Entertainment bars, and adult-themed bars, have always been one of the versatile businesses here in Cebu. They have made quite an impact with people in general. There are those who welcome this non-mainstream form of entertainment. And of course, there are others who find these types of businesses degrading; in fact, some find it illegal. The morality police liken the events that occur at these locations to prostitution, or at least think of these places as havens of prostitutions. So, out of curiosity, I decided to go to Naughty Ka, one of the popular resto-bars in the city, to see for myself what these places of entertainment have to offer.
Going in, it looked like another resto-bar, except that you would not be seeing a band perform on stage– usually, that is. But instead, you'd see dancers. Much like your noontime variety shows, except maybe with a little more bare skin and more targeted to a presumably adult and mature audience. Think SOP or ASAP or even Eat Bulaga but without the games and most of the fancy gimmicks. It's entertainment. From what I was able to experience in the short time I was there, I am able to say that these adult resto-bars are just like any other resto-bars, except that they cater to more adult and mature tastes.
Before I left Naughty Ka, I talked with Madam Osang, one of the managers of the place. He did give me a few insights as to what really "night life" is all about.
Nym: Tell us more about Naughty Ka...
Osang: Naughty Ka is a gay bar located along Banilad Road, it's open every day at 9:00PM-3:00AM.
Naughty Ka, Claudia (the bar below Naughty Ka) and Club Notes (in Mandaue) have the same owner. Currently, Naughty Ka has 16 male dancers from Cebu and four male dancers from Manila.
Nym: How do you get dancers from Manila?
Osang: We have friends from Manila who are in the same business as us. We get some of our dancers from them. Call them "guest performers," if you will.
Nym: So do these Manila dancers dance every weekends only or on "peak days"?
Osang: It actually depends on the contract they have signed with us. Most of them have a 6-month contract, so they are going to stay here for six months and perform depending on their schedules.
Nym: Didn't you have a hard time filing for a business permit at the Mayor's office?
Osang: Believe it or not, we didn't have a hard time filing for a business permit, because this is registered as a resto-bar. Which is true, because we serve food and drinks. There are also other performers besides the male dancers.
Nym: And they would be?
Osang: Aside from male dancers, we have drag queens, gay impersonators, gay performers, and a band every now and then.
Nym: How much do these dancers get monthly?
Osang: I can't tell how much they get. But aside from their salary, the tips that they get are all theirs.
We don't get a percentage from their tips because their tips are theirs. Our customers give tips because they enjoy the entertainment that we provide them. Same with the girls of Claudia.
Nym: Is there any difference between the weekday shows and the weekend shows?
Osang: Weekend shows are more flashy, "bonga ang production." However, the entrance fee is a bit higher than the weekday entrance fees. The people who go are also encouraged to order since there is also a table charge for someone who doesn't order.
Nym: What's the difficult part of this business?
Osang: I guess it's the stereotype the people give us. They think that adult bars are all about getting naked and dancing in a lewd way. "Puro lang binastos" when it's actually not. It's also about having fun and entertaining our customers. For the years that we were operating here, "never mi nagpa hubo sa among mga dancers."
Nym: About the male dancers here, do you do random medical check-ups for them?
Osang: Of course, but the medical check-up is not for our male dancers only, the medical check-up is compulsory to all our employees. They are given an excreta test every Tuesday and I personally see to it that I will know the results from the doctor first hand.
Nym: Any last words?
Osang: Yes. Just for clarification, a business like ours doesn't spread STD. The lack of sex education and promulgation of reproductive health practices do.