. and T.I.P.S., what would you do?

I have been in the bartending profession for about 11 years now and I have been connected in the academe for about 5 years. When I arrived here n the country supposedly for my vacation, I was fortunate enough to have been invited as a judge in one in-school bartending competition. Upon conversing with some people from the academe I found out that it is now required for educators to take competency exams so they could teach aside from taking up a masteral course eventually. Wow! Actually, it is a good idea to be “certified” but at the back of my head, is it worth taking the exam? One will pay a fee and for what, to get a piece of paper which states that you are qualified to teach Bartending which here in the country, I believe there is really a need to certify educators into teaching bartending since not anybody can really teach this profession . And I have been in both academe and industry for what, more than what is necessary?

I had second thoughts but I figured since I wanted to go back to the academe again, then "let us do what the Romans do." After 2 weeks of delay I finally came to the assessment center with my picture, resume, and P900. I didn't study deliberately to see if I will pass or not based on mere stored knowledge.

After taking the exam which I would say lasted for about 2 hours since it contained written and practical exams, I would say I passed. As I write this blog I did pass! But here's the catch, I felt that I was shortchanged. I was expecting more since I paid P900, I didn't get what I paid for. I could have been happier if I found the exam hard and it would be easier for me to accept if I failed having known I didn't prepare. If there would be readers from TESDA, let this blog be an appeal, I am not mocking this exam but please make it more worth its fee. There were some instances that kind of affected my ego.

I took the same exam with a fourth year college student and we paid the same fee. I am not being arrogant or something but can't there be a level so there would be an appropriate exam for a certain bracket or group? I used to teach in TESDA Women's Center and I would think that the things that I have been teaching them to pass the NC s the same questions I answered. I only look up to a handful of people that I consider mentors in the area of Bartending, and none of those are connected with TESDA.

I paid for an exam which was photocopied poorly. with some misspelled and missing words, and some poor grammatically constructed questions. I believe that nobody's perfect. I have nothing against the assessor for he was just tasked to assess. I have nothing against the assessment center for the questionnaires I would think is centralized. TESDA is supposed to be highly regarded as the center of skills development. But where is the skill in developing a well thought of, well-produced exam?

We are talking about economic crunch, so why charge so much for something of low value? If I may I can help suggest making the exam a more dignified one and as I have mentioned a separate exam for the students and instructors. I think this goes back to what I have observed that the bartending profession here is very much taken for granted. I cannot blame them for there are really very few qualified and credible individuals who can teach the profession. It is not just flipping of bottles. Again, I call to all educators, with the COHREP's theme of MOVING FORWARD AND BEYOND, let us indeed do this in every little thing we do so we can teach our students to be globally competitive.

STAND UP PINOYTENDERS

2010-01-25T16:49:00.000-08:00

Our day usually starts by reading the newspaper. After the headlines, we turn the page to the Lifestyle and Entertainment section . What do we see? Browsing along, a full two-page article on food, articles about different cuisines(Japanese, Chinese, American, Mexican, Portuguese, and of course, Filipino) and about this famous chef who came to Manila to conduct a one-week cooking workshop together with a Filipino in-house chef of a newly opened resto in Quezon City.

Wait a minute? Readers might choke themselves upon reading too much about FOOD & CHEFS. No offence meant, but what about DRINKS? People like to eat but they also like drinking a lot. We have been so educated about food just by reading these articles but we haven’t really learned that much about what we are drinking. Have we? Well, there are a “few” drops of articles regarding drinks, but they only appear once in a blue moon or after a rain dance. There are some pictures of “Drinks of the Month” of some of the five-star hotels here in Manila and we have read this very successful article about red wine being good for the heart and about an anniversary of this famous bourbon whiskey giving a brief description of its history and that's it. We give credit to those who contributed these articles for at least we readers have something to sip while gobbling up the other articles.

But what about the people behind these exciting, colorful, exotic and at times intoxicating drinks? If the chefs are given credit for the creations they have made, don't they deserve an article as well? When one goes to a bar or restaurant, who dispenses those drinks, and who does the cocktails? Who whips up the frappuccino? Did anyone notice them? It’s about time that they’d be given equal recognition as well since not only do they concoct drinks but they concoct them infront of the guest, thus making them elite in the industry.

Let’s call them PINOYTENDERS. Who are they? Technically, they are the Filipinos who tend the bar. In the industry, they are known as bartenders and baristas. They are the ones who come up with those specialty drinks and “drinks of the month” that we long for. They give us a shot of Tequila, a double on the rocks, and a well-crafted blow job. They are the ones that we approach whenever we need someone to talk to. And of course, they are the ones who do those death-defying bar flairs and mind-boggling tricks behind the bar that after you leave the place you’d still be wondering how they were able to do that. I was even surprised that there’s a bar in Manila that has its own version of Coyote Ugly.

No offense again, but maybe it’s time to focus on the beverage aspect of F&B since this is the more profitable side of the Industry if given the proper attention…right Mr.Cost Control?

We raise a glass of SHERIFF that we drink at THE BARN as a toast to all Pinoytenders that we’ve talked to, laughed with, encountered, and befriended. May you continue to whip up those drinks to quench our thirst. Cheers!!!!!!

Who is Rey Navoa?

2010-01-24T21:49:00.000-08:00

Rey Navoa
Filipino Bar Manager of the High Seas

There is a saying which goes, “It’s not what you know but who you know…” well I am blessed in this life time that I crossed paths with people who have eventually become my mentors or people who I look upto. In our beverage industry here, rarely will a genuine person open up and allow his life to be read by the public. This interview will give you a clear idea of what I mean.

PB: Please tell us something personal about yourself.

REY: I was born Aril 19,1959 in Caloocan, Manila. I studied Highschool in Lakandula Highschool and took my college in Feati University as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering student. I tried to study flying in PATTS since I really wanted to be a pilot but when my father died I had to stop.

PB: I see. So after college what was your first job?

REY: Well, I started as a tinsmith/solderer, then in SSS as a processor afterwhich I worked as a clerk in SM Makati which is where I met my wife.

PB: So how did you end up working in ships?

REY: ShoeMart Makati was close to Manila Garden at that time. And out of curiosity, I resigned in SM Makati and looked for a job in hotel and luckily I was hired in Silahis Intl Hotel as a janitor for 4months.Then I tried my luck abroad(Kuwait) as a Butler for 2 years (1979-1981). Then I came back and applied again same company ( Silahis hotel) but this time as a banquet waiter (1981-1982). I would say I was at the right place at the right time.

During my slack hours I would work as a busboy in the Piano bar of that hotel. And because of a very untimely incident which turned out to be a blessing, I was removed from the banquets and got promoted as a barboy(1982-1983) in that piano bar. I really had to start everything from scratch for I had no knowledge of bartending but I was a fast learner and I could easily pick up. So for 1 year (!983-1984) I got promoted as a bartender. But at that time I was bent on working on cruise ships specifically Holland America Lines for my other batch mates in the hotel were already working there.

In 1985 I joined a bartending competition organized by the hotel and fortunately won. The management already had heard that I would be resigning so they tried to promote me as Bar Captain.

PB: So did you accept the offer?

REY: I was really determined to work on ships so I declined. I started 1985 in Holland America Line thru United Philippine Lines which was the crewing agent.

PB: What can you say about your first time on ships?

REY: It was a big adjustment on my part. Nobody was there to teach me how the ships standard was. There was no “buddy system”. But I focused on the job.

PB: Did you feel homesick?

REY: No. Actually, the more I was motivated to work when I was surprised to get “tips” in dollars Even my wife was happy since I send her money. I just did my job everyday and after my first contract I was fortunate to be promoted as Bar Supervisor.

From 1985 to 1994 I was Bar Supervisor and in that year I was the 3rd to the last Filipino that got promoted as Assistant Bar Manager.

PB: Wow! How did you feel about your promotion?

REY: Well of course I felt glad but I was just doing my job consistently and I am happy that they noticed it. And here’s more…in 1995 I was asked to launch the Ryndam ship as ABM and after it set sail the head office offered me Bar Manager position! I was the first Filipino Bar Manager in Holland America Line. I was the trendsetter so to speak for hiring other potential Filipino BM’s in the fleet.

PB: The First Filipino Bar Manager on the high seas!!! Congratulations. So what happened next?

REY: From 1995-2005 I continued my job as BM in the company until 2005, Seattle head office came up with a new structure. All of the BM’s were asked to step down as ABM’s. But after 15 days they put me back as BM in Ryndam for they got some letters coming from other officers in other ships asking why I got demoted.

PB: Saving grace?

REY: Actually I didn’t even know they protested until Corporate BM Roman Koppler and Sandra Scraag both from Head office in Seattle told me. I’m just happy that even officers acknowledge my hard work. But in December 2006, I asked Seattle if they could give me a 5 year vacation. In January 2007 Mr. Fernandino Lising, President United Phil. Lines offered me a teaching job here in Antipolo.

PB: Which leads us to this next question. How is teaching as compared to managing?

REY: It was also a major adjustment for I didn’t see myself in this position. But if there is one person who I would have to thank it would be Mr. Dax Jaurigue. He was the one who encouraged me and told me that I can do the job. So I researched, took trainings, talked to people and I told myself that I can do it.

PB: Mr Rey you have a very interesting and inspirational life. Can you tell us the secret of your success?

REY: I just do my job well and I make use of the gift that God gave to me. I am very personable. If I see my people are happy then I am happy.

PB: How about investments? Can you say you have saved enough money?

REY: In that department, I can say technically I don’t need to work anymore. In 2004 I was able to put up a building apartment. I have properties in Sta Rosa Laguna, Baguio, Valensuela, Malabon and anitpolo.

PB: This is definitely an article worth reading by all the other seafarers who want to be like you. Any words of wisdom for all the seafarers out there?

REY: O yes. Spend your money wisely. Do not be a one day millionaire. Invest your money.

PB: On that note, thank you very much for your time Sir.

Bartending as a Profession

2010-01-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

What is a REAL Bartender?

I am currently working as a bartender on a cruise ship and I can safely say that it is a different kind of experience. Nature of the job is basically the same as being a bartender on land. At first I thought that I will find it hard to adapt because of the tall tales I have heard before I got this job.

But bearing in mind that I have been bartending for quite sometime as well as teaching the profession, needless to say, everything else became like second nature.

This post is a very good way to start 2010 because this is the essence why this site was made. I remember we had one training for us bartenders and our head bartender asked us, “What is a bartender?”

Our head bartender said a bartender is the one who mixes drinks…does this…does that…etc. etc. … and I thought, oh, how slow can you get?

I just kept silent for the duration of this seminar because I felt like I didn’t have the same wave length as the rest did although I know the others didn’t simply care. If you would read the previous lines again, it is not “what is” but “who is,” yet technically before you ask the person you should try to find out the noun where the person was derived from.

I hope I am making sense here…

Bartending According to the Books

Our profession, bartending, comes from the word “bartend” which is made up of two words “bar” which means any horizontal object which can act as a barrier between the bartender and his/her beverages from the guest and ”tend” which means to serve or dispense.

A bartender is the person who is in charge of the bar…in some countries this person is known as the barkeeper. So first and foremost a bartender should know everything that he has in his bar and what his bar is all about.

The profession as defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary :

A calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.

A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain"[1]. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, professions involve the application of specialised knowledge of a subject, field, or science to fee-paying clientele.[2] It is axiomatic that "professional activity involves systematic knowledge and proficiency."[3] Professions are distinguished from other occupations represented by trade groups due to their level of legal recognition.[4]

Based on my research, during the olden days, almost anybody can be a bartender. You can be a college student who wants to earn some extra money or you can be a somewhat older person who wants to keep busy for the remainder of your life.

An example of this is the young student who is working his/her way through college and often too young to even legally buy liquor in a bar themselves; but can earn an extra income serving drinks in that same bar as a bartender.

On the other side of the coin, an elderly person can turn their hands to bartending to supplement their pensions. Between these two extreme age groups there are all kinds of people who fill the position of a bartender.

In fact, barmen have been likened to the man in the streets (or should we say man in the pubs) psychologist or priest. Those two additional professions, inevitably, come with the job.

Bartending is really one of those really ancient occupations that have been around since man first started picking up 'ladies of the night' from the very earliest forms of taverns.

However, although prostitutes are often termed as being part of a profession (or indeed part of the oldest profession), very few people ever think of bartending as a profession at all! It is just a "fill-in job" in most people's eyes.

Here in the Philippines, during the 70’s until early 90’s people who tended the bar were just “accidental” bartenders, they were either underemployed or were just trying to make both ends meet. But during the mid 90’s bartending has become a course/subject under the BS Hotel and Restaurant Management course/discipline.

How I Became Interested in Bartending

Personally, I took the course at first because I wanted to eat…but as I encountered this course in my 2nd year which is called Bar Management Laboratory and Lecture, interest grew since I must admit during those days drinking after class was a routine. But I stumbled into this movie by Tom Cruise entitled Cocktails and if you watched this movie, who wouldn’t want to be a bartender with the perks that come with it?

And so the interest for flair grew when I tried having a short training in TGIF.

After graduation, I had to be a bum for some months since during my time, if you wanted to apply for a bartender job, all the ads would say “with 3 years experience.”

WOW, a fresh grad having experience…hmmm…Sucks, right?!?!

I always tell myself how can you have experience if you can’t be given the opportunity to have one? But then again it’s all about timing. I finally landed my bartending job simply because nobody else would take the job because of the pay. It was kinda low at that time…but I didn’t go for the pay since I was just starting out…I wanted to gain “experience.”

So let’s get back to the topic at hand…bartending is indeed and should be a profession. If anybody can be a bartender before, not anybody can qualify as a professional bartender. It’s not enough that you know how to mix drinks. The knowledge in bartending never ceases, from the different brands of liquors available in the market, to the bar trends, to the latest cocktails that people drink, and every other information about bartending that you should at least have an idea about since the growth of the profession now is tremendous!!!

Possible Career Paths of a Professional Bartender

In fact, if you really love the bartending profession, let me show you how diverse and interesting one’s career can be if he is really a “professional.” If you decide to work whether for a free-standing bar, a hotel or a cruise ship, this is how your path would be:
If you decide to be your own boss and be an entrepreneur:

That’s why I miss being in circulation when it comes to the business. I am surprised that since I have been gone during a contract, some people here in my country claim they are the best or that they were the first. My friends, you as well as I know that talk is cheap. Walk your talk. Be a professional bartender and do your job. That’s all that matters.

If anybody would ask me if I am a bartender, I would say I am a professional bartender.

PS: The first picture on this article is Professor Jerry Thomas, the father of American Mixology.

The second picture is Harry Schraemli, a swiss author who wrote books on cocktails.

Summer Bartending sa Boracay 2009

2009-12-26T01:59:00.000-08:00

Ever since I started Pinoytender Management Consultancy, I was fortunate to have been invited to different colleges and universities from almost all over the country. The more I was exposed, the more I became determined to reach out to all the schools because I know that there is still room for improvement for some of the students for they might have been introduced to the wrong concept of bartending.

After a conversation with a friend, the idea of organizing a workshop in Boracay suddenly popped up. And why not? But behind my head I asked these questions: Is there still something I can teach to the students of Boracay? How is the bartending scene there? I have only been in Bora once in my life when I was the resident bartender for the Nestea Beach Volley back in 2003. Was it gonna be easy to have a workshop? I knew nobody from there so I will just have to walk in, ask around, and observe.

And so I went there together with my friend for an ocular. Man, it was a very costly ocular, but well worth it. We first had to look for a place to stay. We walked through the different stations until our attention was caught by a very hospitable bar waitress. Of course, we couldn’t refuse her so we decided to have a beer at the bar she was working in which was called Real Maris.

We were introduced to the manager on duty, Vivien Yaguel. After a good conversation she introduced us to Ces Gajisan, her F&B Manager who incidentally finished HRM in Manila.
We had common friends and similar views so I opened up our intention for going to Bora.

At first she was hesitant but eventually she offered to help us achieve our goal. She said that there is really a need for a good bartending seminar. With that, I was very motivated to push through with this project.

We went bar-hopping so that I can observe how the bar scene is as well as how the bartenders are in Bora. After going to about 70 establishments, I said to myself that I can make it happen.

The only problem was the time--I only had 2-3 weeks to conduct it since I was going back to work on ships. Nevertheless, with Ces and Vivien helping me out, I was very confident. Ces introduced me to the head of Boracay’s bartending organization for he can help us with the mobilization of the bartenders as well as the information dissemination. His name was Bong Gelito. After breaking the ice with Bong, we came to terms on how to go about it.

Another fortunate twist in this event is that I didn’t know that the daughter of a high official in Bora was my former student. What a small world! It was like a reunion for us. She helped me in marketing the event. I even had airtime in their local radio station to help promote the event.

With everything set, the day came for SUMMER BARTENDING sa BORA. This was a 3-day event, with a 1 day lecture and 2 day practicals. Attendance wise, as expected, we didn’t meet the magic number because of the short notice, yet it was a successful event because all of the participants were very receptive and eager to learn.

Starting the seminar was the hardest part for almost all the participants were local residents and I was like from another planet. But that wasn’t really a big deal for we all had one common thing running through our veins … BARTENDING.

The highlight of the bartending seminar was the concept of free-pour, since no one really taught them how to pour properly.

After that we had basic flair which was also a success because not all bartenders had the knack for flairtending.

Here are some of the pictures of the event:

SUMMER BARTENDING in BORA doesn’t end here. Get ready for PART 2! Watch out for it!

Jigger vs. Free-Pour

2009-12-23T05:27:00.000-08:00

When I was in college, I joined this yearly skills competition of sorts for colleges and universities.I participated in the cocktail mixing category. During those times, we used the jigger: a double-headed stainless bar tool used to measure accurately the liquid poured out from the bottle to the glass.

Then there was Tom Cruise’s movie. In all of the bar scenes, I cannot recall ever seeing this bar tool used whenever he made a drink. And then there was a time that I had a short stint at TGIFriday’s. I wanted to learn how to flip a bottle like the bartenders did. That was the first time I was introduced to flair. At this bar, they don’t use the jigger but instead used “free pouring.”

Free-pouring is pouring the liquid from the bottle directly into a glass without the use of a jigger but by mental counting. If mastered, this is a very accurate and fast method. At the tip of their bottles were chrome plated spouts called pourspouts/speed pourers, specifically Spill Stop # 285-50.

And so, as I became a bartender myself, I was again oriented by my Bar Supervisor on how to use the jigger and how to pour properly. At that time, I would still practice free-pour knowing that it will be an advantage someday.

In some bar operations, the use of the jigger and the pour spout were combined. The bottles had pour spouts and all the bartender has to do is pour it to the jigger and transfer it to the glass.

I then became a supervisor myself, and I taught my staff how to free-pour once in a while but I followed the strict use of the jigger to monitor my costs.

Time has passed and I entered the academe. I did some readings, interviews, net surfing and observations. I found out that technically, “free-pouring” which TGI bartenders practice religiously is a lot faster if mastered and done correctly. Although I get to see some bartenders from other bars attempt to do free-pour, they actually "over pour" in the process because they seem to have not been taught how to do a proper free-pour.

When I did this article, it was 2002 and there are still bars which use the jigger. With this observation, I began to wonder ... which one is really better? The jigger or the pourspout? I asked even the bartenders abroad and they don’t use the jigger anymore because it just delays service. Another thing they say is that it doesn’t look professional especially when you are facing your guests, they would think that you are limiting them to shots. But when looking at the point of view of the managers, they would say that the jigger makes them control there cost accurately because they know exactly how many shots were used from the bottle. Will it? On the other hand, with free pouring, there is a bigger probability of over pouring and /or under pouring simply because it is just an estimate. Is it? Doesn’t the use of a jigger have its own probability of over and/or under-pouring especially when they bartender has shaky hands?

Having worked on ships, there would be managers who require to use the jigger and there would be some who would let us free-pour as long as we knew how to do it.

So which is better? Jigger or Free-pour? Probability of over pour and under pour can occur in both methods. Although if you "practice" probability of accuracy in both methods are great as well. With all being equal, who has the edge? In terms of service, I think "free-pour" has an edge. One would be one to two steps ahead if he does free-pour.

Cost is not the issue. I think what we should really look at is the essence of the operation and the F&B industry which is SERVICE. Service which is fast, accurate and of the highest quality. Service that will allow the bartender make a lot of drinks in the shortest period of time. Regardless of what tool we use, this should always be the primary concern. As a manager, between the two equipment, which one will make your guests come back? Which do you think will make your bartenders look professional? It is your choice.

Interview with a Consulate

2009-12-09T06:56:00.000-08:00

So why come up with a blog like this one? Well, it’s really pretty simple. I would just like to tell everybody out there that it’s not a big deal…period. Let me elaborate…For overseas contract workers reading this blog, we all know that if we will have a job outside the country, the most dreaded part of our requirements will come when we are going to apply for VISA…for definition purposes, this visa will let us pass through a certain country. Let’s take the United States for example.

I was able to ask some seniors of mine in the industry about it and they say there is a very big difference of getting a visa before and now especially when the 911 thing happened. O, but before we continue let me back track a bit …you need to apply for a passport first before getting a visa. This one you have to accomplish by going to the Department of Foreign Affairs somewhere in Libertad, Pasay. If you come early, it will only take you around a day to finish everything and come back for your passport after 2 days I think. Do not bother going to fixers. There’s really not much of a difference in fee and speed of processing…in fact going thru the normal process and being an obedient citizen is more affordable.

After getting a passport, of course you need a recruitment or a manning agency which will help you in processing your WORKING Visa. But then again, if you do not wish to work in another country but rather just tour, then just go the US Embassy website for further information for that’s another story.

If you are an OFW, your agency will process everything for you. All you have to do is pay the processing fee and procure an application form from the bank. Now we are in the meaty stuff … this piece of paper before used to cost $100. But now … one must pay in peso and mind you it goes up steadily … even if the peso is stronger … the price of this paper would be far different from the conversion table. Having said this information, this pretty much would make a good motivation to pass your interview so that you won’t waste your money "big time." After all the paper works have been accomplished and submitted, your agency will give a "briefing" on how your interview will be like.

Ok, so your agency tells you that you have to memorize this and that but expect the unexpected …

And so on the day of your interview you have to be there an hour before (bring all your documents and don’t bring ANY electronic devices for you will not be allowed to bring it in the embassy premises. Now, in case you do bring it there are some peddlers outside that can take care of your precious item while you are inside for a fee) since you still have to pass your documents, do finger print scanning and wait for your number is called. The waiting game is the hardest of all because you came prepared only to be listening to stories of other people. In getting a visa there are two types of applicants: the first timers and the renewals. Some say if you are going to be renewed it would be much easier…do not count your chickens just yet …

Now once it’s your turn, your interview will only be 2 minutes at the most!!! Wow!!! Then right there and then you will know if you PASSED or you got DENIED. A passing mark means you get a green slip while if you are denied you will get a blue slip.

Now, how do you pass your interview? Actually, there is no sure formula … but here are 3 tips that would help:

Learn to speak and understand ENGLISH. You will be interviewed by a foreigner so you have to dance with the music … you have no choice … you want to enter their country so learn what the Romans do … but in this case just focus on the language … culture is another topic. In doing this you can express yourself freely and with confidence which shows in your gestures and your eyes, and the better your grasp of the language the better you can play with the words. Sometimes since some are not really that well versed this is the part where they fail.
Know your job well---if you do this all questions that will be thrown will be a piece of cake. Basically you will be asked about your job. If you know your job well you can pick any aspect of it and explain it to your consul who might not have an idea of what is it all about. But this goes hand in hand with tip number 1 which I already explained. I remember one consul asked me, how do you open a bottle of wine? I said," O that’s easy!!" yadada yadada … and I passed. :)
Be confident and sincere – confident is different from being a smart aleck we can define confidence here as being sure of your answers because you’ve gone thru step 1 and 2 and this would help you to look at the interviewer directly since eye to eye is very important. It also projects that you are sincere in applying for a job and you do not have a hidden agenda. And do not forget your proper etiquette and that honest to goodness SMILE :)

As a final word, you can expect the unexpected…but if you put the 3 tips in your system, there is nothing to worry about. Yet, anything can happen…despite doing the 3 tips you still flunk ... learn to accept your FATE ... you can always try again or maybe working outside isn’t for you … remember … "Acceptance is the key to moving forward."

Cheers!!!

First Time Working on a Cruise Ship

2009-04-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to write this entry about my first time because I am sure a lot of people can relate to my experience. For starters, I haven’t ridden a plane yet even via domestic so I am really excited. I only tried ridding a ferry and actually this was a test for me…I figured that if I don’t get sea sick, then I will survive. After I completed my Pre Departure Orientation Seminar, which is a must for all seafarers before they leave, I started packing my stuff. Of course I had to ask around what and what not to bring. An advise for first timers in general is not to bring too much stuff because by the time you come back, the stuff you will bring home will be doubled if not tripled thus you will have to pay excess baggage fee, thus weigh your baggage and just ask around from former seafarers the quantity of the allowed weight.

For a first timer like me during that time, the hardest part is when you bid farewell to your family. I would like to think that I am lucky because I am single, for I think it would have been difficult if I had my own. Although the contract would only be a year, the thought of not being able to see each other for that long is unimaginable. But for my case, deep inside I am excited for I wanted to know how it feels to be independent literally. So when I arrived at the international airport, I had to show all my documents ( make sure you bring all the things your agent told you to bring and present upon embarkation and in the immigration—it is adviseable that you have 3 copies each and put 1 set in a different envelope): passport, seaman’s book, ticket, guarantee letter and contract. I had to make sure that I had a little pocket money in dollars coz one will never know what can happen….O, well if the flight is 6am, one must be there 3am for the check in process is very tedious especially for international flights.

At that time my destination is San Diego California. While in the airport, if you finished fast with the immigration and inspection, then all you have to do is wait for the boarding time. You may take a nap, which is advisable for Philippines to the United States is about a 12 hour flight. Before lift off, the flight attendant will ask you to turn off cellular phones and all electronic devices for this might affect the computer of the plane. But once you have reached the right altitude, you can turn it back on except the phone. If you cannot sleep yet, there is usually an entertainment system infront of your seat and you can choose between watching a movie, listening to music or playing games. There will also be a time that breakfast, lunch and dinner would be served so do not despair, you paid for it anyway. If you really can’t sleep, sometimes alcoholic beverages are bottomless so have a couple of glasses but do not over indulge.

Okay, so to reach San Diego, I had to pass through Hongkong, Japan, Los Angeles, then San Diego. Unfortunately, you do not have time to check out the place coz you are in transit. There are some schedules which are very tight that you have to run to get to the next terminal or airline. The main challenge here is the immigration. So usually when you arrived in your point of embarkation there are two scenarios, you either arrive the day before or on the day itself. If you arrive the day before, lucky you…now you can check the place out. By the way, another thing you have to bring is a camera (self explanatory).

Okay, once inside the ship, you will be inspected after which you will be asked to declare the things you brought in the ship. Make sure you have a duplicate of this. Once this is done, you will report to the purser who will ask for your documents and give you a checklist of what to do. Usually, a supervisor from your department will assist and tour you around the ship to be familiar. In my case, it took me around three months literally to be familiar with the ship as well as the system in my department. You will then be escorted to your room where in you will share your room with 1 person or more. Usually, when you embark, you stay on the upper bunk and wait for the lower bunk to end his/her contract so you can step down.

Actually, this is one of the bigger challenges of your contract. You have to get along with your room mate for your whole contract if not, this will greatly affect your whole stay. I have been lucky that I got along pretty well with my room mate. He gave me some pointers and let me learn the ropes of the job.

These are the challenges that you have to meet in order for you to survive your contract:

your room mate-----I was in luck since both of us didn’t have any vices and we clicked right away

your co worker in the same department ---although we all talk the same language we come from different walks of life and upbringing….on the ship I learned 2 things…survival of the fittest…you worked there to earn money…and you have to watch your back all the time…you never know what may happen…you can enjoy but do not enjoy too much

your co worker from a different nationality and department—unity in diversity..although we are different, we all are obliged to speak English yet sometimes cultures are pretty interesting….the trick here is like in my case you have to go with the flow for the first few months…know your way around….just do your job the way it should be done..but if you feel that you are being pushed around already….then you have to choose your battle…if you think that you are in the right side of things then go ahead…

the work itself---I observed how they work, then I try to ask questions if I am in doubt. After which I execute…When I was on board I had to adjust to the following: the lay out of the workstation, my station, the micros, the products we serve, the promos and the work schedule, I was lucky that I didn’t have any problem when it comes to cocktails and some of the liquors we carried but I had to adjust with the standard of how they are made as well as what garnish and which glass to put it in

your trainings ---whether it be safety training or other trainings, one should not take this for granted…you should check the schedule of drills so you wouldn’t miss it…people can be sent home because of missing trainings. Your solas training would come in handy so treat it seriously

yourself---you have to ask yourself why you worked in the first place and let that serve as your motivation…learn in all aspects, challenge yourself to be better everyday…and learn to save money….do not get too excited buying stuff that you do not need and do not do vices….a lot of seafarers end up with nothing when going home because of unimportant spendings.

If you conquer all these challenges then you are good to go for your next contract. I know I had … can you?

My Boracay Experience

2009-03-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

I never really planned to go there for this summer season for the primary reason of it being too expensive. Not until I read an ad of Zest Air (formerly Air Philippines) in the newspaper and to my surprise, a one way ticket would only cost me P1700 from Manila to Caticlan. I just wanted to try a one way ticket and try to go on ro-ro (roll in-roll out) on my way back just for the adventure. I didn’t book right away coz I wanted to invite a friend of mine so that I wouldn’t be alone in my trip. I was able to have him confirm in joining me after 7 hours. By the time I got back on line…whoa!!! There’s no more available flight for that price!!! The cheapest rate I could find was P2,600 but this time with Cebu Pacific because prices would be as high as P4,000 since it’s the start of the peak season.I went to the new terminal 3 of NAIA which is just 30-45 minutes away from where I stay. I was asked my confirmation ticket which I printed online and a valid Identification Card. After the entrance I had to go through a scanning machine so I had to take off stuff in my pocket as well as my belt and put it in a basket which will go through the scanner. Afterwhich, I went to this other line where in my ticket was processed and since I only had a hand carry, I was weighed together with it. I was surprised because this was the first time I stepped on a weighing scale in an airport. I found out that this was to make sure that the left and right side of the plane would be balanced in terms of weight. Wow!!! Then I proceeded to another terminal and paid a terminal fee of P200. Manila to Caticlan is just almost an hour flight.

Caticlan

Before we went to main boracay…we had to take a ferry boat from Caticlan…I was surprised that we had to pay an environmental fee, a tricycle ride and a ferry ride all for P150. But for the tricycle ride if I may suggest.. you can just walk from the airport to the ferry station.It will only take you 5 minutes!!!But when you reach the terminal you still have to pay a P50 terminal fee.

The ferry ride is just 5-10 minutes. From the dock, we had to take a tricycle again for a 5-10 minute ride for P25 per person. The first fun part of our Boracay experience was that we didn’t have any place to stay. We wanted to just shop around and find the best deal…and lucky for us, while we were in the ferry we met this lady who is a “commissioner” and she recommended a place to stay for only P1000 that me and my friend can split. So we checked out the place…Once we were there, we weren’t really satisfied so we decided to look around…we bumped into another local who led us into this place called Sheena’s which is located in station 2 by the beach front…We checked out the place and we decided this is the place to stay having a better location and our room has a veranda to boot. The price was only P1700. But another interesting part of the trip is we bumped into another person who was alone and looked safe enough and wanted to share the room with us which means we divided the P1700 into 3!!!

We started our adventure on a Thursday…

Food

We were so hungry from the trip that we decided to have a pizza in the old reliable Shakey’s.

I ordered a beer for P45, a pitcher of Iced tea at P160 for my 2 friends and a combo pizza for P660 plus service charge and government taxes for everybody. Well it wasn’t really the best deal in town but we just had to eat. Boracay island is divided into 3 sections called Station 1-2-3. But more or less the prices of food or meals would range from P60-P180 and above…There are also buffets from P250 and above. Here in Bora there are a variety of restaurants: German, Italian, Mediterranean, Filipino, Japanese, etc. For the whole trip we ate in Real Maris which is a resort Hotel in Station 1,another old reliable Andok’s, had pizza at Aria which is beside Hey Jude, which is one of the hang out place for night owls, we had buffet in a restaurant by the beachfront which I forgot, breakfast at Paradiso grill, O, and if you are on a tight budget, I was surprised to see a budget mart and a bakeshop just by the main road by the end of “d’mall” as well as some carinderia that have decent food as well.

There is this one resto called Smoke which serves the best deal in bulalo at P185.

Beverages

Now this aspect of the trip is very interesting. For local beers, starting price would be P45, other would price it at P66 and above. There is this one bar though called “hobbit house” which amazed me coz it offers a lot of international beers that I know since I have an exposure for international brands working on a ship. Brands like Murphy’s, Dos xx, Kilkenny’s, etc… I recommend this for other nationalities who would miss there own beer brands while in bora…although it doesn’t come as cheap…it is priced the same as in other countries if you would convert it…so it’s still a decent deal. Here’s a catch…some bars would offer a happy hour from 4pm – 9pm. This can either be a buy one take one, a beer by the bucket or a 30% off on cocktails!!! So you better check your watch.

Bars

What is the best bar to go to in Bora? I cannot really single out one since people hop from one bar to the other.

Well I may not yet be the authority but this is as far as I have seen during my stay…

If you just want a bar to chill and meet people, here are some suggested bars to check out :Hey Jude is one the first bars to check out since it is situated right in the heart of the Bora strip. Then there’s Juice bar, a corner bar with a nice R&B and house selection, then’ there’s Summer place in between station 2 and 3 and Cocomangas in station 1…both these bars are places that is mostly flocked by foreigners…I wonder why….Then if you want to let loose and party you can go to station 1 and check out Guilly’s and Club Paraw. Another bar in station 1 that you can check out is Fridays’ (not related to the international brand), which is an institution in bora.If you want to listen to solo singers and jam as well, you may try Hobbit house, Charles’ bar, and Paradiso grill.

There are still a lot of bars in bora..these are just some that made a difference in my stay.

Party in Bora starts from 5pm to 5am..but then again… who knows???

Accommodation

Okay, I almost forgot to include this but in this aspect of the trip you can book early online or do as we did and shop around. Prices may range from P500 to P5,000 per day. Some resort hotels that you can check are: Real Maris, Boracay Regency, Boracay Peninsula, Discovery, Mandarin, Patio Pacific, Red Coconut, etc, etc.

Just ask the services they offer.

Activities

Well aside from eating, drinking, and partying, one can still have options in bora. In the day you can go diving, banana, boating, jet skiing, riding the ATV island hopping, skim boarding, hiking, snorkeling, swimming, sun bathing, having a henna tattoo, or simply just lay on the sand with a beer in hand while staring at that beautiful sunset.

Shopping

I had to include this topic although I myself didn’t do any shopping myself for there might be interested people about this topic. There would be 4 places to shop for souvenirs, clothes, hats, trinkets, and other stuff that you might fancy: along the beach front, d’mall, talipapa and by the town area. Bargaining is a gift so test it in bora. Almost everything is here including load for you prepaid sim and internet café in case you need to check your mail so do not worry about it. There are also airline offices here so if in case you plan to rebook never fear….

This is one that made my boracay experience all the more interesting. Once you are in bora, you would feel a mix that you are in the Philippines but you are not…do you get my drift?? Different nationalities flock bora and some have stayed and lived there. Boracaynon is what you would call a native or a local that was born there but other migrants have stayed and worked there as well. Regardless of which …people are friendly and down to earth. Some are hustlers, but that’s part of the business although they are tamer than those I have encountered in some Caribbean countries.

And once you made friends in your first trip, you would still keep in touch with them until your next trip, and so on and so on.

Conclusion

Actually, I forgot to tell that we started our trip on Thursday morning and planned to go back Sunday. But instead of taking the ro-ro we ended up taking the plane again going back to Manila but not until Tuesday for the price of P3,900++!!!

If you wish to go to Bora for this long have a budget of around P15000 and maybe a credit card or atm in your wallet and you will be fine. It’s really worth the trip and it’s very addictive that you just want to keep coming back.